At the age of just 22, British-Ivorian singer Sekou is revolutionizing the modern soul world with his deep, rich and versatile baritone voice. After his debut on the BBC Music Introducing stage at the Glastonbury Festival, for which he was personally selected by Arlo Parks, the singer from Leicestershire in England began releasing his first singles in 2023 and toured in support of John Legend. Since then, he has been creating a poppy soul sound with a groovy coolness that is second to none. Sekou was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the BRIT Awards in 2024. Since then, he has released his debut EP and the first part of his debut album "In a World We Don't Belong (Pt. 1)", which he will complete in 2026. Sekou has also sung backing vocals for artists such as Nines, Central Cee and Justin Bieber since 2024 and collaborated with Kevin Abstract, Skrapz and Potter Payper. In April, the singer will be touring the UK and Europe with his highly anticipated debut album in tow and will be performing at the Maschinenhaus in Berlin and Helios37 in Cologne, in addition to sold-out shows in his home country. For many fans and critics, it is only a matter of time before Sekou moves on to much bigger stages.
Very few people are probably surprised that Sekou Sylla's talent and unique voice were recognized early on. At the age of 16, he began publishing videos and songs on TikTok and SoundCloud. Shortly afterwards, he signed his first record deal. in 2023, Sekou's official debut single "Better Man" was released - an emotional piano ballad with raw, emotional and powerful vocals that quickly convinced listeners of the young singer's immense talent. With over 10 million streams on Spotify, the single is Sekou's most streamed song to date and saw his career rapidly take off thanks to the track's placement on the British reality TV show "Love Island". At the age of 18, Sekou released his debut EP "Out Of Mind" in June 2023, which also attracted international attention. In October 2023, Diffus magazine dedicated a portrait to the talent and described him as the "new voice of neo-soul". in 2024, the singer released two more singles before "Catching Bodies" took him to a new level in 2025. With a funky bassline, a groovy laid-back beat and Sekou's unique voice, the artist celebrated his biggest success to date, which immediately became his new top track. The single "Never Gunna Give You Up" and the mixtape "In A World We Don't Belong (Pt. 1)" followed in the fall of 2025.