Open Arts LES: Koku Gonza

Koku Gonza, a Tanzanian-American Afro-soul artist, will offer a deeply resonant and genre-bending set blending Afrobeat, R&B, highlife, and jazz influences. Her music—performed in English and Swahili—bridges continents and cultures, reflecting the spirit of global Black solidarity and diasporic creativity.

About Koku Gonza: A Tanzanian-American Afro-soul artist who blends Afrobeat, R&B, and Neo-soul into a unique sound. Known for her sultry style, she has performed at major events like Italy’s Umbria Jazz Festival, Egypt’s Creative African Nexus Canex Festival, and the Women Deliver conference in Rwanda. Her top songs, including “Zanzibar,” “Utamu,” and “Motto,” feature Swahili, Soul, and Ghanaian Highlife influences. Koku celebrates her African roots through her music.