With a smile on his face, striking attire, and djembe at hand, composer, master drummer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, Bortier Okoe delivers a message of hope this summer through his new single titled ‘Nokomba’. The cultural educator from Ghana, West Africa celebrates his heritage and uses music as a vehicle for peace, equity, connection, resilience, and tolerance – communicating across boundaries and countries.
The song’s title translates to ‘something is coming’ and it is the first single release from a forthcoming album Okoe will release in early 2022. When asked what listeners can expect from his upcoming album, he described it as “educational lyrics, in happy, dancing music. Some of the songs are relaxing and all are uplifting to one’s soul.”
While the lyrics are sung in Ga (Okoe’s mother tongue), you can hear the infusion of hope, joy, and a longing to celebrate the journey of life – a universal message. The chorus lyrics “Yo yo yo nyeba wo ya eh” translate to “Everybody, let’s go!”. Okoe describes it as “an encouragement to work together as a team in the spirit of togetherness.”
Known for his unifying lyrics conveying strong messages for humanity alongside his dynamic live performances, Okoe explores a unique new sound in his latest release which is an expansion of his past music, as he explains.
“Music is a way of me communicating, connecting and sharing ideas and experience with different people. At the same time, bringing happiness through entertainment and education in our society.”
Nokoma is truly a cross-cultural collaborative project. It was recorded in Ghana, Congo-Brazzaville, and Australia. Recorded by Jesse Hamilton, mixed by Munyaradzi Maidza in Adelaide, and mastered by Nii Ayitey Chonia in Accra, Ghana the track features lively African rhythms, played on traditional and contemporary instruments.
Well-known for his extraordinary musical gifts and exciting innovations, Bortier Okoe is one of Africa’s most inspirational musicians, and this latest release is no exception. This single, ‘Nokomba’ will be released on 20 December 2021, followed shortly thereafter with a fantastic video clip filmed on stage in Adelaide.
Okoe will be performing with his band on 18 December 2021 at One People Multicultural Festival, which will be held in the street outside of Wakanda at 258 Hindley Street Adelaide. The event starts at 4.00 pm and Okoe and his band will be performing a one-hour set from 5.30pm.
