Meet Kenny K’ore! One of Infinity’s stars and co-writer of Olori Oko!
“Kenny K’ore” – “Kenny Congratulations”! That’s an approximate translation of this musician’s chosen name. Kehinde Olumide Akinbode AKA Kenny K’ore believes that the names we answer determine our destiny. K’ore is from the Yoruba word Kuorire, which means Congratulations. His success was foreshadowed, and then claimed with great conviction!
Once a member of the famous “Infinity Group,” Kenny and Infinity came to massive fame in Africa with their hit song “Olori Oko”. The group has won many awards and has oft been referred to as the best gospel group in Nigeria, and “Olori Oko” has been their flagship song for many years – it’s been one of Africa’s biggest-selling records over the past 15 years, in fact! This song has sold over 10,000,000 physical CD units worldwide, with 90% of these sales originating from across all African nations. Kenny’s amazing vocal work and co-writing talents ensured that Olori Oko would be a roaring success!
As one of Nigeria’s most prominent Gospel artists, Kenny K’ore eventually established himself as a solo artist after being part of Infinity for 11 years.
“I left INFINITY because I was convinced it was what I should do at the time. We took time out to fast and pray with our then-Pastor, Pastor Nuel Manufor, and eventually, the group decided to let me go. It’s been years since I left the group, and a lot has happened since then which has led me to one conclusion; that the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, and His love is new every morning. ”
-Kenny K’ore
Kenny K’ore was raised amongst a Christian family who was also avid music listeners, which is most likely a factor in the style of music he continued to produce as a solo artist! His career started in the Church, the moment he and the other future members of Infinity decided to collaborate in order to make the fellowship more interesting to fellow youth. So it stands to reason that when he split from Infinity, he continued to praise God through his music.
As a solo artist, Kenny is still very famous amongst the youth. His music is known for its versatility, marked by strong use of the Yoruba language, Afrocentric vocalism and an affinity for alternative rock. He pioneers the genre, fusing Afro and western influences in his music. Kenny released his first solo album, ELEDUMARE, in 2009 exclusively through Blue Pie Records. With hits such as “So More” and “Yanibo”, his album delivers the message of God, positively affecting people’s lives all over Nigeria. The album saw huge success and was repackaged a year later with three additional songs – “Yalako”, “Official Baby” and “Press On” – under ELEDUMARE RELOADED. In 2010, he was a nominee for Gospel Artiste of the year from Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Across the years, he has released many more albums through his partnership with Blue Pie, including the successful four-volume special, “THE HITS”, collecting all his best work in one place.
Adding a touch of jazz, soul and even classical elements to his gospel music, it’s hard not to raise your arms and rejoice at the magnificent pieces that Kenny presents in his albums. But this is the tip of the iceberg – and just the beginning of a musical legacy that Kenny will leave in our lifetimes. That’s why Ordior is pleased to be supporting Kenny’s rights as his music is distributed across the internet. We’re honoured to be protecting Olori Oko, as it’s one of Africa’s biggest songs, not to mention one of Kenny’s greatest hits ever. But not only that, we’re honoured to be supporting the rest of Kenny K’ore’s catalogue in the same way! Now any time that copyright issues might crop up, or royalties would be lost or otherwise unclaimed, you can rest assured that with Ordior’s protection, Kenny’s work will be protected. Any royalties that he might have otherwise lost will be delivered straight into his deserving hands, and into the hands of the relevant rights holders. The music industry needs to be supported in such a way to be able to afford to continue – we’re hoping our efforts mean more amazing music like this for one and all.
Kenny K’ore displays his love of God not only as a singer/songwriter but also as a gospel minister in Lagos. This is represented by his motto, “Bridging the Extremities between Art and Spirit”. He hopes to serve God’s purpose as an accomplished musician and leave behind a musical legacy.
Kenny K’ore is a Blue Pie Records USA artist and is published by Blue Pie Publishing USA (ASCAP) for selected titles.
For more information on Kenny K’ore, check out his official links!