Kiwanuka grew up in Muswell Hill, London, the son of Ugandan parents who had escaped the Amin regime. He attended Fortismere School, leaving there in 2005 after completing his A-Levels. He went on to study at the School of Media, Arts and Design at the University of Westminster.
Kiwanuka worked as a session guitarist, playing with Chipmunk and Bashy, before working as a solo artist; his first proper gig was at The Oxford, Kentish Town. He came to the attention of Communion Records, which released his first two EPs, including his debut Tell Me A Tale on 13 June 2011.
Kiwanuka supported Adele on her Adele Live 2011 tour, as well at her iTunes Festival 2011 gig and played at the 2011 Hard Rock Calling.
In 2011, he signed a deal with Polydor Records. He was included in the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll and was named as the winner on 6 January 2012. In June 2012, he was illustrated in a BBC article regarding Spain vis-à-vis Uganda during the Eurozone crisis; his putative counterpart was actress Penélope Cruz.
In July 2016, he performed at the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park on the same day as Carole King and Don Henley.
The 5th prestigious HiPipo Music Awards will honor Michael Kiwanuka with the award of "Best Global Act" in recognition and celebration of his ‘Love & Hate’ album success and musical accomplishments since his 2012 debut album "Home Again".
His song "Cold Little Heart" serves as the opening theme for the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies.
Kiwanuka has acknowledged influences from musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Bill Withers, Otis Redding, Jack Johnson, Pops Staples, The Band, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Eric Bibb, Tommy Sims, Wham!, Richie Havens and Funkadelic, he has played with James Gadson, who drummed for Bill Withers.
Worry Walks Beside Me
Michael Kiwanuka Lyrics
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They say I should run but It's comin my way
I'll be doin fine if you just leave me behind
Coming all over and under my skin
Say if I follow I will die like a king
I'll be doin fine if you just leave me behind
What will it take? When will I be done?
I've been trying
I find him standing here all the time
I find him trying to steal all that's mine
I'll be doin fine if you just leave me behind
What will it take to believe I can run
What will it take? When will I be done?
I've been trying
What will it take to be free again
I wanna leave this behind
What will it take just to see again
All this is making me blind
What will it take to believe I can run
What will it take? When will I be done?
I've been trying
How does it feel to be flying away
How does it feel to believe today
I've been trying
Worry walks beside me everyday
The lyrics to Michael Kiwanuka's song Worry Walks Beside Me describe the overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety that seems to always be present in the singer's life. He acknowledges that conventional wisdom dictates that he should "run" from worry, but these negative emotions are inescapable and "coming [his] way." The singer expresses a desire to be freed from this burden of worry, but it feels impossible. Despite his best efforts, worry always seems to "find him standing here all the time," and he worries that it will continue to "steal all that's mine."
The lyrics paint a poignant picture of a person grappling with intense feelings of anxiety and fear. The singer is crying out for relief from this unending struggle, and he wonders what it will take to become free again. This song is a reflection of how anxiety can be all-consuming and make it feel like there is no escape. In particular, the line "Say if I follow I will die like a king" conveys how worry can be a seductive force that creates illusions of safety and control, but ultimately leads to destruction.
Overall, Michael Kiwanuka's Worry Walks Beside Me is a deeply emotional reflection on the experience of living with anxiety. The lyrics express the frustration, pain, and sense of helplessness that can accompany this condition. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of reaching out for help and finding ways to cope with these difficult emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Worry walks beside me every day
I constantly have anxiety, it never leaves me and haunts me every day.
They say I should run but It's comin my way
People tell me to escape my worries, but they always catch up with me and overwhelm me.
I'll be doin fine if you just leave me behind
I can only overcome my worries if I am left alone and have nothing to do with them.
Coming all over and under my skin
My worries are deeply ingrained in me and have taken over my entire being.
Say if I follow I will die like a king
If I let my worries control me, I may end up being powerful but at a great cost.
I find him standing here all the time
My worries are always present and don't seem to go away no matter how hard I try.
I find him trying to steal all that's mine
My worries are like a thief, taking away my peace of mind and happiness.
What will it take to be free again
I desperately want to escape my worries and be happy once again, but I don't know how to do it.
I wanna leave this behind
I want to forget about my worries and not have them consume me anymore.
What will it take just to see again
I want to be able to see the world without my worries clouding my perception.
All this is making me blind
My worries are causing me to lose sight of what's important and make me unable to see clearly.
How does it feel to be flying away
I wonder what it feels like to be free from my worries and finally have peace.
How does it feel to believe today
I want to have hope that I can escape my worries and be happy again, but it's difficult.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOLLY ELIZA MARTIN, MICHAEL KIWANUKA, MICHAEL SAMUEL KIWANUKA, PAUL BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind