Kevin Michael

Kevin Michael arrived in 2007 with a self-titled album that proved too mindful of classic R&B to crossover — and yet too progressive and pop-oriented to be accurately classified as neo-soul — despite support from a major-label and high-profile guest artists. Since then, the adventurously expressive singer and songwriter has continued to collaborate and independently release his sporadic recordings, including 2019′s The Quiet Cool.
Born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania, between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Kevin Michael Seward had serious musical aspirations by the age of 11. The self-taught singer started writing material in his mid-teens and opted to fully pursue music after he graduated from high school. A roughly year-long affiliation with Virgin didn’t pan out, but when that label’s senior VP of A&R, Josh Deutsch, left to start Downtown Records, the artist went along. Through Downtown’s arrangement with major-label Atlantic, Seward made his recorded debut as Kevin Michael in 2007 with a self-titled album. Made with a wide array of collaborators, including Andrew Wyatt, the Clutch, and Bloodshy & Avant, along with featured appearances from Q-Tip, Wyclef Jean, and Lupe Fiasco, Kevin Michael registered on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. By then, Michael, who came across vocally like a young Rahsaan Patterson, was also a seasoned performer with stints as an opener for Maroon 5 and Lily Allen. Additional strides were made the next couple years: Michael opened for John Legend and played a wedding singer in (500) Days of Summer.
Apart from the 2011 follow-up International, an album released on Victor only in Japan, Michael was active throughout the next decade primarily with a slew of self-issued projects. During the latter half of the 2010s, activity picked up with work alongside Hudson Mohawke (“Warriors”) and Luke James (“These Arms”), and the 2019 release of a solo EP entitled The Quiet Cool. ~ Andy Kellman