Four Kornerz are musical pioneers. Their brand of neo-soul, funk and jazz and high-octane live performances has energised Christian music and introduced a unique sound to traditional UK Gospel.
Biography of Four Kornerz
Four Kornerz consists of the Juba brothers: the oldest is Deji, the powerhouse lead singer, then TJ the keyboard maestro followed by wizard drummer Vidal and the debonair co-lead Daniel.
Born and bred in Nigeria, the brothers moved to London over a decade ago where they began honing their talents at their parents’ church - TJ on the keyboards, Vidal on the drums, Daniel on bass and Deji perfecting his vocal skills.
Their music soon evolved and began attracting interest for its unusual style, one only Deji can describe: “A lot of people compare us to groups like Outkast, 4th Avenue Jones and Black Eyed Peas. We all love different styles. I especially love Funk and Rock, TJ is the electro-pop guy, Vidal is percussive Jazz and Soul and Daniel is Gospel through and through, and everybody has the freedom to input.
"So a combination of all of that is what we try to reflect in our style, image and music. That just makes things more interesting when you can get on stage and you can take the audience and the music in any direction and not feel boxed into a stereotype, and so far its worked very well.”
Four Kornerz’s love and appreciation for gospel music and the message behind it began to become an integral part of their music and is now a critical backbone of all their work. “What we do is undeniably Gospel-inspired," said Deji. "And we like to let people know that our music is an amalgamation of our faith with each of our individual tastes.”
Four Kornerz is Signed by UB1 Music
The brothers started performing at at weddings and local parties and were soon winning talent contests and impressing at local shows as audiences warmed to their musical confidence and maturity. Their exhilarating live performances were also counting in their favour as word spread of the band’s engaging on-stage high-jinks.
“I wouldn’t like to sound like I’m exaggerating about our live performances, so you’d probably be better off reading the comments on our website to get an idea from the fans themselves,” said Deji, smiling broadly. “I’ve even heard someone use the phrase “life changing” while describing our stage show. That’s crazy, but they said it not me!”
Independent record label UB1 Music soon became interested and signed Four Kornerz in 2004, after which the band’s profile and achievements soared.
Invitations to perform on MTV Europe’s Base Lounge, The Royal Albert Hall and the 02 Music Wireless Festival in Hyde Park alongside Basement Jaxx amongst others ensued, and the brothers found themselves touring various European cities and shaking hands with Slovakia’s Prime Minister.
They also appeared on stage with a variety of artists including Joss Stone, Lemar, Corrine Bailey Rae, Tonex and the London Community Gospel Choir amongst others.
Debut Single and Awards
The band’s debut single Clap Clap was released in 2004 to massive excitement within the UK's gospel community and sold 3,000 copies without the help of a major distribution agency. The single was played on radio stations as far afield as Canada and South Africa as their international status as non-conformist entertainers grew.
The brothers’ faith and gospel influences was honoured when they were nominated for a Gospel Entertainment Music (GEM) Award for Best Newcomer Group in 2004, and won Best Gospel Act at the Urban Music Awards in 2006. Their nomination for 2007’s Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) was a pleasant surprise for the band and one they’re immensely proud of.
Like their faith, their Nigerian heritage greatly inspires their music and they attribute their dynamic musical expression to their country of origin. “We grew up in Lagos, and we’ve been embedded with the vibrant, expressive, eclectic and colourful culture of our homeland and we just love to showcase that wherever we go.”
Soulectric Album Release
Despite these impressive career milestones, for the band nothing beats the joy of releasing their first album. “I think at the moment our big achievement is seeing the commercial release of our album Soulectric. No matter how many times we hear it, there’s still this excitement and buzz that goes with hearing our song on radio. It’s the greatest feeling ever” said Deji.
Three years in the making, Souletric was written and produced almost entirely by the brothers and they hope it encapsulates the Four Kornerz experience and showcases the growth of the band.
“It’s our first full length project so it quite a precious baby to us, it’s a product of a steep learning curve. God inspired us with a talent and we just wanted to take it to the next level by growing as musicians, song writers, producers and artists” said Deji.
The first single was Gonna Make It, an inspirational electro-funk joint about aiming for success despite obstacles featuring rap by MOBO winner and one time label-mate Jahaziel. It was released in May 2007 and featured various Garage and House remixes and was played on British radio stations including BBC 1xtra, Choice FM, Premier Radio and BBC Radio 2 added the song to their play lists.
Soulectric was released a month later and was followed by a promotional tour that took in various cities in the UK and Europe including Paris and Amsterdam. The band was profiled on ITV's London Tonight andwas also nominated in the Best Gospel category at the MOBO Awards later that year.
Soulectric's success not only affirmed Four Kornerz as the UK's premier Gospel band, but its appeal spread beyond Christian circles allowing the brothers to reach a wider audience. “Our goal is to give Four Kornerz a global identity” says Deji. “That’s the ethos behind our name: to reach the four corners of the world with our music.” AIC101
Their website www.fourkornerz.com features a playlist from Soulectric and the latest news on the band.
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