Toronto producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist ‘Kunlé’ premieres video for “Ilé L’àbọ̀”
Award-winning Toronto producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Kunlé premieres his new video for “Ilé L’àbọ̀” – one from his new double-single pre-release for “Ilé L’àbọ̀”and “Cabana” – out March 6, 2026 on all music streaming platforms (via DistroKid).
Filmed on location in downtown Toronto, at the Poetry Jazz Cafe and on Queen Street West, the official video for “Ilé L’àbọ̀” was directed by Irene Gazón Rollán, the producer is Suleman Ibrahim, the editor is Steven Bojilov and consultant/artist development, James Paakwesi Davis.
Kunlé, who (for most of March) will accompany award winner Shakura S’aida as her guitarist on tour in France, Canada and India, states,
“Releasing this double-single feels like a quiet exhale after a very long holding of breath. These songs have lived with me for years (through movement, doubt, growth and deep listening) and finally letting them go feels less like a launch and more like a homecoming. “Ilé L’àbọ̀” reflects the simplicity of home (ilé làbò ìsimi oko/home is where the traveler returns to find rest) and “Cabana” is a love song rooted in tenderness. It also marks a new era, with the full album, ‘Kunlé – The Journey,’ arriving soon.”
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Kunlé — it’s part of my first name, Adékúnlé, which roughly translates to “the house is full of crowns.” I’m a music, performance arts, and culture enthusiast. I was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, and I’ve lived in Canada for over a decade, so I proudly call myself Nigerian-Canadian.My work is shaped by both places — the traditions I come from and the world I’m still moving through.Most times you’ll find me on stage performing, but it doesn’t end there. As much as I love that, I’m also curating, directing, and producing concerts, crafting jewelry or in the studio chasing a sound that feels true to me. At the core of everything I do is connection — between worlds, rhythm and stillness, old stories and new spaces, people and themselves.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Ilé L’àbọ̀ came from a very personal place. It’s a reflection on home — not just as a physical space, but as something emotional and spiritual. The title comes from a Yoruba proverb that roughly means “home is a place of rest and refuge.” For me, the song is less about nostalgia and more about grounding. It asks simple questions and affirms it at the same: where do you return to when the world feels noisy? And what does home really mean when you’ve lived in different worlds?Cabana is quieter and more intimate. It’s a love song rooted in tenderness — the kind that comes from waking up beside someone you truly cherish and realizing that their presence alone makes the world feel softer.
Walk us through your creative progress when creating music.
It varies from time to time but one that I found to be common usually starts with a feeling or a proverb. Since I grew up with the Yoruba tradition of oral storytelling, I often find a kernel of wisdom—a riddle or a chant—and let the melody grow around it. I treat my guitar like a talking drum, looking for rhythms that feel like a heartbeat. It’s actually really fun digging for a sound that feels old and new at the same time until the song finally reveals itself.
Now that the music is out, what does the ‘road ahead’ look like? Beyond tours and videos, what’s one ‘bucket list’ goal you hope to achieve with this release?
Now that the music is out, the road ahead is really about connecting — with audiences, collaborators, and the music itself. Beyond tours and videos, my bucket-list goal for this release is to make it an anthem for everyone in the diaspora who carries home with them wherever they go. I think there are a lot of us in that category, and I want the songs to celebrate that feeling — of belonging, of remembering where you come from, and of carrying it proudly into every space you inhabit.
Every artist has a ‘lightbulb moment’ where things just clicked. Looking back, what’s the one performance or milestone that made you realize, ‘Okay, this is what I was meant to do’?
Leaving Nigeria for Ghana as a trained Marine Engineer and then deciding to pursue a career in arts and performance was already a big step. But moving to Canada to study it professionally — committing to it through formal education — was the moment I realized this was more than a hobby. Having people who care about you affirm and admire your commitment and the way you embody your art is a gift, and I was lucky to have that — they know themselves if they’re reading this.Then there was a moment at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 2015. I had just come off a tweener set and, unbeknownst to me at the time, Gordon Lightfoot was standing at the foot of the backstage. He looked at me and said, “You are meant to do this. Don’t stop.” Later, in a casual chat with a close friend, I mentioned meeting him, and she said, “You do know that’s one of Canada’s greatest, right?” Moments like that, combined with the support of people who see you fully, made it clear: this is what I’m meant to do.
We love championing Canadian talent. If you were curated a ‘Must-Listen’ playlist of emerging artists right now, who is the first person you’d add?
Oh, this is a hard one! Canada is ridiculously full of talent right now. But someone who’s consistently on my radar and really emerging is Basset The Band. There’s something about this duo — a couple, actually — that reflects honest storytelling and chemistry in their music, and I love how they balance intimacy with a big, bold sound. They’re the kind of artists who make you want to hit repeat and share with everyone you know.There’s nothing like the energy of a live room.
Where can fans catch you on stage next, and for someone seeing you for the first time, what should they expect from your live experience?
There’s nothing like the energy of a live room — it’s electric, intimate, and alive.For most of March I’ll be accompanying award winner Shakura S’aida as her guitarist on tour in France, Canada and India.Follow my Instagram @kunloskola or follow Kunlé on bandsintown/songkick you will find dates at which I am performing there.
For someone seeing me for the first time, they should expect a space that feels communal, like the village square back home or a quadrangle in a multi-family home listening to moonlight or fireside stories. That’s the atmosphere I like to curate — where music, rhythm, and storytelling bring people together, and everyone feels part of the experience.