Ekep Nkwelle Announces Debut Album “Caged Bird”
Rising vocalist Ekep Nkwelle has announced her long-awaited debut album, “Caged Bird,” set for release via Mack Avenue Records. Inspired by Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” the record traces a journey from sorrow to inspiration, reflecting on human suffering and the pursuit of a better future. The announcement arrives alongside the first single, “Early One Mornin’.” Speaking about the meaning behind the album, Nkwelle said, ‘Caged Bird archives songs of suffering and survival. I hope to provide expressions of necessary lament while equipping listeners with tools we, as humans, have always used to overcome in our lifelong pursuit of freedom and happiness: faith, art, and community.’
From Worship to the World Stage
The 27-year-old singer, composer and bandleader has been captivating audiences since she first led worship at age 12, honing even then her ability to transport and inspire listeners. With her debut album, Nkwelle now presents the sound she has spent years refining on the road with her dynamic band: traditional and vibrant, studied and spontaneous, familiar yet surprising. The nine songs on the record show an artist transcending genre with veteran polish and a distinctly original perspective. Nkwelle has quietly become one of the most compelling new voices in jazz today, having performed on some of the world’s most storied stages and collaborated with celebrated musicians, all before releasing a single album of recorded music.
A Song of Survival
“Early One Mornin'” is a song about surviving heartache that has become a fan favorite, captivating audiences at sold-out performances around the world. Discussing the track, Nkwelle said, ‘I love how liberating this song feels. Breakups are often painful and disempowering, but this one is healing because it affirms strength and reminds us that one foolproof way to survive a bad relationship is simply to jump ship!’
A Jazz Education
Nkwelle’s love of jazz developed while attending Washington D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she received classical vocal training. A performance by her peers of “Sophisticated Lady” proved transformative. ‘Oh man, I think that I really belong in this space,’ she remembers thinking, dazzled by the big band swing, and less than a decade later she was fronting the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. During that period she immersed herself in the music, developing a deep reverence for Sarah Vaughan and Natalie Cole while taking jazz courses and gigging around the Capitol at local bars. Mentored by local jazz legend Davey Yarborough, Nkwelle entrenched herself in the jazz tradition as she found her place within the music’s next generation. She continued her studies at Howard University, building her live chops locally while working with pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who remains her mentor to this day. Nkwelle later moved to New York to pursue a master’s degree at Juilliard, a shift that placed her talent under an entirely new spotlight and opened doors first around the country and, not long after, around the world.
“Caged Bird” will be released on September 25th. Nkwelle will bring the album on the road this fall, with tour dates including:
Sun, Nov. 1 – Lausanne, Switzerland – JazzOnze Plus Festival
Sat, Nov. 7 – Cartagena, Spain – Cartagena Jazz Festival
Sun, Nov. 8 – Málaga, Spain – Malaga International Jazz Festival
Tue, Nov. 10 – Madrid, Spain – Madrid International Jazz Festival
Wed, Nov. 11 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bimhuis
Thu, Nov. 12 – Rijkevorsel, Belgium – Concertzaal De Singer
Fri, Nov. 13 – Sat, Nov. 14 – Paris, France – Le Duc des Lombards
Sun, Nov. 15 – London, United Kingdom – Ronnie Scott’s
Wed, Nov. 18 – Athens, Greece – Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall
