Interview: Musical Firsts with Irish Artist Kojaque

Words Miriam Balanescu

June 25, 2021November 4, 2021

Dublin hip-hop prodigy Kojaque drops his debut album, ‘Town’s Dead’, and lets us in on his musical firsts – from watching School of Rock to meeting Mick McCarthy.

One of a compelling new generation of Irish artists, Kojaque, Dublin’s own “soft” hip-hopper, is making an eagerly awaited return.

Not only a musician, Kojaque is also an award-winning filmmaker (with Love in Technicolor), an artist – studying fine art at university, and going on to create work in residence at RHA Gallery – and founder of his own label and collective, Soft Boy.

Biting back at a broken system, Kojaque’s debut mixtape ‘Deli Daydreams’ was nominated for the Choice Music Prize and sent him off on tours with the likes of slowthai and Lana del Rey.

Now the artist is back with a new trance-like single “Wickid Tongues”, a punchy video for single “Town’s Dead”, and a debut album of the same name which is sure to walk in the path of his delicatessen-themed former project’s success. To top it all off, Kojaque also promises his biggest tour to date later this year.

Along with the release of ‘Town’s Dead’, Kojaque revealed his musical firsts, from ‘Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Hits’, to fondly remembering a toy plastic drumkit.

First song you ever made?

No Idea, I’ve written so much shit. It’s better then, no one ever knows my first one.

First song you released officially?

“Midnight Flower” or “Bubby’s Cream”, depending on what you mean by official.

First time you realised you wanted to be a musician?

After watching School of Rock when I was 8.

First time you wanted to give up?

This shit happens every other day at any minor inconvenience.

First CD or record you owned?

‘Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Hits’.

First gig and first festival you went to? And the first ones you performed at?

Arctic Monkeys in the 3 arena. The first festival I played was Electric Picnic in 2016.

First time you were starstruck?

I met Mick McCarthy in a Chinese restaurant once. I don’t know if I actually knew who he was, he was just scary.

First instrument you owned?

A plastic drumkit from Smyths toy shop when I was about 9 or 10.

First time you fell in love with music?

The Maccabees’ ‘Colour It In’.

First song that pops into your head right now?

“First Love” by The Maccabees.

Firsts with Kojaque

Listen to 'Town's Dead'' by Kojaque below: