#AfricaMonth: Meet Kofee Bean, Fresh Finds Africa artist

Image supplied: Kofee Bean

Fresh Finds Africa is a programme with the focus to give independent artists the tools they need to grow their audience and expose them to new audiences. Kofee Bean is determined to take her space as an African artist on the continent and in the diaspora.

“It is very important to step out of the box and do you. Do not just follow a particular trend because it’s hot, be you, but also be versatile. Talk less, do more, and listen closely. The universe speaks volumes if you do not speak as much. It will guide you to where you need to go,” she said.

We spoke with her to find out more about her music and her appointment as a Fresh Finds Africa artist…

Tell us a bit more about yourself - who is the person behind the music?

My name is Patience Naa Oyo Titus-Glover, known by my artist name Kofee Bean. I am an emerging neo-soul singer and prolific songwriter from Ghana. With a voice and pen that speak well beyond my years, I am on a mission to take my place within the alternative music space on the continent and the diaspora.

I am influenced heavily by the music of generational artists like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Sade, and Asa. I began singing and writing songs and poetry at the age of seven. I then joined the Made Africa band in Ghana as a singer before creating my own live band to perform at various events.

After two years of being a singer and at different pubs and bars in Accra, Ghana, I decided, in 2021, to pursue my dreams as a full-time artist. I wanted to tell stories through my music, and through it, create a space for people to be able to feel their emotions in the rawest form. I create my music using several elements from the different genres I grew up with, with soul and R&B as my dominant genres.

How are you feeling about being the second artist appointed through Fresh Finds Africa?

I feel honoured and grateful to be viewed in such a light by Spotify at the start of my career. It's definitely a confidence booster in my sound and my artistry.

What is your music about?

My music is vulnerable, honest, and gives off a sense of freedom. It shows the different aspects of my life and my journey as an artist and a person. I desire to create music that will heal and inspire as well as be relatable to my audience.

How has your heritage influenced your music?

Being a mixture of multiple tribes in Ghana and having grandparents and parents that were well-versed in multiple genres, my sound was influenced by the talking drums that were played during traditional occasions like weddings and funerals as well as the early morning jazz my father used to play.

My grandparents were Catholic and Anglican, so they used to play hymns every morning before breakfast. My mother was in love with R&Band urban gospel music, and, growing up as a child, I would hear her play that.

There were lots of musical sounds everywhere in my household, and I got a chance to soak it all in. From my ethnicity, the little I saw during masquerades in takoradi also influenced the free-spirited nature of my sound and style. It is what inspired me to write at the early age of seven. That, and the endless reading classes my grandfather and I did together.

Why is celebrating African music important, in your opinion?

Celebrating African music is important because it shows the diversity and beauty of Africa. It also shows how versatile we are in music and how we are able to manipulate various sounds to make them our own.

What are you hoping to achieve through the Fresh Finds Africa programme?

I’m hoping to show the world that African music is more than it is perceived. It is louder, more versatile, brighter and more passionate than one could ever imagine.

Who would you say has inspired you the most and why?

My experiences and the conversations I have had and am still having, inspire me the most. They help shape how I think and what I do as well as what I create.

What advice would you give to young, aspiring African musicians trying to grow their audience and presence?

Don’t stop pushing. It is hard, that is true, but giving up will only set you back. Keep your head up, experiment, don’t follow the norm, meditate, and pray. Most of all, block out the noise and trust your process.