Kaytranada
Louis Kevin Celestin (born August 25, 1992), known professionally as Kaytranada (stylized in all uppercase, sometimes shortened as KAYTRA), is a Haitian-Canadian music producer, and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, and original music projects beginning in 2010 under the alias Kaytradamus. Celestin is one half of the hip hop duo the Celestics, along with his brother Lou Phelps.
Also recorded as Louis Kevin Celestin · Kaytradamus · KAYTRA
Kaytranada

The Come Up Show · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Kaytranada
- Birth Name
- Louis Kevin Celestin
- Born
- 25 August 1992
- Birthplace
- Port-au-Prince, Haiti
- Occupation
- * DJ
- Full name
- Louis Kevin Celestin.
- Nationality
- Canada.
- Fields
- hip-hop, electronic music, dance music, contemporary R&B, funk and house music.
- Languages
- English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Louis Kevin Celestin (born August 25, 1992), known professionally as Kaytranada (stylized in all uppercase, sometimes shortened as KAYTRA), is a Haitian-Canadian music producer, and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, and original music projects beginning in 2010 under the alias Kaytradamus. Celestin is one half of the hip hop duo the Celestics, along with his brother Lou Phelps.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Kaytranada (born 1992) is a Canadian composer, disc jockey and musician, among other activities. The composer was born Louis Kevin Celestin in Port-au-Prince.
Genres include contemporary R&B, dance music and electronic music, among others. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Kaytranada. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 1100880380 · wikidata · Q17153342 · wikipedia · Kaytranada
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Kaytranada • Birth Name — Louis Kevin Celestin • Alias — * Kaytra • Kaytradamus • Born — 25 August 1992 • Birthplace — Port-au-Prince, Haiti • Genre — * Electronic • hip hop • R&B • dance • funk • house • Discography — * Albums • production • Occupation — * DJ • record producer • singer • songwriter • rapper • Years Active — 2010–present • Label — * HW&W • Jakarta • XL • RCA • Current Member Of — The Celestics • Website — kaytranada.com • Origin — Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Early life
Early life
Kaytranada was born Louis Kevin Celestin on August 25, 1992, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Shortly after he was born, his family relocated to Saint-Hubert near Montreal where he was raised, and where he began his music career. Celestin's father was employed as a taxi driver and an estate agent, and his mother worked in healthcare. His parents divorced when he was 14. That same year, Celestin began to produce his own music after his brother Lou Phelps introduced him to FL Studio. The first song he ever sampled was Earth Wind & Fire's September, at 15 years old. Celestin ended up dropping out of high school to pursue music full-time to help support his family financially. In an April 2016 article with The Fader, Celestin disclosed that he was gay and discussed his anxiety about coming out to his family. In the same interview, he shared his hopes of avoiding being defined by his sexuality as he's seen peers be labeled in the industry. Later in May of that same year, during an interview with The Guardian, he further opened up about mental health struggles brought on by his sexuality, which he said contributed to an identity crisis.
Career
Career
• Illustration — Kaytranada performing at Outernet London in 2025 Celestin began his career under the name Kaytradamus in 2010. He released two projects as Kaytradamus before changing his name to Kaytranada in 2012. In 2013, Celestin became an overnight hit on SoundCloud for his rework of "If" by Janet Jackson. Celestin was on the roster of HW&W Recordings, an independent label based in Los Angeles and Toronto. Celestin has released 13 projects and 41 remixes. He has toured more than 50 Canadian, American, European and Australian cities. In December 2014, he signed an exclusive recording agreement with XL Recordings. During 2015, Celestin opened for two nights of Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour, one in Canada and one in the United States. Speculation arose that Celestin and producer Rick Rubin had started working together when a photo of them surfaced online around February 2015. It was later confirmed that they had formed a partnership backed by Pulse Recordings. His debut album, 99.9%, was released on May 6, 2016. The album includes features from GoldLink, AlunaGeorge, Syd, Anderson.Paak, and Vic Mensa, among others. He also collaborated with Craig David on the song "Got It Good", which is on David's sixth studio album, Following My Intuition. Celestin won the 2016 Polaris Music Prize for his album 99.9%. The album received a score of 8.0 from Pitchfork. On December 13, 2019, his second album, Bubba, was released on RCA Records. It received a score of 8.1 from Pitchfork. On March 14, 2021, Celestin won a Grammy for Best Dance Recording for "10%" and Best Dance/Electronic Album for Bubba. On April 7, 2023, Celestin and Aminé released "4eva" featuring Pharrell Williams, the first single from their joint album. The duo released a joint studio album, Kaytraminé, on May 19, 2023. The album includes guest verses from Pharrell Williams, Freddie Gibbs, Big Sean, Amaarae, and Snoop Dogg. Celestin performed at the 22nd Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023. In May 2024, Celestin announced that his third solo album, Timeless, would release on June 7, 2024. Collaborators on the album include Childish Gambino, PinkPantheress, Don Toliver, and Ravyn Lenae, among others. On August 11, 2025 Celestin announced that his fourth studio album, Ain't No Damn Way!, would be released days later on August 15, 2025. On the next day, he released the first single "Space Invader" which samples Latrelle feat. Kelis' My Life.
Personal life
Personal life
Being a vocal member of the gay community, Celestin became the first Black producer and the first openly gay artist to win the award for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the Grammy Awards in 2021 for his work on his sophomore album, Bubba. Celestin discussed this in a 2021 interview with Billboard, before the event, "A lot of young kids who aspire to be musicians probably have the same inner struggles as me, being Black and gay just [trying to] fit in". Coming out in 2016, Celestin spoke about being gay and not fitting into stereotypical conceptions of a gay person, stating: "That's what I dealt with coming up. I was like, Yeah, I'm gay. But am I really gay? 'Cause I don't have the culture down. I'm not like, 'Yes, queen!' and stuff like that. So that was really hard to deal with." He has also spoken about the pressure he felt in relation to his lack of knowledge of LGBTQ history, his interracial relationship, and social media.
Studio albums
Studio albums
• 99.9% (2016) • Bubba (2019) • Kaytraminé (2023; with Aminé) • Timeless (2024) • Ain't No Damn Way! (2025)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Kaytranada was recorded at birth as Louis Kevin Celestin. He also worked under the name Kaytranada. The authorities additionally record the headings Louis Kevin Celestin, Kaytradamus and KAYTRA. His recorded language was English.
Identity
Identity
Kaytranada is recorded as record producer, composer, disc jockey and musician.

Kaytranada performing at HERE at Outernet in London, England, on 27 April 2025.
Patrick Cristiano
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Kaytranada”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q17153342: Kaytranada
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 1100880380, Kaytranada, Discjockey.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Awards and nominations
• Year — Awards — Category — Nominated work — Result • 2015 — SOCAN Awards — Electronic Music Award — Kaytranada • 2016 — Rober Awards Music Prize — Best Electronica — Kaytranada • Breakthrough Artist • Floorfiller of the Year — "Lite Spots" • iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards — Best Post Production • AIM Independent Music Awards — Independent Video of the Year • Polaris Music Prize — Canadian Album of the Year — 99.9% • Abilu Music Awards — International Electronic Album of the Year • 2017 — Juno Awards — Breakthrough Artist of the Year — Kaytranada • Electronic Album of the Year — 99.9% • Video of the Year — "Lite Spots" • Canadian Independent Music Awards — Album of the Year — 99.9% • Artist of the Year — Kaytranada • iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards — Video of the Year — "Glowed Up" (ft. Anderson.Paak) • SOCAN Songwriting Prize • 2019 — "Chances" (ft. Shay Lia) • 2020 — Polaris Music Prize — Canadian Album of the Year — Bubba • 2021 — Grammy Awards — Best New Artist — Kaytranada • Best Dance Recording — "10%" (ft. Kali Uchis) • Best Dance/Electronic Album — Bubba • Juno Awards — Best Dance Recording • Producer of the Year — Kaytranada • 2022 — Grammy Awards — Album of the Year — Back of My Mind (as featured artist) • Juno Awards — Producer of the Year — Kaytranada • Best Dance Recording — "Caution" • 2023 — Grammy Awards — Best Dance/Electronic Recording — "Intimidated" (with H.E.R.) • Juno Awards — Rap Single of the Year — "Twin Flame" (with Anderson.Paak) • Producer of the Year — Kaytranada • BET Hip Hop Awards — DJ of the Year • Producer of the Year • 2024 — BET Hip Hop Awards — DJ of the Year • 2025 — Grammy Awards — Best Dance/Electronic Recording — "Witchy" (featuring Childish Gambino) • Best Dance/Electronic Album — Timeless • Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical — "Alter Ego (Kaytranada remix)" (Doechii featuring JT) • 2026 — Grammy Awards — Best Dance/Electronic Recording — "Space Invader" • Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical — "Don't Forget About Us (Kaytranada Remix)" (Mariah Carey) • Polaris Music Prize — Album — Ain't No Damn Way!
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.MTV October 22, 2013. Stream King Kaytranada Finds Success IRL.
- 2.Pitchfork September 5, 2013. Kaytranada - At All.
- 3.Complex May 12, 2014. Listen to Kaytranada's Remix of Pharrell's "Happy".
- 4.Red Bull March 31, 2014. Photo Diary: Kaytranada x Mobb Deep in the Studio.
- 5.Kaytranada Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More. AllMusic.
- 6.Kaytranada The Canadian Encyclopedia. Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
- 7.Kaytranada. Redbullmusicacademy.com.
- 8.Kaytranada: 'I prefer a house party vibe. Just the local place to have fun'. the Guardian. May 5, 2016.
- 9.Kaytranada Is Reaching 100%. The FADER.
- 10.Frank, Alex. Kaytranada Is Reaching 100%. The Fader. April 5, 2016.
- 11.Watch Kaytranada Discuss Sexual Orientation, Depression on 'Sway in the Morning'. Complex.com.
- 12.Adams, Kelsey. Meet Kaytranada, the dance music producer taking over hip-hop and R&B. Cbc.ca. Feb 12, 2024.
- 13.Kaytranada. Huhwhatandwhere.com.
- 14.Vice February 5, 2014. Kaytranada: Not Missing A Beat. February 6, 2014.
- 15.EARMILK. Kaytranada.
- 16.Vibe. Kaytranada (Vibe).
- 17.Spin June 3, 2014. Kaytranada Channels Dilla, Embraces Up-Tempo Neo-Soul. June 3, 2014.
- 18.Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour Confirms Kaytranada Will Open Tonight's Show at Joe Louis Arena. Broadwayworld.com.
- 19."25 best Canadian debut albums ever" . CBC Music, June 16, 2017.
- 20.Kaytranada: 99.9% Album Review - Pitchfork. Pitchfork.com.
- 21.Kaytranada: Bubba Album Review - Pitchfork. Pitchfork.com.
- 22.KAYTRANADA Wins Best Dance/Electronic Album. Grammy.com. March 14, 2021.
- 23.Monroe, Jazz. Kaytraminé (Kaytranada and Aminé) Announce Album, Enlist Pharrell Williams for New Song: Watch the Video. Pitchfork. April 7, 2023.
- 24.Mamo, Heran. Kaytranada & Aminé Release 'KAYTRAMINÉ' Album: Stream It Now. Billboard. 2023-05-19.
- 25.Kali Uchis and Aminé Join Kaytranada at Coachella 2023. Pitchfork. April 15, 2023.
- 26.Ihaza, Jeff. Kaytranada Reveals Tracklist, Guests, Date for His New Album. Rolling Stone. 2024-05-22.
- 27.Gregory, Allie. Kaytranada Announces New Album 'Ain't No Damn Way!'. Exclaim!. Aug 11, 2025.
- 28.Kaytranada Drops New Single “Space Invader” Ahead of Upcoming Album Ain’t No Damn Way!. Indie Sound. Aug 12, 2025.
- 29.Bain, Katie. Kaytranada Is the First Black Artist to Win Best Dance/Electronic Album Grammy. Billboard. 2021-03-15.
- 30.Smith, DeMario P. Kaytranada Talks Familiarizing Himself With Gay Culture After Coming Out: 'I Had To Learn A Lot' - Blavity. Blavity.com.
- 31.The Rober Awards 2016 Music Poll | Rober Awards.
- 32.Drake, Alessia Cara lead with seven nods each at MMVAs. Toronto Star. May 18, 2016.
- 33.AIM Awards 2016 shortlist revealed. Musicweek.com.
- 34.Kaytranada wins 2016 Polaris Music Prize for his album 99.9%. The Globe and Mail. September 19, 2016.
- 35.2016年阿比鹿音乐奖特别单元年度海外唱片获奖名单公布. Artist.douban.com.
- 36.Home - Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88. Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88.
- 37.Full List of THE 2017 IHEARTRADIO MMVA Nominees – Bell Media. Bellmedia.ca.
- 38.Grammy Nominations 2021. The New York Times. November 24, 2020.
- 39.Holly Gordon and Andrea Warner, "Here are the 2021 Juno Award winners" . CBC Music, June 4, 2021.
- 40.2022 GRAMMYs Awards: Complete Nominations List. GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2021.
- 41.2022 JUNO Award Nominees. The JUNO Awards.
- 42.2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List. GRAMMYs. November 15, 2022.
- 43."Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music. January 31, 2023.
- 44.Grein, Paul. Cardi B & 21 Savage Lead Nominations for 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards: Full List. Billboard. September 7, 2023.
- 45.Paul, Larisha. Megan Thee Stallion, Kendrick Lamar, Drake Lead 2024 BET Hip-Hop Awards Nominations. Rolling Stone. September 18, 2024.
- 46.2025 GRAMMYs: See The OFFICIAL Full Nominations List GRAMMY.com. grammy.com.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1100880380, Kaytranada, Discjockey.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q17153342: KaytranadaWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,307 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- KayaxOrganisation
- Kaye BallardPerson
- Kayhan KalhorPerson
- Kaykhosro PournazeriPerson
- Kayvette RecordsOrganisation
- Kayvon ZandPerson
- Kazimieras Viktoras BanaitisPerson
- Kazimierz FlatauPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Kaytranada?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.