Daniel Caesar: Essentials

Daniel Caesar has quickly become one of Toronto’s biggest R&B exports, coming in second only to an artist who was recently praised as the new king of pop. 

Caesar, who debuted in 2014 with his EP Praise Break, has scored a Grammy Award, a Polaris Music Prize shortlist nomination and a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit. He’s performed at Coachella and counts Stevie Wonder, Chris Martin, Erykah Badu and Kendall Jenner as fans. 

His brand of R&B was born out of faith and religion as the son of a pastor, drawing on gospel sounds in some of his earliest works. But over the years, Caesar’s music has continued to grow and expand, surprising fans with a range that stretches into folk and pop.   

With the arrival of his highly anticipated third studio album, Never Enough (out April 7), CBC Music looks back at the essential songs that set Caesar on the path to success.

Song: “Death & Taxes”Album: Pilgrim’s Paradise (2015) 

Stumbling across this track on Soundcloud in 2015 felt like discovering a goldmine. Two years before his ascent to worldwide ubiquity off the strength of his 2017 debut album, Freudian, Caesar was still mostly known for busking in Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park. It was abundantly clear within seconds of listening to “Death & Taxes” that Caesar was an artist on the brink of something much larger than performing for park-goers on sunny days. The song finds Caesar contemplating the contradictions in life, a young person disillusioned but now seeing the world with the clear-eyed vision that comes with maturity. 

From the first verse, “Death & Taxes” showcases a lovely falsetto that soars even higher during the breakdown, when Caesar sings the repeated bridge: “Only two things in this life that are sure/ of that I’m sure.” The reverbed blues guitar and drums fade away and make room for washed-out, airy production that eventually gets pared down again to just an acoustic guitar. The unexpected turns and varied styles of production were early signs that Caesar was on a trajectory to a singular sound in the world of R&B. — Kelsey Adams 

Song: “Japanese Denim” (2016)Album: N/A

The B-side to the single “Get You,” “Japanese Denim” only has half the streams of that first song, but it’s just as dreamy and romantic. Comparing the idea of eternal love to an expertly constructed pair of jeans meant to last a lifetime, “Japanese Denim” utilizes biblical references to build his subject up as a God-like figure of worship. “I’m so in love, so in love/ there’s no one above up above,” he sings, somehow evoking both hope and melancholy, sowing a seed of doubt in that idea of forever. Just as much as Caesar draws on faith in his music, he’s also not afraid to challenge it. — Melody Lau

Song: “Get You” feat. Kali UchisAlbum: Freudian (2017)

For many, 2017’s Freudian served as their introduction to Caesar, and opening track “Get You” set the tone. Caesar, whether through a song’s instrumentation or his own voice, is often at his best when he’s slow jamming. On “Get You,” featuring an equally captivating verse by Columbian American artist Kali Uchis, it takes 18 seconds before Caesar’s voice enters, easing listeners into a song that luxuriates in the honeymoon glow of love. Using biblical references again to illustrate just how miraculous this relationship feels, the track mimics the slowing of time that one feels when they’ve fallen deeply in love with someone, and are trying to savour each moment. With the rest of the album to follow, this track succeeds in automatically making you fall head over heels for Caesar. — ML

Song: “Best Part” feat. H.E.R.Album: Freudian (2017)

With an intimate guitar line and gentle handclap, Caesar opens one of the biggest singles from Freudian — and the song that gave the singer-songwriter his first and only Grammy so far. “Best Part,” featuring American singer H.E.R., is a warm love song that proved important to both artists’ 2017 albums: H.E.R. also featured it on her self-titled release that year, which went on to win a Grammy in 2019, alongside their shared win for best R&B performance for the song. The two singers sound blissful together, whether trading verses or backing each other up, ending with Caesar’s simple request supported by H.E.R.’s elastic harmonies: “If you love me won’t you say something?” — Holly Gordon

Song: “We Find Love”Album: Freudian (2017)

Caesar takes listeners to church on his gospel-infused breakup track “We Find Love,” where the soaring melodies and lush, layered harmonies complement his to-the-point lyricism. From start to finish, Caesar delivers a sweeping vocal performance, but there’s a palpable shift around the 2:17 mark, when he really lets his falsetto shine. It’s when the song becomes transcendent as he poignantly details the pain of his heartbreak: “This thing called love comes crashing down, ahh/ pieces all on the ground/ what once was lost cannot be found, ahh.” Never has the demise of a relationship sounded so heavenly. — Natalie Harmsen

Song: “Who Hurt You?” (2018)Album: N/A

Like Usher, the Weeknd and countless other R&B stars before him, there comes a time when falling in love at the strip club becomes fodder for a track in a crooner’s catalogue. Crafting a good song around that story is a hard feat to pull off — it requires a delicate balance of being sensual without being too vulgar. Thanks to Caesar’s smooth delivery, “Who Hurt You?” toes that line with ease, as he recalls being mesmerized by a dancer named Priscilla. It’s an erotic love letter of sorts, as Caesar laments the other women who don’t possess the same enchantment as the Atlanta performer. It’s a track that shows Caesar has more in his arsenal than breakup songs and heartfelt slow jams, and proves that he’s capable of flawlessly crafting a sexy, sad-boy song. — NH

Song: “Love Again” feat. BrandyAlbum: Case Study 01 (2019)

It’s not easy to hold one’s own on a song that features Brandy, a.k.a. the vocal bible, but Caesar proves he’s got the chops on “Love Again,” an irresistibly smooth love ballad about reconciliation. The two take turns sweetly trading verses, singing about choosing each other over and over again despite some turbulent memories. It almost feels like a sibling track to his lovestruck anthem “Best Part,” although on “Love Again” Caesar is more impassioned. With an understated melody and timeless lyrics, the song seamlessly marries the grooves of ’90s R&B with the pair’s harmonious vocal stylings. — NH

Song: “Please do not Lean” feat. BadBadNotGood (2022)Album: N/A

A one-off release in 2022, “Please do not Lean” reunites Caesar with Toronto jazz band BadBadNotGood, who co-produced “Get You” and “Japanese Denim.” The track starts off like many other Caesar tracks, gradually building into an irresistible groove as he sings about learning to let go of a relationship. But then, two-thirds into the track, an acoustic guitar riff takes off like a hot air balloon into the stratosphere, carrying listeners into a starry finale. While Caesar has a well-established comfort zone, it’s moments like this that show us what new and exciting places he can take us with a little experimentation (and some trustworthy collaborators). — ML

Song: “Figures, a Reprise,” Jessie Reyez feat. Daniel Caesar (2018)

A match made in Canadian R&B heaven, “Figures, a Reprise” pairs Reyez’s fiery vocals with Caesar’s mellowed approach, proving that opposites attract — and can elevate a song that was already great into something even more special. — ML 

Song: “Beauty & Essex,” Free Nationals feat. Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Daniel Caesar (2019)

Caesar’s velvety vocals give the Free Nationals’ sultry track a dose of sensual energy. It’s the perfect slow-grooving, erotic serenade for a late night. — NH

Song: “Peaches,” Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon (2021)

Statistically Caesar’s most-streamed track ever, surpassing 1.3 billion spins on Spotify alone, “Peaches” finds the singer bringing his signature R&B drawl to Bieber’s pop megasphere, delivering a dreamy verse that has us rethinking the ways in which to sing the word “Mallorca.” — ML 

Song: “Invincible,” Omar Apollo feat. Daniel Caesar (2022)

“If I were to go/ tell me, would you notice me?” Caesar sings to open the song, his falsetto sounding heavenly. His voice meshes perfectly with Apollo’s, and it’s such a natural, blissful fit that it seems almost unfathomable that this song is the pair’s first collaboration. — NH