Kevin Ekofo, a Canadian-based producer, has undergone a remarkable transformation from his humble origins to working with renowned artists such as WizKid, Swae Lee, Bryson Tiller, and John Legend, illuminating the music industry with his exceptional talents.
We had the chance to sit down with Kofo back in July and discuss his beginnings, progress, and what’s to come:
Q: How did you originally get into music/music production?
A: Music started for me at a young age, I was about 10-11 when I first got into it. My dad put me into Music School for about a year and hired a private guitar teacher for me for about a year. Eventually, I joined my church choir and started playing in the band every Sunday for almost a decade. I slowly ventured to play for some local artists in the city, quickly realizing that being a live musician was not the only thing I wanted to do in this industry. Production didn’t come until later in my 20s.
Q: Who are some of your musical inspirations and how have they inspired you?
A: Music at first was not really my interest at all as a kid, however, it grew into a passion over the years of being in the industry. I started to become inspired by musicians that I would watch on YouTube like Isaiah Sharkey, Chris Payton, Agape Jerry etc. Their playing style helped me shape my approach to music today.
Q: How did you feel working on the WizKid album (big culture change), with Justin Bieber then hopping on the remix?
A: Having my first major placements with an Artist as big as WizKid is incredible. I didn’t expect this to happen to come into the industry, and although the album has been out for a year now, I am still so grateful for that opportunity. It was about time Africa was put at the forefront of the music industry, just surprised that it’s only now that the rest of the world has caught on. JB just gets it.
Q: It looks like you’re making ways for African / Afrobeat’s in North America, your parents must be proud. How do they feel about all of this?
A: I do hope my parents are extremely proud. Although they don’t fully understand the full scope of what is going on, they see that I’m building something bigger than me and working towards achieving the big goals that I have.
Q: In terms of Afrobeat’s and such, are you still working on these types of vibes or are you trying to switch it up? What’s next for you?
A: African music is a part of who I am, I don’t think it will ever change for me. I don’t really like to be boxed into one genre. I generally work on everything and anything that feels good. We’ll have to wait and see!
Q: Should we be excited about any new projects dropping soon?
A: There is a lot of new music and projects on the way! Cannot wait until it’s ready to be shared with the world! Not too much I can say right now, but definitely, stay tuned!
