Konyikeh Releases New Single "Mercenary"

British musician Konyikeh returns today with new single ‘Mercenary’, out now via FAMM. Marking her first release of the year following October's ‘Vulnerability’, the track continues Konyikeh’s quiet ascent as one of the most distinctive new voices in British soul.

‘Mercenary’ arrived just weeks after Konyikeh took to the stage for her second sold-out headline show at London’s SJQ. From its opening moment, the instrumental is gripping. Guitar lines and drums urgently commanding attention, creating a sound that feels expansive yet completely intentional. It carries the sense of being the kind of song Konyikeh has always wanted to make, bringing together her less immediately recognisable musical influences - from Arabic scales to gqom and amapiano on this occasion - a reflection of an artist who lives and breathes music in all its forms.

Listen to 'Mercenary' HERE

Watch the Music Video HERE

Her vocals are precise, while the backing harmonies take on a life of their own: eerie and cinematic, as if signalling the turning point in a film’s most intense scene. Speaking on the track, Konyikeh explains: “Mercenary in the simplest sense is basically me scorning how some people place themselves on a pedestal ethically but can abandon core values and principles as soon as something they think is ‘shiny’ is placed in front of them.”

The Ivor Lawson-Adamah-directed video opens in near darkness: controlled, still, deliberate. A black car sits idly, its window rolled down just enough to reveal Konyikeh’s hand moving subtly to the rhythm of the beat. The visual soon cuts to VHS-style behind-the-scenes footage, seamlessly blurring the line between process and performance. Though the atmosphere is heavy with quiet tension, Konyikeh remains composed at its centre - poised, assured and entirely in control.

It’s been an exciting few years for Konyikeh, marked by a string of accolades and standout moments. 2023 saw the release of her debut EP, Litany - a bold and memorable introduction that earned her a poignant performance of EP standout “Girls Like Us” on the acclaimed COLORS platform. What followed were a series of unforgettable experiences, from captivating audiences worldwide on tour with Sam Smith and Tems to releasing her second EP, Problem With Authority, a daring and sonically ambitious evolution from her debut.

Konyikeh is an artist forging her own path. With quiet power and determination, her new music captures the journey of a woman reclaiming herself and stepping fully into her own skin. Stay tuned, more from Konyikeh is on the way.