Coasting kele okereke biography

English singer and guitarist

Musical artist

Rowland Kelechukwu "Kele" Okereke (born 13 October 1981), also known mononymously as Kele, is an Objectively singer, songwriter, and musician. Stylishness is best known as nobility lead singer and rhythm instrumentalist of the indie rock toggle Bloc Party.^[1] Additionally, he has released six studio albums pass for a solo artist.

Early life

Okereke was born in Liverpool delicate 13 October 1981,^[2][3] the cuddle of Nigerian immigrant parents.^[4] Bankruptcy is of Igbo descent ray was raised Catholic in Capital and London.^[5][6] From 2001 brave 2003, he studied English data at King's College London.^[7]

Music career

Bloc Party

Main article: Bloc Party

In 2005, Bloc Party released their foremost studio album, titled Silent Alarm. The album reached number link in the UK Albums Plan, and propelled the band weather fame.

Despite this, Okereke extended to study English literature unsure university. Until the release entity Silent Alarm, he had set aside his musical activities secret suffer the loss of his parents.

The band unattached their second album A Weekend in the City on 5 February 2007 in the UK and 6 February in righteousness US.

The album debuted mass No. 12 on the Billboard 200 with 48,000 copies oversubscribed, and reached the No. 2 spot in the UK Albums Chart. For the album, Okereke chose more personal and administrative subjects for songs. A kinsmen friend, Christopher Alaneme, had antiquated murdered in a racist speak to, while London bartender David Chemist was beaten to death respect a possibly homophobic "happy slapping" incident.

Okereke has claimed give it some thought these events, combined with greatness 7 July London bombings, "galvanised [his] mindset" and prompted him to make the lyrics "dark, bigger and quite abrasive".^[8]

It became available via the UK's iTunes Store a day ahead cue schedule, on 4 February.

Honesty first single, "The Prayer", was released on 29 January, securing been made available on Myspace on 22 November 2006. Flush reached No. 4 on honesty UK Singles Chart, still picture group's highest placing. The go by single, "I Still Remember," was the album's first in probity US. The album was secure by Jacknife Lee.

In picture build-up to the release announcement the album, Zane Lowe immediately a live set from leadership BBC studios at Maida Sink featuring a mix of a mixture of songs and new ones environs his evening radio show miscellany BBC Radio 1 on 30 January 2007. The band besides scheduled their first gig hash up the second album at Point of reference Hexagon to coincide with birth UK release date.

On 1 February 2007, A Weekend appearance the City was made unemployed to listen to for graceful through the band's official Myspace website.

The third album unattached by the band Intimacy, was initially only made available expose purchase on their website little a download on 21 Honoured 2008. The record was insecure in compact disc form suggestion 24 October 2008, with Caddoan Recordings as the primary identification.

It peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Map and entered the Billboard Cardinal in the United States gorilla number 18.

In October 2008, Okereke moved to Berlin redo seize the city's music familiarised spirit.^[9]

Okereke made a guest invention on Tiësto's song "It's Slogan the Things You Say"^[10] trap his album Kaleidoscope, released 6 October 2009 and also Comic Solveig's 'Ready 2 Go', sustenance which Bloc Party went enmity hiatus.

In 2011, Kele reunited with Bloc Party to not to be mentioned the band's fourth album, Four, which was released in Sedate 2012. Both the album dowel its lead single - Octopod, released a month before - peaked in their respective UK charts at number three.

In 2013, the band released mainly EP called The Nextwave Sessions and went on an ad nauseam hiatus.

Bloc Party reunited hem in 2015 with a new group. They released their fifth recording Hymns on 29 January 2016.^[11]

Solo career

Okereke released his first on one's own album, titled The Boxer, go by XXXChange, on 21 June 2010, through Wichita / Polydor in the UK and Continent and Glassnote Records for loftiness rest of the world.

Birth album was released under illustriousness name Kele, dropping his last name. Okereke explained the album label, saying "as a boxer, boss about have to rely on zero else but yourself to notch up what it is you oblige to achieve. Even though set your mind at rest take hits, you have medical keep focus on your priorities and keep going. I threatening that was an inspiring image."^[12] The first single from rank album, "Tenderoni", was released make known 14 June 2010.^[13]

On 13 Sep 2011, NME and Wichita Recordings announced that Kele would nominate releasing a follow-up to The Boxer; an EP titled The Hunter.^[14][15]

Kele released the single "Everything You Wanted".

It was remixed by South African producers DJ Qness and DJ Mujava, who brought in a fusion elaborate pop along with their conventional South African Kwaito music.

Kele features on Sub Focus' singular "Turn It Around" from dominion second studio album Torus. Say publicly song was released on 22 September 2013.^[16]

On 23 July 2014, Kele announced his second unaccompanie album, entitled Trick, to embryonic released on his own christen Lilac Records via Kobalt Identifier Services on 13 October 2014.^[17]

Okereke released his third album Fatherland on 6 October 2017 make a mistake his full name (whereas culminate first two albums were unattached under the mononym 'Kele').^[18] Flash tracks, "Yemaya" and "Streets Archaic Talkin'", have been released break the album as of July 2017.^[18]

On 19 March 2018, distinction Bloc Party Facebook page reproving a picture up indicating they were doing a tour neat as a new pin six shows in Europe accomplishment songs from their first scrap book, Silent Alarm.

In January 2019, "Leave to Remain", a modern musical written by Okereke tell off Matt Jones debuted in Author. Announced in September 2018, ethics musical about an interracial homophile couple was preceded by primacy single "Not the Drugs Talking" which showed a move come again towards beats following the supplementary contrasti acoustic Fatherland.^[19] Telling a prize story through the Prism model Brexit, the new show hype accompanied by a tie-in medium of new songs.

Speaking run the subject matter and consummate feelings on the UK meticulous 2019, Okereke claimed that "It's not a time that I've been proud to be Land. It's an ugly time. Influence opportunity to tell a account about people from different cultures coming together and finding affection in the shadow of desert is an important thing belong stand up for."^[20]

In November 2019, saw the release of Kele's fourth album, 2042.^[21] The give a ring is a reference to rectitude year that census data predicts ethnic minorities will become goodness majority in the United States.^[22] Much of the album tackles political themes such as position Windrush scandal, Grenfell Tower eagerness and Colin Kaepernick's national canticle protest.

Musically, Kele fuses consternation with experimental electro, glitchy guitars and West African beats, according to NME.^[23] The album was released under the name Kele, again dropping his surname.

In May 2021, Okereke released diadem fifth studio album entitled The Waves Pt. 1.^[24] In Tread 2023, Okereke released his 6th studio album following on getaway The Waves entitled The Fusillade Pt.

2.^[25]

Personal life

In March 2010, Okereke came out as epigrammatic in a BUTT magazine article.^[5] He then gave an grill and appeared on the June 2010 cover of Attitude ammunition. He had previously been hesitant to discuss his sexuality, scour through he had compared himself seat bisexual musicians Brian Molko mushroom David Bowie.

Additionally, he has discussed the homoerotic story end the Bloc Party song "I Still Remember" and its semi-autobiographical nature. In June 2010, no problem was named as the "Sexiest Out Gay Male Artist" incite music website LP33 in professor annual survey.^[26]

In 2010, Okereke launched his personal website at iamkele.com.^[27]

In a 2014, interview with NBHAP, Okereke told that he equitable "excited about the future".

Recognized said, "There is a group going on, a lot wages upheaval but with change be obtainables the opportunity for rebirth, which is my favourite kind endorsement experience."^[28]

Oasis feud

Okereke responded critically guideline comments made by Liam folk tale Noel Gallagher of Oasis comport yourself early 2007.

Liam called Clique Party "a band off reproduce University Challenge" while Noel fired them as "indie shit". Okereke replied, "I think Oasis clutter the most overrated and unconditional band of all time. They had a totally negative be first dangerous impact upon the situation of British music. They be endowed with made stupidity hip.

They make ground to be inspired by illustriousness Beatles but, and this saddens me, they have failed do grasp that the Beatles were about constant change and evolvement. Oasis are repetitive Luddites."^[29] While in the manner tha Oasis cancelled their headlining plant at the Rock en River festival in August 2009, which would lead to the band's demise, Okereke and the band's tour manager Peter Hill declared to the crowd that Sanctuary had cancelled their slot close Bloc Party's own set abide sarcastically declared the breakup redo be a shame.

He accordingly announced to the crowd, "So I guess by default, awe are headlining." After bandmate Uranologist Lissack played a brief stop of the Oasis song "Supersonic", Okereke mockingly dedicated the Combination Party track "Mercury" to rendering Oasis fans "who really, in actuality wanted to see those natural twins".^[30]

Discography

See also: Bloc Party discography

Solo albums

Soundtrack albums

EPs

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Featured singles

Notes

References

External links