Daniel Caesar | ||||||||||
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Background information | ||||||||||
Birth name | Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds | |||||||||
Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada [1] | April 5, 1995|||||||||
Origin | Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | |||||||||
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Years active | 2014–present | |||||||||
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Website | danielcaesar | |||||||||
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YouTube information | ||||||||||
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Years active | 2012–present | |||||||||
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Subscribers | 2.09 million [4] | |||||||||
Total views | 1.15 billion [4] | |||||||||
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Last updated: November 26, 2024 |
Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds [1] [5] (born April 5, 1995), known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two EPs, Praise Break (2014) and Pilgrim's Paradise (2015), Caesar released his debut studio album, Freudian , in 2017, which received three Grammy Award nominations. He released his second studio album, Case Study 01 , in 2019. Caesar featured alongside Giveon on Justin Bieber's 2021 single "Peaches", his first number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100. Caesar's third studio album, Never Enough (2023), is his first release under Republic Records.
Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds was born on April 5, 1995, in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, and raised in Oshawa. He is the second eldest of four children to his mother Hollace Burnett-Simmonds and father Norwill Simmonds, a pastor and gospel singer who released his first album as a high school student in Jamaica. Caesar attended the Seventh-day Adventist Church and private school in Oshawa. [6] [7] He is of Bajan and Jamaican descent. [8]
Caesar grew up in church, singing before his father's congregation in Oshawa. [9] He was raised listening to soul and gospel delivered through musicality and religion, even though his parents were cautious of temptations that came with music. [9] Caesar longed for the city, which was an hour’s drive from his home. [9]
At the age of 17, Caesar was kicked out of the house after a fight with his father on the weekend of his high school graduation; he was briefly homeless during this time. [10] He felt no choice but to pursue his calling as a musician. [9] After leaving his home, he began doing gigs. He connected with producers and future collaborators Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett and began writing and recording what would be his debut EP Praise Break in 2014; [10] it was No. 19 on the "20 Best R&B Albums of 2014" by Rolling Stone and the top projects of 2014 by Noisey Canada. [11] [12]
Caesar's career gained notability in 2015, with the release of his second EP, Pilgrim's Paradise. [9] The album received positive critical acclaim and, while not immediately a commercial success, tracks like "Streetcar", the cover of Kanye West's 2008 song "Street Lights", have become fan favorites. [13] [14]
On August 25, 2017, Caesar released his debut album Freudian , which includes the singles "Get You", "We Find Love", and "Blessed". The album was a shortlisted finalist for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize. [15] At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar received two nominations for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance for "Get You". [16] At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar won Best R&B Performance for his single "Best Part". [17] On March 19, 2021, Caesar was also featured alongside American singer-songwriter Giveon on fellow Canadian singer Justin Bieber's single "Peaches", from the latter's sixth studio album, Justice , which became his first chart-topping single on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Caesar released his third studio album, Never Enough, through Republic Records on April 7, 2023. [18] The following year, he appeared on Tyler, the Creator's eighth studio album Chromakopia , providing vocals for five tracks on the album, including opening track "St. Chroma" and "Tomorrow", which Caesar co-wrote and performed bass on. [19]
Caesar's music is influenced by soul and gospel. His music draws from his childhood experiences and integrates them with R&B and electronics, while his lyrics explore subjects of religion, philosophy and unrequited love. In his music, he often references concepts of philosophy. His singing voice reshapes itself on each track, often veering into a hushed, introspective lilting style. [9] According to Caesar, "In my religious surroundings growing up, the point is to be still, to direct as little attention to yourself as possible and instead, direct all attention to what you’re saying. Now, it’s kind of the opposite." [9] Caesar cites Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Beyoncé, and The Doors frontman Jim Morrison as musical and stylistic inspirations. [9]
Caesar works in close collaboration with producers Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans, with whom he co-founded his independent label, Golden Child Recordings, and has co-produced almost all of his music with since 2015. [20] Caesar is also part of an informal collaborative of Toronto-based musicians and songwriters that includes River Tiber, BadBadNotGood, and Charlotte Day Wilson, among others.
In March 2019, Caesar received backlash for defending his friend Julieanna Goddard via an Instagram live stream. [21] [22] [23] Goddard had been criticized for her racist comments on Black people, particularly those regarding Black women. [24] [25] [26] He later apologized for his comments. [27] [28]
Award | Year [a] | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Music Awards | 2021 | "Peaches" (with Justin Bieber and Giveon) | Collaboration of the Year | Nominated | [29] |
BET Awards | 2017 | Daniel Caesar | International Viewers' Choice Award | Nominated | [30] |
2018 | Best Male R&B/Pop Artist | Nominated | [31] | ||
Best New Artist | Nominated | ||||
Billboard Music Awards | 2022 | "Peaches" | Top Collaboration | Nominated | [32] |
Top R&B Song | Nominated | ||||
Grammy Awards | 2018 | Freudian | Best R&B Album | Nominated | [33] |
"Get You" (with Kali Uchis) | Best R&B Performance | Nominated | |||
2019 | "Best Part" (with H.E.R) | Won | [34] [35] | ||
2020 | "Love Again" (with Brandy) | Nominated | [36] | ||
2022 | Justice (as featured artist and songwriter) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [33] | |
"Peaches" | Record of the Year | Nominated | |||
Song of the Year | Nominated | ||||
Best R&B Performance | Nominated | ||||
Best Music Video | Nominated | ||||
iHeartRadio MuchMusic Video Awards | 2017 | Daniel Caesar | Best New Canadian Artist | Nominated | [37] |
iHeartRadio Music Awards | 2019 | Daniel Caesar | R&B Artist of the Year | Nominated | [38] |
2022 | "Peaches" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [39] | |
Best Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
Best Music Video | Nominated | ||||
Juno Awards | 2017 | Pilgrim's Paradise | R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Nominated | [40] |
2018 | Daniel Caesar | Artist of the Year | Nominated | [41] | |
Freudian | R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Won | |||
2020 | "Case Study 01" | Nominated | [42] | ||
2022 | "Peaches" | Single of the Year | Nominated | [43] | |
2023 | "Please Do Not Lean" (feat. BadBadNotGood) | Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Nominated | [44] | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | 2021 | "Peaches" | Best Song | Nominated | [45] |
Best Video | Nominated | ||||
MTV Video Music Awards | 2021 | "Peaches" | Best Pop | Won | [46] |
Best Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
Best Editing | Nominated | ||||
Song of Summer | Nominated | ||||
People's Choice Awards | 2021 | "Peaches" | The Song of 2021 | Nominated | [47] |
The Music Video of 2021 | Nominated | ||||
The Collaboration Song of 2021 | Nominated | ||||
Soul Train Music Awards | 2018 | Daniel Caesar | Best New Artist | Won | [48] |
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist | Nominated | ||||
"Broken Clocks" (as songwriter) | The Ashford And Simpson Songwriter's Award | Nominated | |||
"Best Part" (featuring H.E.R.) | Nominated | ||||
Best Collaboration Performance | Won | ||||
2019 | Daniel Caesar | Soul Train Certified Award | Nominated | [49] | |
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist | Nominated |
Year | Ceremony | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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2016 | Polaris Music Prize | Pilgrim's Paradise | – | Longlisted | [50] |
2018 | Freudian | – | Shortlisted | [51] | |
2020 | Case Study 01 | – | Longlisted | [52] | |
2023 | Never Enough | Shortlisted | [53] | ||
2016 | SOCAN Songwriting Prize | "Paradise" (featuring BADBADNOTGOOD) | – | Nominated | [54] |
2017 | "Won't Live Here" | – | Nominated | ||
2021 | MTV Millennial Awards | "Peaches" | Global Hit | Nominated | |
MTV Millennial Awards Brazil | Nominated | ||||
MTV Video Play Awards | Winning Videos | Won | |||
NRJ Music Awards | International Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
2022 | ASCAP Awards | Winning Songwriters & Publishers | Won | ||
Headlining
The Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year is awarded as recognition for the best Canadian comedy album released in the previous year. Irregularly presented from 1979 to 1984, the award was then discontinued until the Juno Awards announced in 2017 that they would revive the category for the Juno Awards of 2018.
BadBadNotGood is a Canadian instrumental band and production team from Toronto, Canada. The group was founded in 2010 by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski. In 2016, they were joined by frequent collaborator Leland Whitty. Among other projects, the group has released six solo studio albums, with the latest, Mid Spiral, released in July 2024. They have had critical and crossover success, finding audiences in the hip hop, jazz, and alternative music communities.
Matthew Raymond Burnett is a Canadian record producer, musical director and manager from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who has worked with a number of major recording artists in various genres from R&B to soul, hip hop and rap. Burnett has produced for the likes of Daniel Caesar, Drake, Eminem, Nas, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Childish Gambino, Ellie Goulding and Snoh Aalegra to name a few. He has also musically directed Daniel Caesar, Tyla, Kelly Rowland, Jessie Reyez, Willow Smith and Queen Naija. Alongside longtime music partner Jordan Evans, Burnett previously managed Caesar. Currently, the duo manage Wilson. Matthew Burnett's work has earned him two Grammy Award nominations and five Juno Award nominations. In 2018 he took home a Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for Caesar's debut studio album, Freudian.
Matthew Sean Leon is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is the founder of the IXXI Initiative, formed in 2012 in Toronto. The collective helped foster the career of Daniel Caesar in tandem with producers Jordan Evans & Matthew Burnett.
Adam King Feeney, better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Lorde for Melodrama, Camila Cabello, Post Malone and The Weeknd. Following a two decade production career, he retired as Frank Dukes in 2021 to pursue his own music and art as Ging; he released his debut solo album We're Here, My Dear in 2022.
Jessica Reyez is a Colombian- Canadian singer-songwriter. Her 2016 single "Figures" peaked at number 58 on the Canadian Hot 100 in 2017 and was certified triple Platinum by Music Canada and Platinum by the RIAA. Her 2017 EP, Kiddo, led to four nominations at the 2018 Juno Awards, winning Breakthrough Artist. Her follow up EP, Being Human in Public, was released in 2018. It won R&B/Soul Recording of the Year at the 2019 Juno Awards and was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards. Reyez again won the R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, for "Feel it Too" with Tory Lanez and Tainy, at the 2020 Juno Awards, where she was also nominated for Artist of the Year. Reyez has written songs for Calvin Harris, Kehlani, Dua Lipa, and Normani, most notably penning the hit "One Kiss", and has collaborated with Eminem on multiple occasions. Her debut album, Before Love Came to Kill Us, was released on March 27, 2020, to widespread critical acclaim, and saw commercial success, entering at number thirteen on the US Billboard 200.
Freudian is the debut studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar. It was released independently on August 25, 2017, by Golden Child Recordings, with distribution from TuneCore. It includes guest appearances from Kali Uchis, H.E.R., Syd, Charlotte Day Wilson and Sean Leon. Production derives from Caesar, Matthew Burnett, Jordan Evans, BadBadNotGood, Alex Ernewein, Riley Bell and Jordon Manswell. The album succeeds the 2015 EP Pilgrim's Paradise. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Album Category, alongside a nomination for Best R&B Performance with "Get You" at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, with "Best Part" with H.E.R. winning Best R&B Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
"Get You" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar, featuring Colombian-American singer and songwriter Kali Uchis. It was released on October 20, 2016, as the lead single from Caesar's debut studio album, Freudian (2017), with the b-side, "Japanese Denim". "Get You" was written by Caesar and Uchis, with production of both tracks handled by Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett in collaboration with BadBadNotGood.
Charlotte Day Wilson is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. She came to prominence in the mid-2010s with her single "Work" and collaborations with other Toronto-based artists like BadBadNotGood and Daniel Caesar. Wilson released her debut album Alpha in July 2021.
Snoh Sheri Nowrozi, better known by her stage name Snoh Aalegra, is a Swedish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Feels, was released in 2017, followed by Ugh, Those Feels Again in 2019.
H.E.R. is a first compilation album by American R&B singer-songwriter H.E.R., released on October 20, 2017, by RCA Records. The album comprises songs from the singer's EPs H.E.R., Vol. 1 (2016) and H.E.R., Vol. 2 (2017), and includes six additional songs. The album won Best R&B Album, as well as Best R&B Performance for the song "Best Part" with Daniel Caesar and received four other nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist for H.E.R.
"Best Part" is a song by Canadian singer Daniel Caesar and American singer H.E.R., released in 2017 as a part of Caesar's album Freudian. It is also included in H.E.R.'s self-titled album, released in 2017.
Canadian musician Daniel Caesar has released three studio albums and one studio EP, among many singles including "Get You" featuring Kali Uchis and "Best Part" featuring H.E.R. As a featured artist, his most notable appearances are on the Justin Bieber RIAA 4-times platinum single "Peaches" and on the opening track on Tyler, the Creator's album Chromakopia, St. Chroma. He often collaborates with other Toronto-based artists such as BadBadNotGood, Charlotte Day Wilson, River Tiber, and Sean Leon.
Giveon Dezmann Evans, known mononymously as Giveon, is an American R&B singer. He rose to prominence with his collaboration with Drake on their 2020 single, "Chicago Freestyle". In the same year, Giveon released the EPs, Take Time and When It's All Said and Done, the former was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, and the latter reaching the Top 10 on the US Top R&B Albums chart. He released "Heartbreak Anniversary", as the second single from Take Time, which reached the Top 40 in the US and was certified Platinum by RIAA. In 2021, Giveon was featured alongside Daniel Caesar on the Justin Bieber single "Peaches", which debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200 and US Billboard Hot 100 charts. In 2022, he released his debut studio album Give or Take.
"Peaches" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon. It was released through Def Jam Recordings on March 19, 2021, as the fifth single from the former's sixth studio album, Justice, which was released the same day. First-time collaborators, the artists wrote the song with producers Harv and Shndo, alongside Andrew Watt, Louis Bell, Sean Leon, Harv's wife Felisha King-Harvey of Cherish, Vincent Massi, and Keavan Yazdani. There are two remixes of the song: the first contains guest appearances from American rappers and singers Ludacris, Usher, and Snoop Dogg, while the second features Nigerian musicians Alpha P, Omah Lay, and Masterkraft.
Keavan Yazdani is a Grammy-nominated Canadian songwriter and multidisciplinary visual artist.