Daniel Caesar, a 30-year-old singer, has become a beloved voice in music over the last decade with his stripped-down, soulful indie R&B gems. His most recent album, Son of Spergy, features collaborations with Sampha, Bon Iver, and Devonté Hynes, and is a powerful rumination on faith and family.
Caesar says creating Son of Spergy was a healing experience that brought him closer to his family. He’s very proud of the album and glad he chose to follow this path, despite the challenges of the music industry.
To curate a playlist for the “Legacy” issue, Caesar looked back at the songs that have left an indelible mark on him. The playlist includes tracks by Frank Ocean, Lauryn Hill, and D’Angelo, as well as gospel singer Richard Smallwood.
His playlist also features tracks by Coldplay and Portishead, bands he discovered while growing up in Oshawa, Canada. He recalls listening to a wide range of music as a teenager, from alternative and indie rock to classic British invasion type music.
For Caesar, the visceral way we respond to music is what makes it so powerful. He says that listening to music in church as a child would give him goose pimples, and that the songs on his playlist give him the same feeling.
Related: Antwerp’s fashion schools start with questions
Caesar’s musical tastes were shaped by his eclectic group of friends, who listened to anything and everything. They helped him develop his own unique taste.
Caesar’s playlist is available exclusively on Apple Music.
Caesar says that the music industry can be exploitative, but he’s chosen to follow his own path.
For Caesar, it’s the visceral way we respond to music that makes it so powerful. “I used to question the concept of God when I was younger. But then I would go to church and the music was playing and I’d get goose pimples,” he says. “All of these songs give me that same feeling.”
Leave a Reply