Small Changes, Big Feelings: Inside Michael Kiwanuka’s latest album

Michael Kiwanuka, the 37 year old London raised R&B / soul artist, is back with a new album this Friday, and his first since 2019. The record, Small Changes, has 11 total tracks, five of which have already been released in the United States, including the first song of the album, the fluid and soothing “Floating Parade.”  With soft vocals and lyrics, mixed with a variety of genres from R&B, to soul, jazz, and alternative, the song is Kiwanuka’s perfect opener for his latest record. It introduces so many of the musical themes we hear in Small Changes: “Floating Parade” is a perfect overture. It also gives us a great reason to look back over his catalog. 

With Small Changes as his fourth full-length record, Kiwanuka’s discography is not valued in size, but in quality. His debut, Home Again, was released in 2012. While this album was  packed with impressive melodies, his transformation over the course of his career from Love & Hate in 2016 and KIWANUKA in 2019 has driven his music to an entirely different category. Kiwanuka’s confidence in his writing and singing, along with his evolving production styles, has allowed his songwriting to incorporate multiple genres.

He’s also versatile. In the five singles from Small Changes, Kiwanuka plays guitar, piano, keyboard, drums, violin, and more. By using relaxed, more subtle beats, he sings and plays at a slower tempo. His soft, calm voice is incredibly soothing for fans to listen to, as his over six million monthly listeners can attest to. 

Kiwanuka’s soul music is some of the best of the genre out right now. His most popular song, “Love & Hate,” now stands at over 116 million streams on Spotify. The song’s melody, mixed with his beautiful voice, stunning chord progressions, and instrumental chops are a winning combination. 

Exploring themes in Kiwanuka’s work

Each of his albums, EPs, and singles center around different themes. On Small Changes, it’s evident that with this project, Kiwanuka is exploring the pursuit of happiness and self improvement, as well as  anxiety, parental struggles, and doubting oneself. “Floating Parade” emphasizes the anxiety people face every day, whereas “Four Long Years” focuses on the theme of finding happiness and self-improvement. 

Small Changes highlights the issues that Kiwanuka deals with not only on a daily basis, but over the course of his life. Being a father is no easy task, let alone having two children, and Kiwanuka describes these struggles through his voice and melodies. One of the most impactful ways that he describes these themes, however, is through his lyrics. In the song “Fathers Child” in Love & Hate, he sings “Walk with me, I know who I wasn’t supposed to be / Walk with me, show me the right direction” and “I am my mother’s child, I am my father’s child.” These lyrics describe the realities of being a son to a mother or father, as well as being the parent, and the everyday struggles that come with it.

In the song “Rule the World,” also from Love & Hate, he describes the pursuit of happiness: “Help me to see, Who I can be, Help me to know, Where I can go.” Here, he is describing his future, and where he can end up, as well as where he can find happiness and growth.

Whether it be the titles of his songs, albums, or his lyrics, Kiwanuka consistently leaves a message with his music. His passion for various genres, along with the social issues that he covers in his songs, together create stunning art for these times. 

Small Changes is out today. Kiwanuka’s tour takes him to Europe in early 2025, but you can read about his date at The Met Philly with Brittany Howard here.