Michael Kiwanuka reveals a stroke as he announces FUDGE, his first self-produced album

Michael Kiwanuka announced his fifth album, FUDGE, on Instagram on September 23, and in the same post said he had a stroke a few months ago. He wrote that it was "brought on by a bleed in my brain brought on by high blood pressure," and that the brain injury "was quite severe so there's a lot of rehab to be done." FUDGE comes out October 23 on Polydor, one month to the day after the post. It is also the first record he has produced himself.

What he said about the stroke

The post was short. He did not give a date for the stroke, only "a few months" ago, and said it was the reason he missed some recent US shows: "It's a long journey recovering from a stroke, which is why I missed some gigs recently out in the US." Per MusicRadar, live dates are on hold with no return date. His last line: "It's a long, tough journey ahead but I'm fighting to get better."

The label's press copy, carried by uDiscover, says ill health held the album back for almost a year. That does not sit neatly with "a few months." Earlier health trouble would explain the gap, but nobody has said there was any, and the date of the stroke is not public.

Made before any of it

FUDGE was finished before the stroke. SPIN reports he recorded it in a one-room studio he built near his home in Southampton, out of natural materials, and named Dreamers. It began alongside Small Changes and split off once "Love in My Heart" turned up. That song runs seven minutes and came out of a jam after dinner, and it convinced him the new songs were their own album.

The records he named as touchstones: Rubber Soul, Neil Young's On the Beach, Frank Ocean's Blonde and Shuggie Otis' Inspiration Information. On the title: "When I think of fudge it's playful and childlike, which is good for creativity." The cover is a cartoon self-portrait by Stevie Gee, all round sunglasses and a grin, and it went out on the same day as the stroke news.

There are 12 tracks. No lead single had been named as of September 25.

The credit is his this time

Press coverage calls FUDGE his first self-produced album since his 2012 debut. That is not quite right. Home Again was produced by Paul Butler of The Bees, at his home studio on the Isle of Wight, per Sound on Sound. The next three were made with Danger Mouse and Inflo. So FUDGE is the first one he produced at all, with Dom Monks helping him finish it and Rosie Danvers arranging strings.

The Mercury came on his third nomination, and KIWANUKA was also shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammys. He lost with Home Again and with Love & Hate before that win. FUDGE is the first time the whole sound is his to answer for.

The tracklist

1. Summer Clothes 2. California 3. Just Another Moment 4. Drowning In Your Heart 5. Love In My Heart 6. Across The Sky 7. Stars 8. You Sent Me Flying 9. Move In My Direction 10. Steve's Paradise 11. Sing 12. Swings And Roundabouts