THE BACKSTORY:
Baraka Ongeri, aka rising star Binki, has long harboured ambitions to perform on the stage – the theatre stage, that is. Throughout his teenage years, the Pennsylvania-born musician had his heart firmly set on an acting career, having studied theatre at the University of North Carolina.
Binki’s ‘accidental’ pop career began when he started learning the guitar and writing songs in his spare time. By the summer of 2018, when he made his Spotify debut with the single ‘Marco’, a languid, intoxicating mix of hip-hop and indie guitar, Binki had firmly swapped his acting ambitions for a career in music.
Needless to say, theatre’s loss is most certainly music’s gain. As you’d expect of someone who cites the influence of Childish Gambino, Pink Floyd and Tyler The Creator, Binki makes music that defies categorisation. Just a handful of singles into his career, he’s already established a bold, freewheeling sound which absorbs everything from punk and disco to hip-hop and funk. Most importantly, though, he channels that voracious eclecticism through futurist pop songs bursting with big hooks and sultry grooves.
Recently signed to the excellent New York-based FADER label, he’s been rightfully tipped as one of 2020’s most exciting and dynamic pop talents. With days getting longer and temperatures steadily rising, Binki’s gloriously carefree, fluid pop songs should provide the perfect summer soundtrack.
KEY TRACK: ‘Heybb’ – A kaleidoscope of shimmering guitars, funky basslines and feelgood vocals, this latest single is a perfect distillation of Binki’s genre-defying modus operandi.
FOR FANS OF: Gus Dapperton, Childish Gambino, Tyler The Creator.
