David Kofi shares his exclusive Christmas single God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. He talks on his collab with Ayobola Deborah, his definition of the festive season and more

The Christmas season is here and we're sure you'll be in good cheer with this musical masterpiece from David Kofi. The British-Ghanaian musician and composer who recently released his debut album The David Kofi Experience which has risen to critical acclaim. Blessing with the masses with a festive treat David joined forces with British Gospel vocalist Ayobola Deborah for their collaborative single which is the soulful and groovy rendition to the popular Christmas hymn God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. We caught up with David on his busy schedule to chat about the how the single came to be, the meaning behind the song, what you hopes fans will take from his single, his definition of Christmas and his wisdom for Christian believers.

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1)    Hey David.  we love your Christmas single; It’s a beautiful rendition of a classic Christmas hymn. Could you tell us about how it first came about ?

DAVID : I’ve always wanted to do a Christmas single. Last year I saw a lot of artists releasing Christmas music, and it inspired me. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen has always been one of my favourite Christmas songs, but I wanted to give it a neo-soul and jazz feel. I actually started working on it last Christmas and then hid it away for a few months! With Christmas music, you really have to start early if you want to release it in time. Around May I messaged Deborah to see if she’d like to sing on it, and the rest is history.

2)    What do you hope listeners take from the song, are there expectations from this release?

         DAVID: I want people to feel the joy of Christmas. That’s the feeling I had

when making it. I pictured families playing it in their homes on Christmas Day, singing along together. That’s really the heart behind the release.

3) You’ve teamed up with British vocalist Ayobola Deborah, what was the recording session like, did you both work in studio and bounce ideas off each other ?

DAVID: I created the track and arrangement first, then sent Deborah a vocal guide (very rough because I’m not a singer!). She recorded some ideas at home and sent them back, so we bounced ideas back and forth for a while. Then we had a full day in the studio with Deborah and two other singers, Rochelle and Conrad, who came to record the BVs. Big up Big J who engineered the session and also added drums to the track.

 We also performed the track live at Fiction Studios — that session felt really special.

4) The single has an amazing arrangement, what made you choose a neo-soul version of the hymn as opposed to a pop, R&B or Jazz version, where there any reference songs that you listened to for inspiration ?

DAVID: I naturally gravitate towards gospel, jazz and R&B when I think of working with vocalists — it’s the sound I feel most at home in. Artists like Robert Glasper, Ezra Collective and Pentatonix have all done amazing versions of this song, and I took inspiration from them in terms of feel and approach, while still keeping the arrangement true to my musical idea.

5)  As you know everyone is getting ready for the Christmas season, what does Christmas mean to you and what encouragement could you give to Christian believers ?

DAVID: Christmas to me is about appreciating what you have and showing love to people. It’s always my favourite time of year — everyone seems a bit kinder. It’s a moment to pause and be grateful for what we’ve been given, however big or small. For believers, I’d say remember why we celebrate. Christ’s birth is the reminder of hope and love that’s available to us every single day.

6)  Lastly, you’ve had a stunning year, a debut album, live shows and now a perfect Christmas single. What can fans and supporters look forward to in the new year ?Answer:

DAVID : Thank you! After collaborating on this track I want to collaborate with more singers, musicians and rappers — really build more musical community. Next year I want to keep creating and releasing music consistently.

For more information follow David Kofi on Instagram, Twitter / X, Tik Tok and visit his official website