Kozy - Ali Kosé

After covering tracks from the likes of Lil Wayne, Maroon 5, Jessie J, John Legend and more he’s managed to accumulate more than 50,000 YouTube views. Not only is this South London male a songwriter, but a producer, singer and composer that uses his craft to work with disaffected young people in his local community, where they've worked together to set up an independent radio station.

Kozy formally known as Ali is a musician who started MC'ing at the age of 16, where he made the commitment to write songs to reflect the social times in which he lived.

Since then he has grown from strength the strength expanding his craft. I thought I’d catch up with him to find out more.

‘I sing, song write, play multiple instruments, produce and compose music from different genres. Says Kozy, he continues, ‘when I was 12 I started playing guitar’ from there on he began to develop his love for music. He continues, ‘when I was around 21 years old, I started singing and i found my passion for music grew stronger and before I knew it was taking vocal lessons to develop my unique voice.

For Kozy, Music is ‘self-fulfilment and spiritual healing’; he explains ‘when I sing I feel happy, I feel complete and pure in my soul.

‘My audience are people who enjoy genuine vocal gymnastics and the appreciation of a well-trained voice. Usually, people who feel music from the heart and soul can relate to my raw approach.’

‘My natural focus, versatile vocal range as well as my ability to sing in a pop genre, sweeps across the board and finds its charm into fusing with any given genre of music. I think appeal to people through adapting my lyrics to all age groups and writing songs everyone can relate to.‘

‘I am inspired by Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Motown, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Frank Sinatra, Baby Face, Boys 2 Men, Fugees, Wyclef, Dru Hill, Musiq Soul Child, Glen Lewis, Pharell Williams, Ginuwine,  Donell Jones, Jon B, 2 Pac, Bob Marley, Damien Marley, Joe, Miguel, Sade, Dr Dre, Dark Child, Destinys Child, Turkish artists, Latin music, film music.’

‘Pretty much anything I can enjoy listening to and take an influence from to help my creativity. The reason why I love music in general is because of Michael Jackson.'

'His tape was bought for me when I was 5 years old in the 80's and from there I fell in love. I’m passionate about all genres of music but, I especially appreciate production from the likes of Quincy Jones for his versatility across the board, especially in film and music production.’

He would say that 3 crucial qualities of a musician are ‘feeling, uniqueness and ability to convey a message’. He explains, ‘A musician should be almost like an actor who can make you feel the theme of the story he or she is narrating through the flow of a unique expression and role play.'

When asked what we can expect from him in the future he says. ‘I’m at the stage of recording my professional original material. So you can expect to hear some unique sounds that I’ve composed wrote & produced myself, with some spectacular music video concepts to go with that. Once that’s done I’ll be touring all around the world making my merchandise available.'

For more of Kozy you can log on to his Official Site as well as follow him via Twitter and Youtube.

Illamadi - Duppy Your Disco

In 2003, his clothing label featured in the infamous Pow video by Lethal B, In 2006 he won the Diesel U Music award for the best newcomer. He’s worked with some of the best musicians from the UK underground music scene such as Black The Ripper and Calibar.Mostly recently he's worked with the R’n’B singer D Walker who also features on his current single ‘D Shit’. Illamadi is a musician and fashion designer from London who be perfecting and experiment his style over the past few years of his career. I thought I’d catch up with Illamadi to find out a little more about where it all started.


What do you do and where did it start?

I do music and fashion. I started my own clothing label back in 2003 where we 1st premiered our label Lyrics4lyrics in the original Lethal B - Pow video. I started music seriously in 2006 when I won the DIESEL-U-MUSIC award for best newcomer. In 2007, my 1st single Top Boy was signed to All City Music record label. Ever since then, I‘ve been releasing material every year. In 2008 I released my single Moving, in 2009 I released the follow up Moving Remix ft the F64 King Black The Ripper which was an underground hit and brought my name to the forefront of the music industry. Last year I hooked up with a friend of Wretch 32's, a rapper called Calibar for my release single ‘On The Grind’. Now, I’ve started this year off with the release of my debut FREE mixtape Duppy Your Disco and a video with UK R’n’B singer D.Walker

Who are your audience and how do you appeal to them?

I have a range of sounds and styles so my audience varies from the grime kids to funky ravers to road rap heads to soul lovers. I have performed in a lot of places from Essex to Wales and even in a gay club!

Who would your ideal collaboration be with and why?

If I could collaborate with the artists that have worn our chains I would have gone clear a long ago! Michael Jackson ideally, but that’s not physically possible anymore. A lot of US artists are easier to access now so collaboration with any current artist would be ideal. Producer wise would have to be Kanye West or Dr Dre


If you could change something about your career what would it be?

I wish I started earlier, and upped the work rate a lot more during each of my releases and done a lot more shows, but this year I will aim to make up for it.

What is the concept behind your new song 'D-Shit' ?

It’s a refix of the Chris Brown and Tyga song G Shit but our version is about the cold weather were having and how that equates to 'Wifey Season'.

Name two artists that have influenced you and why?

MJ and Biggie as their music stands the test of time and I think every artist would want that for themselves.


How do you promote yourself as an artists?
I use various mediums including social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook Youtube, Radio as well as music videos on Flava and Channel AKA. Every music related event I or my team go to, we take promo CDs with us because I’ve learnt that you never know who you’re going to bump into.

Where do you see yourself in 2011?

Hopefully in the UK top 40 somewhere because this is now or never for a lot of UK artists. As urban music is IN now so to speak, we have to make the most of it otherwise a new phase might come in and the labels and buyers might look elsewhere.

For more of Illamadi and his music, you can check out his current single now D.Shit -Illamadi ft D Walker as well as contact him via Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.