Black Profile

Monday, 11 September 2006 04:21

01 Jan 06

Who is K2? Khadijatou, also known as K2, Is a vibrant emphatic London born Performer. Transcending genres of - singing, poetry, dance and choreography, she is also known for her unique writing. Khadijatou was born with music all around her.

She’d decided to write her life’s story (which was rather complex) aged four… but then decided to wait till she’d lived more… She has a great sense of humour – straight out of the African Caribbean. Her Guyanese father was a singer and a champion athlete who brought her up. And her mother, from Monserratt, was a writer of plays and poetry and a successful business woman up to early-retirement… Khadijatou held back performing on the music and poetry scenes until her many international journeys to Africa (Egypt, Gambia, Senegal, South Africa etc) The Americas and Europe showed her to her path and provided wisdom and permission to speak… verbally and soulfully in song.. Those were the early days…

After graduating from Middlesex University with a BA Hons in Dance and Spanish, she went on to become the founder member of Isigi Dance Theatre and later Step Afrika! UK.

Finding her musical feet in underground Jazz club sessions at Dingwalls and Jazz Café London, that would continue to the early morn… to being special guest performer on most of the poetry/music scenes to forming her own monthly open mic music and poetry sessions featuring her own band and guest performers at venues such as Covent Garden’s The Spot, Soho’s Halyon Club and WKD in Camden as well as venues in Jo’burg including at Tandoor and Market Theatre Lab. She has also recently performed in Holland’s’ Milkway/Melkweg and Oceans in London.

Over the years she has created some of the most diverse, captivating and inspiring pieces of work, been seen on the Music/Spoken Word and Dance circuits, appearing internationally on TV, Video and Radio. Working rhythmically she produces wholesome vibes on her tree (djembe) accompanied by full band has audiences left in a trance-like state of hips grooving, feet moving.

Whilst developing her distinctive Jazz enthused Afro-Hip-hop Soul, Funk, and Dub sound she’s stamped her trademark on scenes in Europe, Africa, the States and home city London. K2’s solid music is known for memorable works such as ‘Into the Jungle’, ‘These Goods’ and ‘Crazy Hell’ and ‘Ama Woman’.
K2 navigates through subjects from dub-erotica, to historical, social, political and relationship stories.

Her hot debut 12“single ’AA Batteries’ is part of her dub-erotiqe series and delves into girls and their ‘toys’. Her writing has this amazing ability to cross worlds at different spaces and times. Her writing, almost always controversially, dares to conjure up images which will make even the most sexually liberated blush!!!