Preserving Light for Future Generations: KOKOROKO's Message [interview]

Photo Credit - Jesse Crankson

The art of conversation is not often thought of as something that can occur between an artist and their listeners. Conversation requires two people to be on the same level: Open to sharing their ideas, hopes, dreams, and fears. London-based band KOKOROKO, a seven-piece contemporary musical collective whose identity is rooted in community and transparency certainly tick all the required boxes.

Each of the seven members (Sheila Maurice-Grey, Onome Edgeworth, Anoushka Nanguy, Tobi Adenaike, Yohan Kebede, Duane Atherley, and Ayo Salawu, and also Chelsea Carmichael, contributing to ‘My Prayer’ )  each lend their talents to make up the band’s unique sonic identity come from a background steeped in rich culture and history that has shaped and influenced the bands distinctive sound. Never shying away from conversation, their latest EP Get The Message shows that KOKOROKO are ready to converse with their listeners through their music now more than ever. 

KOKOROKO, which means to ‘to be strong’ in Urhobo, (a language spoken by an ethnic group in southern Nigeria) began all the way in Kenya in 2014, where co-founders Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth first met while working at an arts organisation that educated young people in art, dance, and English. Both Edgeworth and Maurice-Grey were aware of each other back in London, but after sharing the music they had downloaded, discovered that they both lamented the state of Afrobeats in the UK and held a similar vision for what they wanted the scene to feel like. After returning to London, the two brought together a group of like-minded musicians, and their musical journey began, united as one. 

KOKOROKO go against the grain - embracing community in an industry that produces masses of solo artists, and creating songs that sometimes rack up to a six-minute run, ignoring the social media 'hype' that one moment of a song can get and instead fulfilling their creative desires. Although they say it would be 'nice' to go viral, they're aware that their listeners will find them and stay around for more than just one viral moment.

Learning to lean on one another has been crucial for the band's growth, and although Edgeworth says that it is “a lot of people” to have in one band, it has taught each member to be open to interpretation - “With so many of us, you can’t be too stubborn when it comes to your ideas - you have to be open to different interpretations of what you thought was the best idea” However, each member knows that they are united in their vision, and this united love of music is what drives them forward in unity. They prioritise listening to one another. Hurcs, who sits alongside Edgeworth to speak about the band, says that "We have two ears and one mouth for a reason".

"If I can't listen, as a musician, I've missed the whole point of what it is that we do," - Onome Edgeworth

Following their latest EP, Get The Message, KOKOROKO embarked on a North American and European Tour, ending on November 25th at New Century Hall in Manchester. The vinyl edition of the Get The Message was released Friday, November 29th. Speaking on the release of the vinyl, Edgeworth says that having a “physical copy” of the collective’s record is deeply satisfying. This way, their labours to spread their message are immortalised in physical form, established forever. 

To create a legacy that lives on is a big part of the band's dream for their future. “To know where you’re headed, you have to know where you’re from,” they tell New Wave. With each member coming from a part of the African and Caribbean diaspora, they each carry a story rich with history, culture, and experiences that they each bring into the studio which amount to tracks sometimes lasting longer than six minutes. New ideas are always being born, and interpretation and being comfortable with experimentation is core to the group's creative process. Maurice-Grey says “As creatives, it's important to let go of the restraints of being trained, letting go of being taught how to do something. An example of this is sweeter than - myself, Onome and Toby were in the room. I wasn’t a fan of the way things were turning out, but the guys both convinced me that we should just go for it.” 

The purpose of Get the Message isn’t hard to find - it lies in the title. KOKOROKO want their listeners to obtain something from each of the four tracks and leave with something that they didn’t have before. The collective wants to be direct, and not waste time getting to the point. This EP is a beautiful collection of tracks created as a result of the band experimenting with new sonic territories within psychedelic soul, afro-rock, dub and funk, leading to more of a minimalist incline as a result. The EP’s lead single ‘Three Piece Suit’ features Azakel, and is inspired by a conversation between him and Edgeworth, and how their grandfathers arrived in Balham in the UK from Nigeria in the 1960’s. It pays homage to the three-piece suit that both grandfathers would wear to work, signifying their determination to establish a new legacy, construct a life, and provide for their future family after arriving in England. 

KOKOROKO sees preserving their culture as one of their responsibilities. “If we don’t preserve culture, we lose it, and our future won't know where they came from. This passion for being rooted in one's identity so as not to be shaken is further explained by Edgeworth from his own experiences growing up - “I remember my mum sitting us down as children.” 

“She would lay out a map, and show us exactly where we were from- this village, in this area, over here’. Knowing your exact origins plays a part in your unique makeup as a person. There's now a reason why you should shake hands with your right hand, or not step over someone's legs.” 

These specific nuances, when they’re embraced, make for a more colourful world. And this colourful world is one that KOKOROKO aims to only brighten further, expanding their light to those in the darkest corners, inviting them into their brightly light musical universe where a note from Maurice-Grey or a guitar riff from Adenaike soothes their worries and hurts. “ Our intention for the new album is to be a light,” 

“It can get overwhelming to be a light in a dark place, whether politically or personally - things can get heavy,”

Maurice-Grey described her intention for the EP to be a “balm” for those listening, and the EP is just that. On a track like ‘My Prayer’, we’re invited into a soft space of introspection. ‘My Prayer’ is a call to find out what your real longings are. “It’s for those with a personal prayer, whatever that may be, to find space for that prayer to take shape” The band hopes that the track, just shy of four minutes of run time, can help someone find healing for their prayers. 

Maurice-Grey describes Get The Message as a “bridge” between the band’s debut album, Could We Be More, and their sophomore album, set to be released next year. 

Yes, this EP has been like a balm or a bridge between the first and second albums which is coming out next year god willing. “Our first album is different from what we created with Get The Message. The first album was more dense, with a different energy surrounding it,” 

“As a band, it's natural that we moved on to the next step. There's some elements that are quite similar, but as a body of work, you can tell that we were exploring our sound - it's very different,” 

“Our tastes are richer and more developed. We’re now creating from a completely different viewpoint and it’s been quite freeing” 

On exploring, the band have reached new territory when the conversation turns to their upcoming album. Their tour, which ended on November 25th in Manchester saw the group see locations in North America and Europe. An influential place that they still think back on is Chicago, a city famous for its rich history of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel. “There simply wasn’t enough time to go deep enough in that city. We only got to dip our toes in. It’s amazing what happens to your inspiration when you’re able to go all in on one location,” says Hurcs, detailing the bands time in North America.

Not only do KOKOROKO want to go all in, but they want you to join them. With music that never forces one to incline their ear, but gently eases someone out of their heavy mind and into a state of tranquillity, they have set their sights on their new album, aiming for it to be a more luminous light that will shine into all the dark corners of our world today.

Listen to Get The Message, which is out on all streaming platforms now :