IDOL Session: K.O.G
The evening was opened by Franck Descollonges, founder of Heavenly Sweetness, who spoke movingly of his encounter with Kweku of Ghana, aka K.O.G., recently honored at the Ghana Music Awards UK, who was discovered by the relentless Guts. The eclectic producer is once again at the helm of this album, which blends afrobeat, highlife, soul, funk, gospel and soukous
Braving borders and visas, Kweku performed in France for the first time in September 2024, including a stint at the Cabaret Sauvage for the Arte channel’s Les Concerts Volants. Usually, the group performs with nine musicians on stage, but tonight there will only be five to invade the basement of the IDOL offices.
It’s early autumn, and it’s been raining for several days. Yet the audience is out in force to welcome the band. Kweku puts on his warmest smile to encourage the still-shy crowd to fill the void in front of the stage. Gradually, the crowd is won over by his optimism, and K.O.G. soon transforms the audience into a choir.
The artist takes a moment to explain why he composed this album. The inspiration for ‘Don’t Take My Soul’ came from a 9-year-old girl who told him that the mind and body help us survive, but the soul is what keeps us alive. The outside world is frustrating and it’s important to take time to breathe and find yourself. “I’m African, so when I arrive, I bring freedom and space,” he concludes.
“Music doesn't belong to anyone, it's shared.”
With these words, K.O.G invites flautist Ludivine Issambourg for an on-stage exchange. Song after song, bodies dance, the temperature rises, the crowd enters into communion on the reggae of ‘Nowhere to Pass‘.
Before handing over the microphone, K.O.G warns us once again: “Protect your soul”!
Listen to Don't take my soul
