Could We Be More

In 2014, Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth set out to preserve the musical heritage of the African diaspora in the UK. Only in 2018 did their group Kokoroko release their first album, but the wait was worth it. The 7-minute ballad Abusey Junction garnered a record number of views on YouTube for instrumental music - over 20 million. And now, in 2022, Kokoroko has released an album. The musicians cite afrobeat legends Fela Kuti and Ebo Taylor as their inspirations, but according to guitarist Toby Adenaike, Kokoroko stands out for its rare blend of this genre with jazz and Nigerian highlife. The new album even features influences of Caribbean soca. In March 2023, the short film RAPT was released, directed by Akinola Davies. The compositions from the album served as the soundtrack to three stories set in Makoko, a district in Lagos known as the African Venice.

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