Kae Sun

Kwaku was born in Accra, his parents had resettled in Ghana after being based in Germany for several years.{{cite web | url =http://kultur-vollzug.de/article-50833/2014/02/19/zuruckhaltend-und-machtig-prasent/| title = Kae Sun "Zurückhaltend und mächtig präsent" | accessdate = 2014-04-16| author = Jan Stopel| date = 2014-02-21| work = kultur-vollzug | publisher = kultur-vollzug. | page = 1 }} He immigrated to Canada to study Columbia International College and later attended McMaster University graduating with a degree in Multimedia and Philosophy.{{cite news | url =http://www.thespec.com/whatson-story/3253385-kae-sun-s-star-is-rising//| title = Kae Sun "Kae Sun's star is rising" | accessdate = 2014-04-16| author = Graham Rockingham| date = 2013-06-04| newspaper = Hamilton Spectator | publisher = Hamilton Spectator. | page = 1 }} In Accra he attended Achimota School where he first started writing and performing music.

While attending university, Kwaku started using the stage name Kae Sun, performing at local clubs and making demo recordings. He also started playing guitar and experimenting with different styles and sounds. He first gained some recognition when he was awarded a local music prize.

Kae Sun recorded and released his debut Lion on a Leash in 2009 largely funded by a grant from the Ontario Arts Council. He soon after re-located to Toronto, Ontario. Lion On A Leash was well received among critics, garnering further recognition for Kae Sun.{{cite web|url=http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/kae-sun-2010082411539.html |title=Kae Sun "Lion on a Leash" |accessdate=2011-12-21 |author=Enyi Emiseh |date=2010-12-12 |work=Okayplayer |publisher=Okayplayer Inc. |page=1 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202104014/http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/kae-sun-2010082411539.html |archivedate=February 2, 2011 }}

{{cite web | url =http://nomadicwax.com/2009/12/12/kae-sun-–-lion-on-a-leash.html| title = Kae Sun "Lion on a Leash" | accessdate = 2010-02-15 | author = Anonymous | date = 2009-12-12 | work = Nomadic Wax | publisher = Nomadic Wax Inc. | page = 1 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

Kwaku followed up his debut with the EP Outside the Barcode, a folky, pared-down collection of songs inspired by his return to Ghana after years of living in Canada.{{cite web | url =http://torontoist.com/2011/07/sound_advice_outside_the_barcode_by_kae_sun//| title = Kae Sun "Outside The Barcode by Kae Sun" | accessdate = 2014-04-16| author = Alex Nino Checiu| date = 2011-07-19| work = Torontoist | publisher = Torontoist. | page = 1 }} The song Firefly Dance from this collection was a KCRW Top Tune of the day.{{cite web | url = http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/tu/tu120321kae_sun_firefly_dance// | title = Kae Sun "FireFly Dance" | accessdate = 2014-04-16 | author = | date = 2012-03-23 | work = KCRW | publisher = KCRW.com | page = 1 }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Kae Sun's second LP Afriyie was released in May 2013 and was co-produced by Kae Sun and production duo Science! (Joshua Sadlier-Brown and Marc Koecher). The record received favourable reviews from publications like exclaim and Afropunk. An MTV Iggy profile of the record said, "With Afriyie, Kae Sun has managed to emerge as one of the most promising singer-songwriters in the international scene."{{cite web | url = http://africasacountry.com/chief-boima-interviews-kae-sun// | title = Kae Sun "Teasing out the many threads of Kae Sun's Afriyie" | accessdate = 2014-04-16 | author = Boima Tucker | date = 2013-07-22 | work = MTV | publisher = MTV IGGY. | page = 1 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014952/http://africasacountry.com/chief-boima-interviews-kae-sun/ | archive-date = 2014-04-19 | url-status = dead }} The tour for Afriyie included a set at the inaugural CBC music festival, support for the Toronto stop of Janelle Monáe's Electric Lady Tour and solo engagements in Germany.

The song "Heart Healing Pulse" from Afriyie was included in the Strumbo Hundo 2013, television personality George Stroumboulopoulos's list of the top songs of that year.{{cite web|url=http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2014/1/The-Strombo-Hundo-2013-The-Top-100-Songs-Of-2013// |title=The Top 100 Songs of 2013 |accessdate=2014-04-19 |author=Strombo Team |date=2014-01-06 |work=CBC |publisher=CBC. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2013/6/Rear-view-Mirror-Who-was-Suzanne-and-why-did-Leonard-Cohen-make-her-famous |archivedate=2016-03-01 }} The Roots affiliated site OkayAfrica also lauded Afriyie as one of the best releases of 2013.{{cite web | url = http://www.okayafrica.com/2013/12/20/african-music-releases-2013-best-top-list///| title= Best Releases of 2013 | accessdate=2014-04-19|author = OkayAfrica| date = 2013-12-20| work = OkayAfrica | publisher = OkayAfrica. | pages = }}

In April 2014, Kae Sun made his US debut at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, as part of the theatre's Africa Now Festival.{{cite web | url =https://www.apollotheater.org/africa-now//| title = Africa Now Festival "Africa Now Festival" | accessdate = 2014-04-16| author = | date = | work = Apollo Theatre| publisher = www.apollotheatre.org| page = 1 }}

"Ship and The Globe", the lead single from Afriyie is featured in several episodes of It's Okay, That's Love. The song debuted at number 3 on the South Korea Gaon International Chart

Kae Sun has released a collaborative multimedia project featuring a short film and installation with art director Emeka Alams and German filmmaker Simon Rittmeier. The project included a 4-song E.P. released digitally{{cite web | url = http://www.okayafrica.com/news/kae-sun-oceans-apart-emeka-alams-simon-rittmeier-ep-short-film-art-exhibit/ | title = Oceans Apart: A new EP, Short Film and Art installation from Ghanaian-Canadian Songwriter Kae Sun | accessdate = 2015-10-19 | author = Kam Tambini | work = OkayAfrica | publisher = www.okayafrica.com | page = 1 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151020144554/http://www.okayafrica.com/news/kae-sun-oceans-apart-emeka-alams-simon-rittmeier-ep-short-film-art-exhibit/ | archive-date = 2015-10-20 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web| title = A Nataal Exclusive: Kae Sun and Emeka Alams debut their new short film and EP | accessdate = 2015-10-26| author = Helen Jennings | date = | work = Nataal | url = http://nataal.com/oceans-apart | page = 1 }}

Kae Sun released his third LP Whoever Comes Knocking on March 2, 2018. The LP features the singles Stalk and Treehouse.{{cite web | url =http://exclaim.ca/music/article/kae_sun-whoever_comes_knocking//| title = Kae Sun is finding where he fits on 'Whoever Comes Knocking' | accessdate = 2018-02-27| author = Matt Bauer | date = 2018-02-28 | work = Exclaim Magazine| page = 1 }}{{cite web | url =https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/17837/10-most-anticpated-canadian-albums-of-2017//| title = 10 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2017 "Kae Sun" | accessdate = 2016-12-29| author = | date = | work = CBC | publisher = www.cbcmusic.ca| page = 1 }}

• "Lion on a Leash" (2009)
• "Ship and the Globe" (2012)
• "When the Pot" (2013)
• "Canary" (2016)
• "Flip the Rules" (2017)
• "Stalk" (2017)
• "Treehouse" (2018)
• "Bright Lights" (2021)

• Flood Season (Flipped Eye, 2021) ISBN 9781905233762

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• {{official website|http://www.kaesunmusic.com }}

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Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Black Canadian male singers

Category:21st-century Canadian male singers

Category:Ghanaian emigrants to Canada

Category:Ghanaian male singers

Category:Musicians from Accra

Category:Alumni of Achimota School

Category:Canadian world music musicians

Category:Canadian indie pop musicians

Category:Alternative rock singers

Category:Canadian experimental musicians

Category:Canadian male singer-songwriters

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters