Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, Kojo Owiredu is a Toronto-based artist with witty lines and a knack for stringing up catchy melodies.
Kojo Owiredu looks to reach lovers of music looking to elevate their moods, love with passion, and dance from a place of joy. Inspired by his love and appreciation for the truly finer things in life; work, play, and a purpose, Kojo Owiredu continues to turn heads with the music he creates.
Following the years spent honing in on his skills, Kojo Owiredu has risen from the ashes like a phoenix, breaking off a piece of his charismatic persona and serving it up in the form of an EP, Kojo Owiredu brings forth in the infectious grooves of, ‘Cocoa.’
As we shine a light on the seventh and final track on this carefully curated selection of songs, Kojo Owiredu teams up with Canadian-Bahamian artist, Chaz Dean, to leave listeners dancing, even when the music has stopped.
“On Form,” takes a deep dive into a revolutionary universe known to Kojo Owiredu. His shadowy tones leave a little mystery to the full composition as the buoyant synths and pads steer this record into overdrive. Painting brilliant images as these artists depict a story of an entanglement leading to the finding of oneself, you’re hooked on more than just the pump and groove the instrumentation presents.
You find yourself heavily sedated by the dynamism that Kojo Owiredu and Chaz Dean ignite on this track. They were truly made to work with one another. With the liveliness of, “On Form,” taking full control of this energetic offering, we know that we’ll be feasting upon the other songs that Kojo Owiredu offers upon, ‘Cocoa.’ Besides, there is no such thing as too much dancing.
With the essence, you capture on, “On Form,” we’re really feeling the vibes! What was it like working with Chaz Dean, ZongoBoii, and Mikemillzonem to achieve the sound heard on this track?
Working with Chaz Dean was easy, we’ve been working together since 2016. We have good chemistry. We used to go through YouTube beats and a freestyle on them together for hours. I put the song together and sent it to him with the room for his verse.
Chaz sent back the version with his verse, I was with a friend Ibrahim at the time, We were both fired up from the energy. I actually changed up the chorus after I heard Chaz’s verse, the original was different. Same tune different words. Working with ZongoBoii was new. I stumbled on his work at the start of the first lockdown in Toronto. I found a beat, which is now Dem Tings Some, and I reached out to the creator which was Zongo. We set up a deal for me to buy a bunch of his beats, most of which are used on Cocoa, I sent the money to Ghana and then he ghosted haha. I thought I got scammed, I didn’t hear from him for days. Eventually, he reached out to me and told me about a flood, and how it had damaged everything at his spot. I felt like a dick low-key, but he sorted me out, I did what I could to help and we have been like family since.
A lot of music on the way courtesy of ZongoBoii. Mikemillzonem has been in the picture since 2015. We made a few tracks together in Ghana, I must admit, it's my fault that only one song (Told you - only available on SoundCloud) is available to the public. I reconnected with Mike in March of 2020 when the global tragedy hit, mostly because I was not able to get into any studios. When we figured out how it was just a matter of when. In June I moved to a new home, set up a studio, and put the work in to produce On Form (and the other tracks we enjoy on Cocoa). I guess to some working with Mike must have been the hardest part but that’s if one lacks patience. He’s a busy man, I am super grateful that he was able to take the time to jump on my work. It was mostly tough with the time zone difference, I was reaching out to him at crazy hours. He got married during that period as well, but I’m sure his beautiful bride understands haha.
What inspired the storytelling that we hear on, “On Form?”
The “On Form” instrumental reminds me of the TV show Knight Rider with David Hasselhoff. The intro song of the show, to say the least. I remembered how Micheal would always be a waste for half the episode, then KITT would do some hype thing to help him be useful haha. That spoke to a few of the journeys I’ve been on in my life. The story behind ‘On Form’ is how I feel about the impression that I have made on the few supporters and fans that I have. I don’t believe I have put my best foot forward in the past years, but now I’m On Form guys. Let's have some fun!
How long did it take you to write and create the collection of songs we hear on your EP?
I started working on Cocoa in June 2020. The EP was a decision I made after I heard the finished version of the single Dem Tings Some. It was a happy initial experiment which was followed by test after test after test. By the time we got to the sixth song, the chemistry between Zongo, Mike, and myself was undeniable to me. The new beats from ZongoBoii were sounding so good we decided it would be best to get better equipment, namely a microphone before we make any more music to release. So I added a studio-recorded song I worked on with Sir. K.R. Moore of Sandbox Toronto, Okay - Kojo Owiredu, on the tracklist to hit my lucky number seven. Cocoa itself took about five months to put together. From 2019 if we count the tracks by chronological order because Okay was made in 2019.
What can listeners expect from the full body of work you’ve titled, ‘Cocoa?’
I think listeners can expect an energizing listening experience. The songs on Cocoa were created based on certain emotions and feelings. I guess they are the same thing so let me explain; When I’m putting on a new pair of skinny jeans, I go through a bunch of emotions and feelings haha. I feel the struggle and my emotions can go either way depending on if the jeans fit or not. That being said, with every song on cocoa I was going through emotion and feeling a vibe to it. The projects on Cocoa were all my first attempt to mix my roots with my music. With some songs, I went too far into the corners of Achimota and on others, I dial it back to Dundas West. Listeners can expect to feel the vibes, align with the struggles and anticipate what’s coming next. I am excited to share the direction that the team is going in this year.
What can we expect to see next from you?
We can expect to see more of my story out there. I am not the most interesting man, nor am I the most exciting company but boy do I love to tell stories. We can expect my art to tell my audience a little more about who I am, where I’ve been, and what I stand for.
