SOLA AKINGBOLA
Sola Akingbola is a UK-based composer, percussionist, and singer-songwriter whose sound has shaped and influenced British and West African music for over three decades. A dynamic and visionary artist, he is best known as a core member of theGrammy Award-winning band Jamiroquai, with whom he toured internationally and co-created seven studio albums, helping define the group’s signature fusion of funk, soul, and jazz.
Sola first rose to prominence on the UK jazz circuit in the early 1990s performing with the late Ronny Jordan, and quickly became known for his virtuosic command of rhythm and his instinctive ability to connect groove with emotional depth. Since then, his collaborative work has spanned genres and generations—from David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, and Damon Albarn to Tony Allen, Lokua Kanza, and Idris Elba — connecting voices across time and culture through the language of percussion.
Alongside his work as a performer, Sola is an accomplished composer and two-time BMI Award winner for Best Film and TV Score (2023 and 2024), recognised for his work on the CBS series Bob Hearts Abishola. His original compositions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Theatre reflect a distinctive musical voice—one that fuses Yoruba-rooted rhythmic language with contemporary storytelling.
Through his independent label Hipsync Records, Sola continues to craft a body of work that speaks to cultural memory, identity, and sonic liberation.Today, Sola Akingbola is at the helm of a bold creative movement he calls Black Atlantic Funk—a living, breathing musical form rooted in Yoruba spiritual technologies, diasporic rhythm, and improvisational freedom. It is a vessel for memory and a vehicle for transformation, bridging ancestral power with contemporary urgency. In a fractured world, his work insists on rhythm as resistance, groove as connection,and music as a map home.
Press:
“Sola has pulled off a masterstroke” - Echoes Magazine
“Stunning” - Jumoké Fashola, BBC Radio
“Sola Akingbola’s latest album, How Should I, is nothing short of a masterpiece—a seamless fusion of cultural identity and musical innovation that cements his place as a multifaceted artist.” - Subba-Cultcha
“How Should I” is a masterful exploration of Sola Akingbola’s artistic vision. Each track is a unique expression of his heritage and experiences, making this album a significant contribution to the world of music. - Musikepool
Akingbola's deep connection to his Yoruba roots and his vast musical experience give this album a profound quality that goes beyond a simple collection of songs; it is a one-of-a-kind experience. - Teethsound
With each of the album’s eleven tracks, Sola further establishes herself as a brilliant percussionist and composer, coaxing melodies that layer and swirl together to form aural narratives that linger long after the music ends. - Fame Magazine
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