Back in March, I interviewed Cosima for a fashion website’s summer campaign. Then, y’know, a pandemic kicked off. Then, y’know, I got fired from said fashion website. So when I saw the website publishing shots from said campaign, I figured that my interview with Cosima would be lost forever, or chopped into pieces, or (most likely) my work would never get the credit it deserves. So that’s why I’m publishing it here, for you to read, without being told to buy anything. One love, and motherfuck a Mike Ashley.

What’s a normal day like in the life of Cosima?

I don’t have a normal day, cos every day is completely different. If I’m recording and writing in the studio, then I’ll get there mid-morning so I can stay there until the next morning. If I’m more of the label side of things, then I’m sorting through all my emails. And if I’m preparing for something visual like a shoot or a music video, then I’ll just be spending every day taking stuff in - reading new books, looking at new images, going through reference libraries. Every day is completely different - the only thing that’s consistent is that I’ll be doing scales at some point in the day to keep my voice in shape.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How would your friends describe you?

Probably invisible, I’m always getting texts like where are you? But I’m also very loyal, very headstrong. I’m like the person who will decimate the ex or like the person who’s hurt my friend. So I’m very loyal on that front. Late for everything to do with social, like parties I’m always the last person there because I’m always in the studio. And funny - like, yeah, I’m the comedian of the group chat.

I read that you discovered Ella Fitzgerald’s music at the local library, and that got you interested in music?

Yeah, I think so - before that point, I didn’t understand how much the singing voice was a tool of communication, and then when I found that Ella Fitzgerald CD, it just blew my mind. It was Dulwich Library and I was always there at the time, so I would go back every week and just pick out a bunch of CDs, you know how you used to burn them to the computer? Basically that, and then I just used to have like the Billie Holiday complete Decca recordings. Just finding like stuff that way. It’s not just like an album. It’s like different takes, all of these different versions of making music and it’s all of these kinds of like moments, because you don’t realize how much how many takes there are that are maybe just as expressive, but then you only ever hear the final one. Once I discovered that it was over.

So I borrowed, like, a Judy Garland boxset from one of my really good friends at the time - again, blew my mind. Then every time I discovered a new singer, it just blew my mind because - especially in jazz, everyone’s singing the same song, the same standards, but everyone sang so differently and you just can feel each person’s life experiences in how they interpret the same notes. And once I discovered that, it was just kind of like every time, I discover something else, something else, something else… I’m like, very geeky when it comes to that. Like, I would just research stuff to death and every time I listened, I would just love it even more. I just wanted to make it and you make something that could move people how [this music] moved me.

Back in March, I interviewed Kojey Radical for a fashion website’s summer campaign. Then, y’know, a pandemic kicked off. Then, y’know, I got fired from said fashion website. So when I saw the website publishing shots from said campaign, I figured that my interview with Kojey would be lost forever, or chopped into pieces, or (most likely) my work would never get credited. So that’s why I’m publishing it here, for you to read, without being told to buy anything. One love, and motherfuck a Mike Ashley.

How have you found today?

So far so good.

Not too cold?

Well.. [laughs]

What’s a normal day like in the life of Kojey Radical?

Depends on what day of the week it is. if I get time off, I’m chilling. All the way. I’m not trying to do too much because work is so intense and I’m busy and you kind of constantly got to stay creative and for me, I like pressure when I when I gotta finish up, deliver something… But to create ideas, I gotta be real relaxed. The most stressful thing for me is to play the Xbox.

Is something like today is that does not pop up pretty usually?

Yeah, and it’s cool. I love it, I wouldn’t have it any other way, but… It’s crazy because like if you know, it’s going to come up with music but you start off intending to just do music. Yeah, don’t think about anything else. You don’t think about having to do shoots or campaigns or even interviews. Just think about that what song’s coming next, so it’s the only thing that doesn’t feel second nature. I feel like I gotta be, like… zen.

Would your friends describe you like that?

No.