Kele Okereke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kele Okereke
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Okereke performing in November 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rowland Kelechukwu Okereke |
| Born | 13 October 1981 Liverpool, England |
| Origin | London, England |
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| Years active | 1999–present |
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Rowland Kelechukwu Okereke (born 13 October 1981), often called Kele, is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party. He has also released six studio albums as a solo artist.
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Early Life and Education
Kele Okereke was born in Liverpool, England, on October 13, 1981. His parents were immigrants from Nigeria, and his family is of Igbo descent. He grew up in London and was raised in the Catholic faith. From 2001 to 2003, he studied English literature at King's College London.
Music Career Highlights
Bloc Party: The Band's Journey
In 2005, Kele's band, Bloc Party, released their first studio album, Silent Alarm. This album was a big success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart and making the band famous. Even with this success, Kele continued his studies at university. He had kept his music activities a secret from his parents until Silent Alarm came out.
The band's second album, A Weekend in the City, was released in February 2007. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. For this album, Kele wrote songs about more personal and political topics. The first single from the album, "The Prayer", became the band's highest-charting single in the UK, reaching number four.
Bloc Party's third album, Intimacy, came out in 2008. It was first available as a download and later released on CD. It reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart. In October 2008, Kele moved to Berlin to experience its lively music scene.
After a break, Kele reunited with Bloc Party in 2011 to record their fourth album, Four, which was released in August 2012. Both the album and its first single, "Octopus", reached number three on the UK charts.
In 2013, the band released an EP called The Nextwave Sessions and then took another break. Bloc Party got back together in 2015 with some new members. They released their fifth album, Hymns, in January 2016.
Kele's Solo Music Career
Kele released his first solo album, The Boxer, in June 2010. He released it under the name "Kele" (dropping his last name). He explained the album's title by saying that a boxer relies only on themselves to achieve their goals, and they keep going even when things are tough. The first single from this album was "Tenderoni".
In September 2011, Kele announced an EP called The Hunter. He also released the single "Everything You Wanted," which was remixed by South African producers.
Kele was featured on Sub Focus's song "Turn It Around" in 2013. In July 2014, he announced his second solo album, Trick, which was released on his own label, Lilac Records.
His third album, Fatherland, came out in October 2017. For this album, he used his full name, Kele Okereke.
In January 2019, a new musical called "Leave to Remain" debuted in London. Kele wrote the music for this show, which tells a love story. He also released an album of new songs to go with the musical.
In November 2019, Kele released his fourth album, 2042. The title refers to a prediction about population changes in the United States. Many songs on the album talk about important social topics and current events. Musically, the album mixes funk with electronic sounds, guitar, and West African beats.
In May 2021, Kele released his fifth studio album, The Waves Pt. 1. He followed this up with his sixth studio album, The Flames Pt. 2, in March 2023.
Discography
Solo Albums
- The Boxer (2010)
- Trick (2014)
- Fatherland (as Kele Okereke) (2017)
- 2042 (2019)
- The Waves Pt. 1 (2021)
- The Flames Pt. 2 (2023)
- The Singing Winds Pt. 3 (2025)
Soundtrack Albums
- Leave to Remain (2019)
EPs
- The Hunter (2011)
- Heartbreaker (2013)
- Candy Flip (2014)
Featured Singles
Kele has also been featured on songs by other artists:
- "Believe" with The Chemical Brothers (2005)
- "It's Not The Things You Say" with Tiësto (2009)
- "Ready 2 Go" with Martin Solveig (2011)
- "Step Up" with Hercules & Love Affair (2011)
- "What Did I Do?" with Sander van Doorn featuring Lucy Taylor (2011)
- "Turn It Around" with Sub Focus (2013)
- "Let Go" with RAC (2013)
- "Faith" with V V Brown (2014)
- "The One" with Sable (2014)
- "So They Say" with Claptone (2018)
- "Won't Give Up" with Ejeca (2020)
Albums with Bloc Party
- Silent Alarm (2005)
- A Weekend in the City (2007)
- Intimacy (2008)
- Four (2012)
- Hymns (2016)
- Alpha Games (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Kele Okereke para niños
