We're Addicted To Canada's Latest R&B Export, Daniel Caesar

As if Canada hasn’t already given us enough, the country’s latest export is set to wow R&B fans with his enthralling sound and poignant lyrics.

Daniel Caesar, a 22-year-old from Toronto, has already made waves as an up-and-coming artist with hits like “Get You” and “Violet.” Caesar has even appeared on Rolling Stone’s 2014 list of the best R&B albums. And, while Caesar’s rise feels sudden, it’s been a slow burn for the singer.

During a meet and greet with ESSENCE, Caesar, whose mellow vibe reflects his thoughtful interior, dived into how his songs come together. 

“I’m absent minded and daydream a lot,” Caesar admits, reflecting on hit song “Get You,” written two years ago about a love filled with adoration. “It just felt like the song was already there and I was just lucky enough to find it.”

The singer’s songs are intimate glimpses of unrequited love, those intense moments of young relationships, and a look at the interior workings of  a romantic living with their head in the clouds. 

“I’m not good to date…I sit and think about everything a lot more than I actually act. I’m good at being in a relationship and then sitting down and dwelling on everything about it.”

Caesar’s reflective style has caught on with a large audience, including a cult following in South Korea.

“This guy Marco Jiin, from Toronto as well, is friends with the guy who directed ‘Violet’. He helped a lot with the creative stuff. He’s Korean and he went home for eight months and when he came back we were the biggest s—t in Korea.”

The R&B singer also has a fan in Mary J. Blige, who tapped the singer-songwriter to help her with “Telling the Truth,” a track on her recent album Strength of a Woman featuring Kaytranada. “I don’t do writing for other people very well,” admits Caesar, “but that one definitely worked.”

He also learned a thing or two from the R&B icon, revealing that Blige likes to melt and drink gummy bears to help her voice. 

With a growing audience and Blige’s seal of approval, Caesar is set to take the world by storm. His debut album is shrouded in mystery, but its release could happen soon.

And, trust us, it’s going to be incredible.