Michael Kiwanuka
Lusaint

With his endless humility, Michael Kiwanuka almost makes you forget he is one of those rare artists who changed the pop and soul music of his time. Released about 12 years ago, just after playing the first part of the singer Adele, when she was not yet famous, his first album Home Again set the young British artist apart: his gift for combining his texts, memorable tunes and guitar chords transported the public. After this instant classic album, that he still interprets during his concerts, he launched three other records which were equally incredible and confirmed expectations. The last one, Small Changes, released in 2024, is a new step in the personal quest of an unusual singer-songwriter who overcomes his doubts and maintains his vulnerability, song after song, while developing the art of creating a disarming closeness with his public. Those who already saw him playing live, like at Jazz à Vienne in 2022, can approve that experiencing his songs live is an unforgettable moment you cannot decline: he blends the legacy of the pop and soul great artists without trying to imitating them.

But how come England has so many great singers? After Amy Winehouse and Adele, here is the young Lusaint, powerful and incredibly similar: it seems she sings her intimate soul in our ear with her voice coming from the depths of her heart. There are no boundaries between the young singer-songwriter and the person who listens to her. Maybe it is because Lusaint, a native of Manchester, had started to sing as a hobby, doing karaoke on the family computer when nobody was home, being part of choirs and, very quickly, doing a cover version of hits in a very personal way, warm yet powerful. She had never thought of making a living from it. Empowered by enthusiastic feedback from her relatives, she later put her covers online. It was an instant success. In 2019, she broke the Shazam record in 24 hours, which propelled her to the forefront with her acoustic covers of hits: “Crazy In Love” by Beyoncé and “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak (with more than 35 million views on YouTube). Lusaint started to write her own songs by listening Billie Holiday, Nina Simone or Ella Fitzgerald’s classic songs. Humble and sincere, she has a “girl next door” style, a voice which melts our heart and an amazing maturity. Indeed, she peacefully established herself as one of the greatest singers for the coming years.