Kayo

b. Kayode Shekoni, Sweden. Of African heritage, Swedish dance music artist Kayo began her musical career at the age of 14. She was signed by the Swedish dance music label Swemix Records in 1989, releasing her self-titled debut solo album a year later. Kayo featured ‘pure dance-orientated pop’, while tracks such as ‘Another Mother’ and ‘Change Of Attitude’ demonstrated her ability as a songwriter. Both achieved national airplay and confirmed her as one of the most singular talents on a widely acclaimed record label. ‘Another Mother’ also established her as a successful artist in mainland European countries such as Germany. However, if commercial approbation beckoned, Kayo bucked expectations with her 1993 album, Karleksland. Rather than the English-language lyrics which had dominated earlier releases, this record was recorded entirely in the Swedish tongue. The lyrics were written by Swedish pop star Orup, while the music, produced by Grammy-winner Dan Sundqvist, largely encompassed a sophisticated blend of pop and soul. Still to the forefront, however, was Kayo’s distinctive, uninhibited vocal persona. Throughout 1993 she toured in support of the album, although she also devoted time to her first feature film, The Pillmaker. Kayo had previously appeared in the Creeps’ satiric video for ‘Ooh I Like It’, which won an award in 1990 as MTV viewers’ favourite video.