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Toronto's Daniel Caesar Wins 1st Grammy For 'Best Part' With H.E.R.

Barack Obama and Stevie Wonder are fans of this Canadian crooner.
Canadian singer Daniel Caesar accepts the award for Best R&B Performance for 'Best Part' onstage during the 61st Annual Grammy Awards pre-telecast show on February 10, 2019, in Los Angeles.
ROBYN BECK via Getty Images
Canadian singer Daniel Caesar accepts the award for Best R&B Performance for 'Best Part' onstage during the 61st Annual Grammy Awards pre-telecast show on February 10, 2019, in Los Angeles.

The best part of Sunday night for Canadian R&B singer Daniel Caesar was, undoubtedly, taking home his first Grammy award.

Fittingly, the Toronto-raised musician split the honour for Best R&B Performance with American performer, H.E.R., for their song, "Best Part.''

Caesar was previously nominated twice at the 2017 Grammys for his debut album, "Freudian," and single, "Get You."

The album was produced by Toronto duo Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans β€” who have worked with Eminem, Drake and Nicki Minaj. After the album dropped, it instantly elevated awareness of Caesar's talent.

He was selected as Apple Music's "Up Next" artist, which helped "Freudian" debut at No. 25 on the Billboard albums chart. Even more stunning is that Caesar has accomplished these feats as an independent artist without the backing of a major record label.

The album also landed a cozy spot on several critics' best-of-the-year lists, after tracks like "Get You" and "Japanese Denim" enjoyed prime positions on popular streaming music playlists.

Caesar's rise in popularity stands out especially because it came without much support from Canadian radio stations. Airplay is still considered a significant tool in making most artists household names.

Singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar and his mother Hollace Simmonds attends the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Steve Granitz via Getty Images
Singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar and his mother Hollace Simmonds attends the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

It's fitting that Caesar won a Grammy on a night with a performance by the legendary Diana Ross, for her 75th birthday, a planned β€” and criticized β€” Motown tribute by Jennifer Lopez, and tributes to Aretha Franklin. Motown legend Stevie Wonder has praised Caesar for his talent.

"He came in and asked to hear (my) song again. And that was probably the craziest part to see Stevie Wonder vibe out to a song I wrote," he told The Associated Press earlier this year. "I was very shook ... I'll never forget that moment."

He's also apparently popular among presidential legends as well. Former U.S. president Barack Obama shared a list of his favourite songs of 2017, which includes "Blessed" from "Freudian."

Caesar also appears on Chance the Rapper's "First World Problems," a performance the pair debuted on Stephen Colbert's late-night show last September, which also showed up on Obama's choice-picks list.

The singer's Grammy win will certainly draw more famous names to Daniel Caesar's circle. Are you a fan? Tell us in the comments below.

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