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Koffee x Thom Browne (behind the scenes). Under The Pressure, Live fashion video shoot shot and edited by Mykal Cushnie @mykalcushnie www.mcushnie.com
Produced by: The Tamo Ennis. Photo by Mykal Cushnie –

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Koffee

Mikayla 鈥淜offee鈥� Simpson may be small in stature and disarmingly unassuming but her modesty 鈥� and height 鈥� belies huge amounts of talent. The 5鈥�0, self-described 鈥渟ing-jay-guitarist鈥� is one of the most exciting, forward-thinking, globally focused teenage talents to emerge in 2018.

Born in Spanish Town, just outside of Kingston, Jamaica, Koffee was bought up alone by her hard-working mother, her father having left for New York when Koffee was an infant. 鈥� Mummy struggled so I didn鈥檛 have to,鈥� remembers Koffee.

1. An occasional actress who works for the Ministry of Health

Koffee . Photo by Mykal Cushnie –

An occasional actress who works for the Ministry of Health and who gives sex education and body positivity talks to young people, Koffee鈥檚 mum sheltered her daughter from a lot of the violence that afflicted their community.

鈥淚 was aware of curfews and shootings growing up but it wasn鈥檛 necessarily a reality for me because I didn鈥檛 experience anything directly,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would hear about gunshots over in [neighboring] Gordon Pen, but where I live, in Eltham View, it鈥檚 a mellow vibe.

 It鈥檚 a pretty friendly community, we know each other for the most part and we get along well.鈥�

2. Koffee’s mother was an occasional actress

Koffee.  Photo by Mykal Cushnie –

Koffee’s mother was an occasional actress, a Seventh-day Adventist, and a Ministry of Health employee. Koffee’s first musical inspirations stemmed from her mother’s religious background.  

She sang in her church choir, taught herself guitar at the age of 12 on an instrument borrowed from a friend, and began writing lyrics inspired by listening to reggae singer Protoje. She attended Ardenne High School in Kingston, Jamaica.

3. She won her school talent show at Ardenne High School 

Koffee.  Photo by Mykal Cushnie –

In 2016, she won her school talent show at  Ardenne High School located in Kingston, Jamaica without realizing that the informal show at which she performed in her school cafeteria had been an audition. She went on to learn music theory and vocal technique in her high school choir.

4. A defining moment for Koffee occurred during her final year of high school

Students learning together. Photo by Alexis Brown on

 A defining moment for Koffee occurred in her final year of high school when she performed at her school’s talent show with other gifted artists in front of about 1,000 people. She indicated that the show gave her the first bit of confidence to perform and deliver music live.

5. Koffee gained popularity after uploading a video to Instagram

instagram.com mobile page on a mobile Safari browser. Photo by Solen Feyissa on

Koffee gained popularity after uploading a video to Instagram of her singing. In 2017 she released her first single, “Legend”, with just her voice and acoustic guitar.

 A tribute to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the song became a viral Instagram hit, once the athlete reposted it on his own Instagram.

Awareness of the violence and social problems she witnessed growing up has influenced her lyrics, and besides Protoje and Chronixx she has cited Super Cat and Giggs among her musical inspirations.

6. Koffee was introduced by Cocoa Tea  at the Rebel Salute 

Female singer on stage basking in blue light. Photo by Matthew Ball on

Koffee was introduced by Cocoa Tea at the Rebel Salute, a reggae festival, and has also performed with her musical inspirations Protoje and Chronixx.

“Burning”, her take on Upsetta Records’ Ouji Riddim (which had been made famous by Jamaican artists Busy Signal and Luciano ), followed. “Burning” grew out of her desire to inspire herself to push forward despite disappointment at not getting into post-secondary Sixth Form after she graduated from Ardenne High School.

7. Deejay Cocoa Tea  brought Koffee on stage at the 2018 Rebel Salute and Rototom Sunsplash  in Jamaica

Female deejay on the desk. Photo by Bongani Ngcobo on

 In June she spent three weeks at number one on The Foundation Radio Network’s Top 30 Reggae Chart covering New York City and South Florida.

In 2018, Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer, songwriter, and deejay  Cocoa Tea brought her on stage at the 2018  Rebel Salute and Rototom Sunsplash in Jamaica and Spain respectively. Protoje asked her to perform with him.

8. Chronixx invited Koffee to join him at a BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast from Tuff Gong Studios 

BBC Studios in Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on

Chronixx invited her to join him in a  BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast fromTuff Gong Studios, and she went on to tour with him in the UK at venues such as  Bush Hall and Alexandra Palace. Koffee and Chronixx appeared on BBC Music Introducing …LIVE on November 10.

9. Koffee’s December 2018 single “Raggamuffin” called out gun violence and governmental neglect

Police fires tear gas. Photo by ev on

Koffee’s December 2018 single “Raggamuffin” called out gun violence and governmental neglect of the youth. BBC Radio 1Xtra named Koffee one of its “Hot for 2019” artists. Her next single, “Toast”, was produced by (izybeats) and (Walshy Fire) of Major Lazer.

Both Chronixx and Protoje appear in the video.

 In 2019,  Tory Lanex made a remix to “Toast” as a part of his International Fargo project which can be found on SoundCloud.

In 2018, she also signed with Columbia Records UK, and Rapture. Her debut EP on the label was released on March 14, 2019. Her “Throne” video takes viewers on tour through her hometown of Spanish Town, Jamaica, and debuted on The Fader on 22 January 2019.

10. Koffee was announced as an opening act for Harry Styles on select dates of the North American leg

Flag map of North America and Central America in geologic shape. Feel free to use it with permission :). Photo by DJ Mapping –

 On 13 November 2019, Koffee was announced as an opening act for Harry Styles on select dates of the North American leg of his 2020 Love On Tour,  and on 3 December as an opening act for the Latin American leg.

On 26 November 2019, Koffee released her first cross-over collaborative single “W”, featuring hip-hop artist Gunna.

Rapture won a Grammy Award at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, making Koffee the youngest person (at 19 years old) and only woman to be awarded in the Best Reggae Album category.

Koffee was the musical guest on Nick Cannon’s sketch comedy and improv television series Wild ‘N Out which aired on February 18, 2020, on VH1.  

In October 2020, Koffee was named by Elle magazine as one of the “10 Trailblazing Women Changing The Future You Need To Know”, the others being: Mowalola Ogunlesi, , Tobi Kyeremateng, Ngozi Onwurah, Simi Lindgren, Balanda Atis, Magdalene Abraha, Holly Fischer, Celeste, and Margaret Busby.

Her debut full-length album,  Gifted, was released on 25 March 2022 to positive reviews.