Since 2014, British septet Kokoroko, co-founded by trumpeter and composer Sheila Maurice-Grey and percussionist Onome Edgeworth, has been shelling out a mix of jazz-funk, neo-soul, and West African highlife sound, mastering all things polyrhythmic.
Most recently, in between live shows, finishing up their latest album, and gearing up for their tour, they made time to work on their latest single, “Sweetie,” out today, which coincides with the announcement of their upcoming album Tuff Times Never Last. “‘Sweetie,’ similar to ‘Three piece suit,’ is a salute to West African disco music from the 80s/90s. Horn led and playful—it’s an ode to the playfulness lovers share,” Edgeworth tells ESSENCE.
Thinking back, “I was surrounded by music indirectly at home, then when I was in primary school I took a liking to some instruments,” Maurice-Grey says. But it wasn’t until she met Edgeworth, that everything clicked. “Me and my mom used to manage artists. I was super lucky,” says Edgeworth, recalling having African musicians in and out of his house being considered normal. After getting a few tapes of his own, artists like Luniz and Craig David were his first personal taste of music.
Since then, they’ve built viral acclaim with their song “Abusey Junction,” which was featured as the closing track at one of DJ Gilles Peterson’s sets in 2018 and named “ones to watch” by the Guardian after gaining 58 million views on YouTube. Now, with their shows taking them across the world, their kinetic, instrument-heavy sound is a source of comfort to their fans.
On a similar note, “you work your best when you’re comfortable,” as Edgeworth says. That means allotting time for wellness and beauty practices amidst busy schedules. Maurice-Grey adds, “especially when we’re gigging, when we’re doing a show, I can’t perform when I’m feeling self-conscious,” she, who often is seen in natural hair, braids, or locs and little to no-makeup on stage, says.
Their last album, “Could We Be More”, was released in 2022 followed by a remix version in 2023, and their EP “Get The Message” late last year. But, according to Edgeworth, part of the reason their new album “Tuff Times Never Last” has taken so long is because of all the self-care in between. “Some people have self-care appointments whenever we’re meant to meet,” he laughs, alluding to Maurice-Grey’s mani-pedis.
“Everyone in the band likes their own personal space and personal time,” she rebuttals, which includes some of the men wearing skincare masks, going out for massages, or spending time at the gym. “Self-care is definitely a big thing for us, especially on tour and just day to day.”
With scent and essential oils a big part of their connection to each other, “Dwayne, our bass player, always smells amazing,” Edgeworth says, joking about him taking three showers each day. “We realized very early that if you don’t feel good in yourself, it is really hard to create and be open and even just generally feel good,” he continues. “When we were younger, we used to joke, if you’ve got five pounds left, go get a haircut. You feel way less poor, you feel better.”
During their last two tours in Europe, “Noushy, who plays trombone, [and I] both got our hair done, which is a big deal,” Maurice-Grey says. For their hair, she prefers As I Am and Jamaican Black Castor products, while Edgeworth goes for the Ouai shampoo.
Meanwhile, products like the Aesop travel packs, essential oils, and Topicals eye patches are often shared throughout their tour space as a must for on-the-go. “We had avocado oil on the rider so every venue we use avocado oil for skincare,” she says, with some massaging it all over their body.
Now, as they gear up for their biggest show ever at London’s Academy Brixton, the rest of the year will be guided by their new album. As for their 2025 ins? “Write as much music as we can and write with as many people as we can,” she says. “We’ve never toured the US so going to every city and just exploring it for the first time just reinforces loving doing what I do.”
