KOFFEE IS TRULY GIFTED.
It was a really big surprise when Koffee’s breakout EP Rapture won the Best Reggae Award at the Grammy Awards in 2019. It was so unexpected especially for an artiste whose debut single was released just two years earlier and also, the male monopoly of that award category in recent years. The win was made more exhilarating as she was the youngest female to win the award, with her EP also the first ever Extented Play to win a Grammy Award. It was indeed an historic night for the newcomer Koffee at the 2019 Grammys.
Although it must be noted that the EP is worthy of all the plaudits and flowers it received, as it brought the genre back to the appeal of worldwide listeners like never before, and as well showcased Koffee’s versatility, laying bare all of her musical abilities. Koffee, real name being Mikayla Simpson, perfectly blends Reggae and Dancehall elements, with her properly laid rap flow. Her versatility to fit into different genres is also one of her biggest strengths.
After that night, it was expected that her career would move in the upward trajectory, it did move upwards eventually, but the global pademic that the world faced threatened to hamper her growth as she had her shows cancelled, which was the way to announce herself fully to other parts of the world. Koffee didn’t allow the global pandemic affect her, instead she used that period to involve herself in creating more good music. During those periods, Koffee was busy cooking up more good music and duly involving herself in features which she did well on, especially on J Hus' Repeat, where she was handed center stage by the British-African rapper and she delivered with two stunning verses. She also delivered on John Legend’s Don’t Walk Away, as well as the recently released song owned by Cruel Santino titled Deadman Bone. Also, she released a couple of singles like Lockdown, Pressure , W which featured Gunna.
Times have passed, nearly three years, and it seems like a long time already since the famous Granmy win. In January 2022, Koffee announced the release of her long awaited album titled Gifted. It was the perfect time to release her debut album as fans' patience were beginning to wane. If Rapture EP taught anything with its brevity as it runs for just 15 minutes, Gifted further highlight Koffee’s intentions to always keep things simple as the album spans for just 28 minutes. Gifted is more refined, modern, and innovative compared to Rapture, and it is every artists dream to surpass the level and quality of music offered on their previous projects. Koffee achieved that despite the fact that there was no invited guest throughout the album. Koffee wanted the album to be more of herself, and she delivered.
Gifted is a more interesting and overall brilliant cut. This album cuts across different genres as it focused on her usual Reggae style which was properly fused with Dancehall, Afrobeats, R&B, Hip-Hop and neo-soul. The production, live instrumentation, sound quality are elevated and better; also Koffee’s songwriting prowess did not diminish in any way. On this album, she leaned more towards the Jamaican heritage while crafting out the songs. The songs on here sound happy and mostly centers about being delighted with oneself. Most of the tracks of the album have an aura of happiness around them thereby making the album sound so bright.
If you have any doubt about the artist or the album, just one listen will definitely change your perception. Koffee’s creativity is so massive and it’s obvious on this album as she rarely breaks a sweat while in transition from hooks to verses. Also, her admirable quality to keep things simple and short is also helping her positively as it gives no room for listeners to feel bored, rather they would want more dose of this contemporary and well polished Reggae music.
For Koffee, the journey has just properly begun, and she just took another important step by creating stunning debut album following her world famous Grammy winning EP. It is beautiful to see what her career is doing at just 21 years of age, the deals she signed with Columbia UK and RCA Records has also helped her. It can only get better from here for her, and who knows another Grammy win might be on the horizon for her next year because she just created an album for the ages. Reactions by listeners so far has been positive and she will be very confident of submitting her album for the Grammy Awards come next year. Your just can’t write this generational talent off as she defies every logic and always exceeds every ecpectations placed on her.
KOFFE IS TRULY GIFTED !!!
Link: https://koffee.lnk.to/gifted
