What did Michael Kiwanuka say about anxiety and imposter syndrome in the past? Singer cancels upcoming shows due to "continued illness"

British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka recently canceled his appearance at the All Together Now festival, along with other festivals, due to "continued illness," as announced via his Instagram Stories on July 28, 2025.

While Kiwanuka did not specify the illness he was referring to, he has previously spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome. In an interview with The Sun during the promotion of his 2019 self-titled album, the singer revealed his history with anxiety, stating:

“It’s been a therapeutic album for sure. I’ve had anxiety before but this time I had anxieties of a different kind. I’m 32 and I knew I had to tackle my worries properly or they were going to remain.”

Additionally, in another 2019 interview promoting his third album, Kiwanuka, the singer told The Guardian that he had curated the project after getting "tired of impostor syndrome and self-doubt."

"I’m living my dream. I’m in the room. And I was wasting it with thoughts of inferiority. I’ve always had that annoying [inner] voice and after 30 years you’re like, ‘Shut up, I’ve had enough of this’.” Kiwanuka added

Kiwanuka's IG Story announcing cancellation of shows(Image via Instagram/ @michaelkiwanuka)

In his recent Instagram Story announcing the cancellation of his summer festival performances, a spokesperson for Kiwanuka mentioned:

"We are so sorry to announce that due to continued illness and on the advice of doctors, Michael will be sadly unable to perform at the rest of his scheduled festival performances throughout the rest of the summer and in the shows in North America in October. We know this is disappointing news to hear and nobody is more disappointed and saddened than Michael to be no longer taking the stage as planned."

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"There's no hiding from that" — When Michael Kiwanuka opened up on naming his third studio album and battling imposter syndrome

Michael Kiwanuka released his third studio album, Kiwanuka, on November 1, 2019, and it was during its promotion that he opened up about his battle with anxiety and imposter syndrome.

The album won the Mercury Prize in 2020 and was also nominated for Best Rock Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards. In a BBC interview from September 2020, Michael talked about how he came around to self-titling the album, stating:

"I finally accepted that I am a singer, I'm an artist and a songwriter and I love it. That's when I decided to call the album Kiwanuka - because there's no hiding from that. This is who I am, rain or shine. I am completely myself. I am not an imposter."

In another BBC interview from November 2024, Michael Kiwanuka shared how winning the Mercury Prize gave him freedom from the act of seeking validation from his peers and media outlets. The publication noted that his third studio album engaged with his sense of inferiority in the roles of a black man, a friend, a partner, and a musician.

Commenting on how the Mercury Prize changed his perspective, Michael Kiwanuka said:

"When you have impostor syndrome and you’re busy beating yourself up, you're actually using up all your energy doing that, as opposed to being like, 'Wow, how amazing it is to be making my own record?', or, 'How amazing that I'm playing the Pyramid Stage [at Glastonbury]?"

He continued:

"The list is so long of how cool this job is, and I spent most of my time moaning. Winning the Mercury kicked off that feeling of, oh, I've got to sort this out."

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Born to Ugandan parents in 1987, Michael Kiwanuka released his first track, I Need Your Company, in 2011. The singer has released four studio albums over the course of his career to date.

Edited by Shubham Soni