The singer took to his Twitter to announce the release to fans.

I never want to take making music for granted ever again. This is one of the lessons this last year and a half has taught me. So it’s my pleasure to share with you ‘Beautiful Life’. Even in the dark times there’s some beauty. Even when it’s not easy.https://t.co/0a48uFRgjJ pic.twitter.com/S43chmQbV4

— Michael Kiwanuka (@michaelkiwanuka) October 12, 2021

The Mercury-Prize winning artist’s dreamy new release was recorded during work on his upcoming album. Kiwanuka recorded his new material in London and worked with producer St Francis Hotel. The new single’s press release describes the track, “it’s classic Michael Kiwanuka; all otherworldly sounds, psychedelic hues, and that rich, mellifluous vocal. A welcome return by one of the most visionary artists of a generation.”

After the release of his last album, the singer embarked on a tour in support of his third studio album, Kiwanuka. However, due to the recent COVD-19 pandemic, the artist’s tour was cancelled and subsequently was unable to play the new material live. Within this downtime, the singer had time to write and work on his fourth studio album. It was during this time that director Orlando von Einsiedel approached Kiwanuka to collaborate on his new documentary, “Convergence: Courage In A Crisis”. The singer’s new track “Beautiful Life” is the title track for the Oscar award-winning director’s feature, the documentary is available to watch on Netflix.

Kiwanuka has provided the following statement concerning his new track, “In this song I wanted to focus on the feeling that there’s a real strength in the human spirit when you try to look for beauty even in difficult situations. Of course, in some situations that becomes more and more difficult. But I just wanted to ponder on that and wonder what life would be like if I lived it like that. Ultimately whatever people feel from hearing the song is ok with me. But what I was trying to emit through the music was a feeling of defiance. A feeling of strength through adversity.”

In 2020 the singer won the Mercury Prize for his third studio album Kiwanuka. The singer has been shortlisted twice prior to his win, he received nominations for Home Again and Love & Hate. The album was also nominated for Best British Album of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards, the singer was also nominated for British Male Solo Artist.
The album was released on 1st November 2019 via Polydor and Interscope Records and sired 5 singles. The singer’s third album was released to great critical and commercial success and reached number two within the UK album charts.

In more recent news, the 34-year-old singer has been writing and demoing songs from his upcoming fourth album. Kiwanuka will soon be hitting the road, in Spring 2022 the singer will be performing his new material live. The award-winning artist will start the UK leg of his tour in Glasgow on 6th May, the tour will wrap up with an appearance at the Green Man Festival. The singer’s UK tour comprises of 15 UK performances including a sold-out performance at Knebworth Park in June with Liam Gallagher. For the rest of 2022, the multi-talented artist will be continuing his tour in Europe.

Michael Kiwanuka UK tour dates

06/05/2022 – O2 Academy – Glasgow
08/05 – O2 Academy – Leeds
09/05 – De Montford Hall – Leicester
11/05 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
13/05 – Empress Ballroom – Blackpool
14/05 – Bonus Arena – Hull
17/05 – O2 Apollo – Manchester
18/05 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
20/05 – Brighton Centre – Brighton
21/05 – Pavilions – Plymouth
23/05 – O2 Academy Brixton – London
25/05 – Alexandra Palace – London
04/06 – Knebworth Park – Herts (With Liam Gallagher)
08/08 – Summer Sessions – Edinburgh
18-21/08 – Green Man Festival – Brecon Beacons

Click here to listen to “Beautiful Life“.

‘Stations of the Cross’ is something of a profound song title, and the lyrics betray a real shrewdness. “Weekends follow weekends / like the stations of the cross” Rice sings. “And it’s not that you’re unhappy you’re just happy on and off.” Under the surface of a flashy, cool setup at Kennington’s iconic cricket ground, there lies a bleakness about growing older and disillusioned. It strikes a great contrast with Sports Teams’ unique, and cheery, guitar band sound.

Sports Team rarely take themselves too seriously, though. From their record label account, Holm Front, they called it a “mostly competent version.” They are underselling themselves; the energy of the video is contagious.

Deep Down Happy has been nominated for the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize, which will be announced live on The One Show next Thursday (September 24). Although there won’t be a ceremony on the scale of previous years, there will be plenty of TV and radio coverage throughout next week to celebrate all the nominees. The full run of events can be found here.

Speaking to NME about their upcoming nomination, Alex Rice said, “I’d rather win The Mercury Prize than anything else. It’s just bigger than anything else. It does feel like recognition from people just like us, who are obsessed with music, which is incredible.”

All in all, it’s been a big week for Sports Team. With precedent out of the window, what better way to prepare for an awards ceremony than by attempting to beat Pete Doherty’s time on the mega breakfast challenge at Margate’s Dalby Café? This is what guitarist Henry Young got up to yesterday – the band shared the following pictures of his attempt. For those interested, the breakfast consists of four rashers of bacon, four fried eggs, four sausages, onion rings, mushrooms, beans, bubble and squeak, hash browns, two slices of toast and – of course – a quarter-pounder burger with a side of chips.

Pete Doherty, if you have any pride, you will come down to the Dolby and defend your title pic.twitter.com/yZ5veZw7U3

— Sports Team (@SportsTeam_) September 15, 2020

Unlike Doherty, Young didn’t finish. Sports Team followed up with a tweet that just says “flop team”. 

Next April, Sports Team are heading up and down the country for a small UK and Ireland tour – although they won’t be returning to Margate on this occasion. You can see where to catch them below.

20/04/21 – The Grand Social – Dublin
22/04 – Leeds University Stylus – Leeds
23/04 – The Albert Hall – Manchester
25/04 – Rock City – Nottingham
26/04 – SWG3 – Glasgow
28/04 – SWX Bristol – Bristol
29/04 – O2 Academy Brixton – London

The 2020 #HyundaiMercuryPrize Shortlist has been revealed! Let’s take a deeper look at the 12 incredible albums that make up a snapshot in music over the past twelve months… pic.twitter.com/2xuP1WtMWG

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 23, 2020

On her BBC Radio 6 Music slot this morning, showhost Lauren Laverne revealed a record-breaking shortlist that for the first time in the award’s 29 year history included more women solo artists than men. Alongside mixed gender groups Sports Team, Porridge Radio and Lanterns on the Lake, five women were nominated for the award. In addition to Scottish composer Anna Meredith and English folk singer Laura Marling, Dua Lipa, Charli XCX and Georgia all hail from the pop sphere, though a pop album has not won the award since M People’s Elegant Slumming in 1994.

Charli was one of several artists to record their reaction from lockdown, saying that “it feels really good to be recognised, especially when there are so many incredible artists making so many bold steps and albums at the moment”. While the nominations have platformed Newcastle indie underdogs Lanterns on the Lake (frontwoman Hazel Wilde works a part-time job at Newcastle University to help fund the project), eyebrows have been raised at the omission of critical darlings Rina Sawayama and FKA twigs. Similarly, Guardian columnist Alexis Petridis lamented that despite Dave’s win last year, UK rap newcomer J Hus hadn’t got a look in so as to make way for genre staples Kano and Stormzy.  

“Stop! Whoa!” Here’s @charli_xcx‘s reaction to making the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize Shortlist! #HyundaiMercuryPrize pic.twitter.com/aNJe9zEkOW

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 23, 2020

Marling’s Song for Our Daughter – an album addressed to a fictional, future daughter inspired by the concept of Maya Angelou’s book Letter to My Daughter (2009) – is the singer-songwriter’s fourth Mercury nomination, making her the joint second most nominated artist (level with PJ Harvey and the Arctic Monkeys) in the award’s history, just lagging behind Radiohead’s five. Like the Oxford five-piece, none of her previous entries have yet won her the £25,000 prize.

Fellow nominee (and bookies’ favourite) Michael Kiwanuka also matched previous award records, joining Coldplay and Anna Calvi in having all of his first three studio albums nominated. This year’s obligatory jazz nomination (made seemingly into an unwritten tradition in recent years) went to Moses Boyd’s Dark Matter. As of now, the awards ceremony is still set to take place on the 10th of September at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, though organisers will of course have to wait on future government guidance. Read the full list in alphabetical order below:

Moses Boyd – Dark Matter

Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

Georgia – Seeking Thrills 

Kano – Hoodies All Summer

Michael Kiwanuka – KIWANUKA

Lanterns on the Lake – Spook the Herd

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter

Anna Meredith – FIBS

Porridge Radio – Every Bad 

Sports Team – Deep Down Happy

Stormzy – Heavy Is the Head

It was revealed that the shortlist of the twelve ‘Albums of the Year’ for 2020 will be announced, on Thursday July 23, 2020. The subsequent Mercury Prize ceremony will then take place, at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, on Thursday September 10, 2020.

Plans for the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize have been announced.

Read in full here: https://t.co/FyCPZcbjtU pic.twitter.com/IU27fcsSiT

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) April 29, 2020

The return of the event will be subject to government guidelines relating to social distancing and coronavirus. The prize recognises the best new efforts in British & Irish music across a wide variety of music genres.

The 2020 return of the Mercury Prize, which is considered to be among the most coveted prizes in British and Irish music, comes after the 2019 award was won by, British rapper, Dave for his debut album, ‘Psychodrama’.

After winning the winner’s trophy and a cheque for £25,000, the acclaimed South London rapper performed his hit single, ‘Psycho’, from his winning album, at the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dave said: “I don’t know what to say. I want to firstly thank God. I want to invite my mum up onto stage. I want to thank everyone that made this happen, I want to thank all of the exceptional musicians who performed tonight…I respect you all so highly.” In his solo acceptance speech Dave also thanked “my mum, my family, my friends.”

Among the other shortlisted artists, who performed at last year’s event, include Foals, Idles, Fontaines D.C., Little Simz, Slowthai, Nao, Anna Calvi, Black Midi, Cate Le Bon, and SEED Ensemble’s Cassie Kinoshi.