Ezra Collective unveils Lagos-shot video as band announces new album

The album is scheduled for release on 18 September through Partisan Records.

The accompanying music video for ‘Only Love’ was filmed in Lagos, Nigeria, and directed by filmmaker Ebenza Blanche. The video was released as the lead visual from the forthcoming album.

The announcement follows a period of international recognition for the band, which recently headlined the inaugural Montreux Jazz Festival South Africa and has previously won both the Mercury Prize and a BRIT Award.

According to the band, ‘Only Love’ draws inspiration from West African musical traditions and explores themes of resilience, joy and survival. The track combines Ezra Collective's jazz influences with Pa Salieu's lyrical reflections on personal experiences.

Speaking about the collaboration, band leader Femi Koleoso said the group had long admired Pa Salieu's ability to incorporate his Gambian heritage into contemporary British music.

“Pa Salieu has been a musician that we have long admired in Ezra Collective,” Koleoso said. “Not just because of his incredible lyricism and storytelling but also his ability to weave in his Gambian heritage and roots into such a distinctly UK sound.

“I spent some time studying West African music, studying Gambian music, and let that influence the bassline of this track and the drumbeat. We linked up with Pa in Wood Green and immediately his stories started to flow.”

He added that the song emerged from conversations about difficult experiences and the search for optimism amid hardship.

“There were so many stories of pain but also beauty, joy and love. We were trying to find that beautiful place in the middle of those two things, and that's how we came about this song.”

Koleoso has previously spoken about the influence of African music on Ezra Collective's sound. Ahead of the band's appearance in South Africa earlier this year, he cited South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and musician Hugh Masekela among the artists who helped shape the group's musical direction.

He also highlighted the impact of amapiano and the work of Black Coffee on the band's more recent recordings.

Here Because of Hope features guest appearances from Pa Salieu, Lila Iké, Leona Lewis and Libianca, with excerpts read by Letitia Wright.

Reflecting on the album, the band said it represents a more mature phase of its creative journey.

“Our fourth offering feels like our first records were really Ezra Collective as children; this one really feels like Ezra Collective as adults,” the group said.

“It's impossible not to look at the world and feel deep pain and sadness, and we were really determined to write an album that still sees the prominent importance and final destination being joy, but also recognises the pain and the momentary difficulties that people are facing.”

The album follows another successful year for Ezra Collective, which included winning Best Jazz Act at the MOBO Awards and receiving the Jazz FM Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Jazz.

Here Because of Hope will be released on 18 September.

Contributors: Nomfundo Radebe and Lucky Mqoboli