miles caton is stepping into the spotlight less than two weeks before the Oscars, as “Sinners” heads into the ceremony with a record-shattering 16 nominations. The 21-year-old stars as Sammie Moore, a preacher’s son with a gift for the blues, in Ryan Coogler’s Southern gothic-horror epic set in rural Mississippi. The film’s momentum is also pulling focus to the music behind the performance—especially the training and songwriting that helped shape the sound.
What is happening right now
The movie’s awards run includes a nomination for Best Original Song for “I Lied To You, ” performed by Caton and written by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson. In a defining juke joint sequence, Sammie performs the song while a “brief history of Black music” unfolds around him, a complex montage that was called “The Surreal Montage” during filming.
The scene has drawn strong reactions for how abruptly it shifts the film’s early pace: the first half follows Michael B. Jordan’s twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, as they move through rural Mississippi persuading people—through “pathos, solidarity, and booze”—to help launch their juke joint. Then the montage arrives as a sudden, visually packed interruption, described as dazzlingly complex and colorful, but also restless and even a little hackneyed.
Miles Caton’s blues performance and the Philadelphia training behind it
A key part of making the film feel musically authentic came from hands-on work in Philadelphia. Randy Bowland—an acclaimed professional guitarist, songwriter, and producer from North Philadelphia—was tasked with teaching one of the young stars, miles caton, how to play Delta blues guitar for the film.
Bowland said the job began with a phone call from an old friend: “They want him to play Delta blues guitar, but he doesn’t really know that style, and he doesn’t really play guitar at all, ” he was told. Bowland did not play that style himself, but agreed after being talked into the project and spent eight weeks training Caton in Philadelphia.
Bowland praised the experience and what it could mean for him going forward: “I want to give him all the kudos and praise, and I’m grateful. This could just be the beginning, because I would love to see where this takes me, because I never expected it, ” Bowland said.
Immediate reactions from the star and key creatives
Caton, speaking as the Oscars approach, described the stretch leading into the ceremony as emotional. “It’s been such an incredible journey, and it’s a bittersweet feeling that it’s coming to an end, ” Caton said. “It just felt like a movie this whole time, like a dream. ”
He also signaled a major pivot after award season, saying he is eager to focus on his recording career, which he paused for a couple years after Coogler recruited him for his debut acting role. “That’s where my heart is at, ” Caton said. “Acting is a real thing that I can pursue, but I’ve been working on music for so long and I feel like right after this award season, it’s going to be the perfect time to really drop and show my artistry. ”
Quick context
Caton grew up in a churchgoing household in Brooklyn and absorbed gospel and R& B from his family, including his grandfather, a pastor, and his mother, gospel singer Timiney Figueroa. During high school, he was recruited to be a backup singer for H. E. R. on tour before landing the role in “Sinners” after a casting agent spotted him at a show.
What’s next
As of 12: 00 a. m. ET on March 15, 2026, the countdown to the Oscars is tightening and “Sinners” remains in the thick of the awards conversation with 16 nominations, including Best Original Song for “I Lied To You. ” After the ceremony, the clearest next move is Caton’s own: he says his debut EP is due out this summer, and the post-awards window is when he plans to fully “drop and show” his artistry—keeping miles caton in the spotlight even after the film’s chapter closes.
