Ashton D. Simmonds, known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two critically acclaimed EPs Praise Break and Pilgrim's Paradise, Caesar released his debut album Freudian in August 2017, which also garnered widespread critical acclaim.
Early life
Ashton Simmonds was born on April 5, 1995 in Oshawa, Ontario, the second eldest of four children to parents Hollace and Norwill Simmonds, a gospel singer who released his first album as a high schooler in Jamaica. Simmonds attended a Seventh-day Adventist church and private school in Oshawa. He is of Bajan and Jamaican descent. Having been born in the Toronto suburb of Oshawa to a father who was a pastor, Caesar grew up in church singing before the congregation. He was raised on a diet of soul and gospel delivered though musicality and religion, even though his parents were cautious of temptations that came with music. Caesar longed for the city, which was just an hour’s drive from his home. At the age of 17, Caesar was kicked out after a fight with his father on the weekend of his high school graduation. He felt no choice but to pursue his calling as a musician. After leaving home, he began going on gigs. In 2015, the turning point of Caesar's career came with the release of his second EP, Pilgrim's Paradise.
Career
Caesar received widespread critical acclaim for his debut 2014's EP Praise Break, which was ranked number 19 on the "20 Best R&B Albums of 2014" by Rolling Stone. His body of work is influenced by religion, which played a large role in his upbringing, as well as unrequited love. On August 25, 2017, Caesar released his debut album Freudian, which included singles "Get You", "We Find Love", and "Blessed". The album was a shortlisted finalist for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize. At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar was nominated for two awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance for his single "Get You". At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance for his single "Best Part".
Artistry
Caesar is a singer-songwriter raised on the sounds of soul and gospel. His music draws from the experiences of his childhood and supplements them with a modern interpretation of R&B and electronics while lyrics explore subjects of religion and unrequited love. His singing voice reshapes itself on each track, often veering into a hushed, introspective lilting style. According to Caesar, "In my religious surroundings growing up, the point is to be still, to direct as little attention to yourself as possible and instead, direct all attention to what you’re saying. Now, it’s kind of the opposite." Caesar cites Frank Ocean, Kanye West and Beyoncé and The Doors frontman Jim Morrison as sources of musical and aesthetic inspiration.
Controversy
On March 19, 2019, Caesar posted a video, in which he repeatedly confesses to be drunk, to defend his friend, Julieanna YesJulz Goddard via an Instagram live stream. Goddard has been called a 'culture vulture' and some have taken issue with her applications of Black culture. Moreover, she has been accused of having little to no regard for African Americans, particularly black women. Goddard was specifically called out for a freestyle that, according to her critics, implied black people take and do not give back and murder other black people. Caesar came to her defense asking why some black people were "being so mean" specifically to Goddard, saying it was not "a quality." His comments were received negatively by some on social media, while Goddard claimed the lyrics were about corporations. His video stemmed from an interaction with Dave Chappelle on John Mayer's Instagram Live stream where Caesar thought he was being too sensitive when Chappelle called his singing 'very gay'. He then extrapolated that black people en masse, and specifically call out culture, were overly sensitive. Caesar would apologize for the way in which he gave his opinions, "I was talking down to you guys. I apologize for how I expressed my idea, here was no one there to challenge my ideas. That’s also dangerous. That’s why it’s tyrannical... that is where I went wrong. I believe in what I said. A real man can admit when he’s wrong. I can admit when I’m wrong.” In April 2018, Caesar retweeted and deleted tweets from conservative Candace Owens. He noted that he did not want to 'martyr' for the tweets and that people should hear opposing arguments. He would later backtrack his comments.
