Daniel Caesar
Caesar performing in 2018
Background information
Born	Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds (1995-04-05)April 5, 1995 (age 30) Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1]
Origin	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Genres	R&B neo soul[2]
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Republic[3] Golden Child
Website	danielcaesar.com
Signature

Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds^[1][4] (born April 5, 1995),^[5] known professionally asDaniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of twoEPs,Praise Break (2014) andPilgrim's Paradise (2015), Caesar released his debut studio album,Freudian, in 2017, which received threeGrammy Award nominations. He released his second studio album,Case Study 01, in 2019. Caesar featured alongsideGiveon onJustin Bieber's 2021 single "Peaches", his first number-one song on the USBillboard Hot 100. Caesar's third studio album,Never Enough (2023), is his first release under Republic Records. In 2025, Caesar released his fourth studio albumSon of Spergy, inspired by reconcilliation with his parents.

Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds was born on April 5, 1995, in theScarborough district ofToronto,Ontario, and raised inOshawa. He is the second eldest of four children to his mother Hollace Burnett-Simmonds and father Norwill Simmonds, a gospel singer who released his first album as a high school student inJamaica. Caesar attended theSeventh-day Adventist Church and private school in Oshawa.^[6][7] He is ofBajan and Jamaican descent.^[8] Caesar grew up in church, singing before his father's congregation in Oshawa.^[9] He was raised listening tosoul andgospel delivered throughmusicality and religion, even though his parents were cautious of temptations that came with music.^[9] Caesar longed for the city, which was a one hour drive from his home.^[9]

At the age of 17, Caesar was kicked out of the house after a fight with his father on the weekend of his high school graduation; he was briefly homeless during this time.^[10] He felt no choice but to pursue his calling as a musician.^[9] After leaving his home, he began doing gigs. He connected with producers and future collaboratorsJordan Evans andMatthew Burnett and began writing and recording what would be his debutEPPraise Break in 2014;^[10] it was No. 19 on the "20 Best R&B Albums of 2014" byRolling Stone and the top projects of 2014 byNoisey Canada.^[11][12]

Caesar's career gained notability in 2015, with the release of his second EP,Pilgrim's Paradise.^[9] The album received positive critical acclaim and, while not immediately a commercial success, tracks like "Streetcar", the cover of Kanye West's 2008 song "Street Lights", have become fan favorites.^[13][14]

On August 25, 2017, Caesar released his debut albumFreudian, which includes the singles "Get You", "We Find Love", and "Blessed". The album featured artists likeKali Uchis,H.E.R.,Syd, andCharlotte Day Wilson.^[15] It also included uncredited vocals from the Cadaro Tribe.^[16] The album was a shortlisted finalist for the2018 Polaris Music Prize.^[17] At the60th Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar received two nominations forBest R&B Album andBest R&B Performance for "Get You".^[18] At the61st Annual Grammy Awards, Caesar won Best R&B Performance for his single "Best Part".^[19]

In March 2019, Caesar received backlash for defending his friendJulieanna Goddard via anInstagramlive stream.^[20][21][22] Goddard had been criticized for her racist comments on Black people, particularly those regarding Black women.^[23][24][25] He later apologized for his comments.^[26][27]

Caesar released his sophomore studio album,Case Study 01 on June 28, 2019. The album featured guest appearances fromBrandy,Pharrell Williams,John Mayer,Sean Leon andJacob Collier.^[28] The record was supported by the single, "Love Again" with Brandy which received a nomination forBest R&B Performance at the62nd Grammy Awards.^[29]

On March 19, 2021, Caesar appeared alongsideGiveon onJustin Bieber's "Peaches" fromJustice. The track marked Caesar's first to top both theCanadian Hot 100 and theBillboard Hot 100.^[30] It was later certified 6× platinum byMusic Canada and 4× platinum by theRIAA. Alongside its commercial success, the track garnered four nominations at the64th Annual Grammy Awards.^[31]

Caesar released his third studio album,Never Enough, throughRepublic Records on April 7, 2023.^[32] In October 2024, he appeared onTyler, the Creator's eighth studio albumChromakopia, providing vocals for five tracks on the album, including opening track "St. Chroma" and "Tomorrow", which Caesar co-wrote and performed bass on.^[33]

OnValentine's Day, Caesar collaborated withRex Orange County, creating a two-track release titled “Rearrange My World / There's a Field (That's Only Yours)”.^[34] In mid-July, Caesar announced a new album titledSon of Spergy, which was released on October 24, 2025.^[35]

In an interview withClash music magazine, Caesar said that the album was born from the spirit of reconciliation with his parents, and that "Spergy" is his father's nickname. In the album, he confrontsmasculinity,faith, and the sense ofself-importance. The album features collaborations withSampha,Bon Iver,Yebba,Blood Orange, up-and-coming artist 646yf4t, and his father Norwill Simmonds, who is agospel singer.^[36]NME magazine also notes the stronggospel influence in the album and the presence of recordings of muffled chatter, which reflect Caesar's family.^[37]

Caesar's stage name derives from a combination of the Roman dictatorJulius Caesar and the biblical figureDaniel, showing recognition to the topics he explores through his music.^[38] His music draws from his childhood experiences and integrates them withR&B andelectronics, while his lyrics explore subjects of religion, philosophy andunrequited love. In his music, he often references concepts of philosophy. Caesar heavily influenced bysoul andgospel, his singing voice reshapes itself on each track, often veering into a hushed, introspectivelilting style.^[9] 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."^[9] Caesar citesFrank Ocean,D’Angelo,Kanye West,Beyoncé,Stevie Wonder, andThe Doors frontmanJim Morrison as musical and stylistic inspirations.^[9]

Caesar works in close collaboration with producersMatthew Burnett andJordan Evans, with whom he co-founded his independent label, Golden Child Recordings, and has co-produced almost all of his music with since 2015.^[39] Caesar is also part of an informal collaborative of Toronto-based musicians and songwriters that includesRiver Tiber,BadBadNotGood, andCharlotte Day Wilson, among others.

• Freudian (2017)
• Case Study 01 (2019)
• Never Enough (2023)
• Son of Spergy (2025)

Headlining

• Freudian, a World Tour (2017–2018)^[65][66]
• Case Study 01: Tour (2019)
• Almost Enough: The Intimate Sessions (2023)^[67]
• Superpowers World Tour (2023)^[68]

• Media related toDaniel Caesar at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website

• 1995 births
• Living people
• Canadian people of Barbadian descent
• Canadian people of Jamaican descent
• Canadian contemporary R&B singers
• Canadian male songwriters
• Grammy Award winners
• MTV Video Music Award winners
• Singers from Toronto
• Alternative R&B musicians
• Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year winners
• Writers from Toronto
• 21st-century Black Canadian male singers
• 21st-century Canadian male singers
• 21st-century Canadian singers
• 21st-century Canadian songwriters

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• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from March 2021
• Use Canadian English from August 2020
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