The identical twins behind the Los Angeles-based duo, KAIRO, share their experiences growing up and immigrating to America in their upcoming debut album, a major milestone following years of growth as a band.
AK and EJ Odjighoro, who attended Biola, were born in Nigeria and immigrated to Houston, Texas where they grew up and found inspiration for their earlier extended plays (EPs). Throughout 2022, the twins crafted songs like “Can You Love Me Tonight,” which now has over four million Spotify streams. The duo has been featured on Apple Music’s flagship podcast “The Zane Lowe Show,” played live sessions for SiriusXM and interviewed on Amazon Music’s “The Early Show.”
FROM DORMS TO DEF JAM
KAIRO is continuing to gain momentum, recently partnering with the New York-based label Def Jam Recordings, known for representing artists such as Justin Bieber, Rihanna, LL Cool J and many other popular hip-hop and rhythm-and-blues (R&B) artists.
Although the brothers were recognized by magazines, multiple streaming platforms and even the Recording Academy for their first EP, “Love Letters From Houston,” they hadn’t expected to one day be partnered with a label like Def Jam.
“We have always wanted to take that next step in our careers but didn’t know it would happen like this at all to be honest,” EJ Odjighoro said. “It’s very surreal to go from doing homework in our dorm to working on music with arguably the most famous record label ever.”
After committing to music full-time, KAIRO is gearing up for a new release, fueled by the confidence their new partnership has instilled in them.
“To have such a historic label believing in us and the work we’re doing is a really important thing for us … we will cherish it forever and they will not regret it,” AK Odjighoro said.
WHERE MEMORIES MEET MELODY
KAIRO’s debut album “ARE WE THERE YET” is in the works and is scheduled for release on Nov. 13. The duo described the record as “the most honest, emotional and raw piece of art we have ever made” in a recent Instagram post. They’ll touch on various experiences, from leaving Nigeria with their family on a visa lottery and moving to Houston to their life in Los Angeles.
“This is something we’ve been working on for years, and to finally be at a point where we can put out a full-length album about our lives is crazy,” AK Odjighoro said. “This project is the epitome of KAIRO, something we’ve been trying to figure out for the past few years … The album ‘ARE WE THERE YET?’ is us catching everyone up.”
INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION
Stepping out of their comfort zones, the twins took inspiration from artists like Aminé, Brockhampton, Dominic Fike, Daniel Caesar and Teezo Touchdown. KAIRO hopes to use these styles and their own sounds in the new record to inspire up-and-coming musicians that may have similar stories to theirs.
“We want to be a voice for the young black and brown boys and girls wanting to get into music … especially pop music,” EJ Odjighoro said. “There is a space for us, and if it doesn’t feel like it at times, go in there and make one.”
Now, with their long-awaited debut album ready for release, KAIRO is reflecting on the journey that brought them here — one built on years of hard work and faith.
“The day we completed the album, we were able to really take a deep breath and look at the work we did in order to get to this point,” EJ Odjighoro said. “It’s really been a God-ordained journey and if we could go back, we wouldn’t do it any other way.”
