Koleoso recalls the thrumming intensity of making his Wembley debut. 'Fifteen minutes before the gig, I made the horrific mistake of reading the wall backstage. They'd put up the names of everyone who'd played there before us. So it was like, 'OK, Beyonce played here, and Jay-Z and Stormzy and Madonna, and now it's Ezra Collective's turn.' If they were intimidated, it didn't show. The quintet turn audience participation into an artform, venturing out into the crowd and making fans part of their ensemble, almost like a New Orleans parade.
Today, that means the honour of being named runner-up in the BBC's Sound Of 2025. The annual poll, which has been running since 2003, has tipped everyone from 50 Cent and Adele to Raye and Dua Lipa for success. Ezra Collective's addition to the list comes relatively late in their career. They've already won the Mercury Prize for their second album Where I'm Meant To Be, and last November, they became the first jazz act to sell out Wembley Arena.
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