Kokoroko

Kokoroko
OriginLondon, England
GenresJazz, Afrobeat
Members
  • Sheila Maurice-Grey
  • Onome Edgeworth
  • Noushy Nanguy
  • Yohan Kebede
  • Duane Atherley
  • Tobi Adenaike
  • Ayo Salawu
Websitekokorokomusic.co.uk

Kokoroko is a British London-based septet, led by Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth playing a fusion of funk and highlife.[1][2][3]

Kokoroko in 2019

In February 2019, they were named "ones to watch" by The Guardian journalist Ammar Kalia, after their track "Abusey Junction" garnered 57 million views on YouTube.[4] "Abusey Junction" won Track of the Year at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards in 2019.[5]

In February 2020, they won Best Group at the Urban Music Awards.[6] In September 2020, they played BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.[7] Their name is an Urhobo word meaning "be strong" or "hard to break".[8]

They released their debut album Could We Be More in August 2022.[9] The Guardian named it one of the top ten jazz albums of the year.[10] Also in 2022, the band were nominated for Band of the Year at the Jazz FM Awards.[11]

Their second album, Tuff Times Never Last was released on 11 July 2025.[12]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
UK
[13]
Could We Be More
  • Released: 2022
  • Label: Brownswood[9]
 30
Tuff Times Never Last
  • Released: 11 July 2025
  • Label: Brownswood[9]

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected chart positions
Title EP details Peak chart
positions
UK
[14]
Kokoroko
  • Released: 2019
  • Label: Brownswood[9]
Live At Metropolis
  • Released: 18 April 2026
  • Label: Brownswood
  • RSD 2026 exclusive[15]

References

  1. ↑ Hewett, Ivan (8 September 2020). "Kokoroko, Proms Live 2020, Royal Albert Hall, review: the band was delightful, but jazz needs an audience". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "Kokoroko: "Jazz & Afrobeat Shouldn't Stay Within Our Parents' Generation"". OkayAfrica. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "KOKOROKO: The Jazz Group Honouring Afrobeat And The Sounds Of London". Clash Magazine. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ones to watch: Kokoroko". The Guardian. 23 February 2019.
  5. ↑ Peterson, Gilles (12 February 2019). "Worldwide Awards 2019 Highlights". YouTube. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "2020 Urban Music Awards winners announced". Urban Music Awards. 18 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "KOKOROKO". BBC Proms.
  8. ↑ Sotire, Timi (8 August 2022). "KOKOROKO: "If we don't play this music, then a piece of our culture is lost"". NME. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Empire, Kitty (7 August 2022). "Kokoroko: Could We Be More review – a debut of easy-going beauty". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  10. ↑ Fordham, John (30 December 2022). "The 10 best jazz albums of 2022". The Guardian.
  11. ↑ "Jazz FM Awards". Jazzfmawards.com.
  12. ↑ "Kokoroko Hang 'Tuff' On Upcoming LP". SPIN. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "Kokoroko | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kokoroko | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Live At Metropolis". Record Store Day. Retrieved 20 April 2026.


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