A lot of people probably know the name Kenny K’ore. Personally, I wasn’t super familiar with him, but I definitely knew his songs like ‘Hallelujah,’ ‘So More,’ ‘Eledumare,’ and a bunch of others. I bet a lot of Gen Z folks can relate to that too. Don’t blame us—it’s not like we really cared about the artist back then, just the catchy tunes. Those songs popped up at pretty much every Christian event I went to. It wasn’t until recently that I actually found out who he was. So today, we’re gonna dive into the story of Kehinde Olumide Akinbode, aka Kenny K’ore.
From Infinity Group to Going Solo
Before he became a big deal on his own, Kenny was a vital part of the popular gospel group Infinity. If you were around in Nigeria in the early 2000s, you probably heard their hit song “Olori Oko” at least once a week. That track was massive all over Africa, with over 10 million copies sold! Along with songs like “Aye Ole,” Infinity quickly became one of Nigeria’s most iconic gospel groups.
After being with Infinity for 11 solid years, Kenny decided to take a leap into a solo career—not because he was tired of the group or had any issues with them, but because he really felt it was the right move for him. In talking about that choice, Kenny shared:
“I left INFINITY because I was convinced it was what I should do at the time. We took time out to fast and pray with our then-Pastor, Pastor Nuel Manufor, and eventually, the group decided to let me go. It’s been years since I left the group, and a lot has happened since then which has led me to one conclusion; that the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, and His love is new every morning. ”
Eledumare: A Solo Journey Begins
In 2009, Kenny K’ore dropped his first solo album called ELEDUMARE, and it definitely made a splash. With tracks like “So More” that means, “Are you grateful?” and “Yanibo,” which tells a story about staying faithful in marriage, it really stood out. The album did so well that in 2010, he came out with ELEDUMARE RELOADED, which was basically a remixed version of the first album, adding three new songs: “Yalako,” “Official Baby,” and “Press On.”
Kenny sees himself as someone who connects art and spirituality, which he sees as his life’s work. His sound is super Afrocentric, heavily using the Yoruba language, and even has some alternative rock vibes. He believes that gospel artists aren’t just performers; they’re tools for spreading the word.
Collaboration and the Kingdom
Kenny has been teaming up with other gospel artists like Psalmos, Tim Godfrey and the Xtreme Crew, Henrisoul, Laitan Dada, and plenty more over the years. Back in 2010, he got nominated for Gospel Artist of the Year at the US-based Nigeria Entertainment Awards. He’s dropped a bunch of albums through his collab with Blue Pie, including the hit collection “THE HITS,” which features all his best work in one package. Today, Kenny K’ore is still a major voice in Nigerian gospel music. He’s more than just an artist; he’s a minister based in Lagos and is making a real difference in people’s lives.
