“Sinners” Breakout Star Miles Caton Performs at the 98th Academy Awards Tonight

Miles Caton | Image Source: Reuters

I'll be honest—tonight I'm not just watching the Oscars. I'm watching my cousin.

Miles Caton, the extraordinary breakout star of Ryan Coogler's Sinners, performs on the Academy Awards stage tonight. Miles plays a younger version of Sammie—known as Preacher Boy—in Sinners, and tonight he will take the stage at the 98th Academy Awards to perform the Oscar-nominated original song "I Lied to You" alongside songwriter Raphael Saadiq. But those of us who know Miles know this: none of this is a surprise.

Miles is the grandson of Archbishop Eric R. Figueroa and Evangelist Doreen Figueroa—pillars of faith and music whose influence shaped generations. His mother, Timiney Figueroa, lent her voice alongside gospel great Kurt Carr. His aunt, Anaysha Cooper, sang with the incomparable Kirk Franklin. Musical excellence isn't something Miles learned—it's something he was born into, breathed in, and carried forward from his very first note.

From birth, Miles has been a multi-talented gift. And our family has always known it.

The world is beginning to catch up. He's already given audiences a preview of tonight's track with performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. When asked about performing at the Oscars, Miles said simply that it "would be legendary." That's Miles—humble, grounded, and gifted beyond measure.

Tonight, he won't be alone on that stage. He'll be joined by ballet dancer Misty Copeland; musicians Eric Gales, Shaboozey, Brittany Howard, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Bobby Rush, and Alice Smith; and co-stars Buddy Guy, Jayme Lawson, and Li Jun Li. A constellation of Black artistry celebrating a film that has already made history. Sinners is the most-nominated film in Academy Award history with 16 nominations, surpassing legends like Titanic and La La Land.

For the readers of LDRSHPDaily, Miles Caton's story is a leadership story. It's about roots that run deep enough to hold you when the spotlight finds you. It's about a family that plants seeds of excellence—in the church, in the community, and in the next generation—and trusts God with the harvest.

Watch Miles Caton perform live at the 98th Academy Awards, airing tonight on ABC and Hulu starting at 7 p.m. ET.