Konyikeh
@ the Love Supreme Jazz Festival
5 July 2024

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Biography

Born in London and raised in Essex, Konyikeh grew up with music. At only seven years old, she began playing the piano. Quickly adding classical singing to her resume, it was only a matter of time before the Guildhall School of Music and Drama protégée began writing her own music. Studying piano and music theory alongside playing violin and singing in chamber choir, she obtained a well-rounded and comprehensive music education that has evidently set the technical basis for her debut singles. Arguably more than that, however, she learned to play with emotion — to bring out her innermost feelings and put them into her music. This, she has carried with her since.

These emotions, feelings and raw vulnerabilities in her music centre around themes of identity, isolation, unlearning negative self-worth, and embracing love. Of Cameroonian and Jamaican heritage, her lyrics touch on the racial and financial systemic barriers within the classical field, and her own experiences facing them. Singing with the utmost power and honesty, she truly uses her voice to make an impact. Reaching a dedicated audience who see themselves in her, the artist released her debut singles just this year. Leading with “Sorrow” and following with “Teenage Dreams”, she shared her breathtaking vocals, raw lyrics, and distinctive sound with the world — establishing herself as one to watch in the scene.

We hear from Konyikeh about her musical influences, finding her love of songwriting, her debut singles, and her upcoming EP.