Koku Gonza

Koku Gonza is a Tanzanian-American afro soul artist based in Brooklyn and Dar Es Salaam. Blending
afrobeat, R&B and neo-soul, her sultry and culturally-rich sound has been
described by as “making the beauty of the African diaspora audible”.
Drawing comparison to the neo-soul vibes of Sade, Corinne Bailey Rae and Miriam
Makeba, Koku Gonza’s acclaimed debut album ‘Radiozophrenic’ first released in
2012: her single ‘L.O.V.E.’ was globally circulated on platforms including MTV
World Music and BET International. She has since released 5 independent projects,
sang with Grammy award-winning artists and toured internationally, including a
performance at Italy’s famous Umbria Jazz Festival in 2019.
Koku Gonza grew up in a music-filled home with multi-instrumentalist parents,
which created a powerful foundation for her musical creativity. She began playing
piano at the age of four, later falling in love with guitar playing in college. As kids,
her sisters and brothers would hold jam sessions together, listening to a variety of
music from afrobeats and reggae to folk, blues and classical. The afro-soul artist
recalls that whenever her father brought a new drum home from Tanzania, she
would watch as he composed and recorded his own music in their basement.
Motivated by love, culture, nature and beauty, and creatively influenced by artists
like Sade, Burna Boy, Stevie Wonder and Prince, Koku Gonza’s warm and soulful
Tanzanian roots are tangible in every one of her heartfelt tracks. Her artist name
derives from a common Haya tribe name meaning ‘the one who loves’.
Stream Koku Gonza’s new single ‘Kryptonite’, out now.