Koffee wants a greater appreciation for reggae and dancehall as separate genres internationally.
The Jamaican singer is getting ready to drop her debut album next month, and at just 21-years-old, the reggae and dancehall artist has made quite an impression on the music world and her fans. Koffee started her journey at just 18 years old and quickly rose to the top, becoming one of the youngest artiste to win a Grammy in history.
While we have only had one preview as to what her upcoming album will be like, from all indications, it will continue as her previous hits like “Rapture” and “Lock Down” offered fans an escape into the lighter side of life.
In a new interview with Billboard, the artist said her lyrics and music were a deliberate choice since she grew up in Spanish Town, one of the most dangerous areas in Jamaica.
“There’s a lot of violence happening in my country and countries close by,” Koffee began. “I don’t know if I should say it’s life imitating art, but the [gun-heavy] music and what’s happening to go hand in hand.”
Koffee noted that she would take her own advice and create more fun and uplifting music for her fans.
Koffee said her life experience is the momentum behind her new album Gifted, set to be released on March 25 and will follow a North American tour in April.
She added that the pandemic has also brought the quiet she needed to define herself and talent more, which included her being involved in the production, sounds, and flow of Gifted, unlike Rapture.
While her EP Rapture was a 5-track project, Koffee is gifting fans a 10-track album that has a more acoustic feel than her debut EP “but still trappy when it comes to the bones and having that head-bop ability.”
In the meantime, Koffee sees herself pushing the boundaries of reggae with various collaborations for a more modern feel to the genre.
“Reggae will definitely progress, not only in terms of what it accomplishes [but also sonically] … there’s a lot of experimentation going on,” Koffee said.
The “West Indies” artist also noted that she desires to see more recognition for the genre.
“Internationally, reggae and dancehall both are recognized as reggae,” the young singer said. “For us Jamaicans, we understand that there’s a difference. It would be good to see more appreciation shown for the genres as separate entities.”
In the meantime, Koffee said she aims to make good music. She said her Grammy win was a surprise, and still, her focus is less on winning awards than putting out great music.
In the meantime, big things are coming for the Jamaican artist singer who is set to perform at Coachella in April, and aside from her tour, she’s also set to appear as the opening act for Harry Styles on his Latin American tour.
Koffee’s debut album Gifted arrives on March 25, 2022.
