Koza is a British-Indian artist from North-East England, whose musical journey began with drums and percussion. As a teenager in Hartlepool, he absorbed a melting pot of influences — from orchestral compositions at school and indie covers with friends, to Bollywood films at home and secret grime sessions on his sibling’s iPod. This wide musical exposure shaped a sound that blends raw lyricism with cultural duality.
University introduced him to the power of grime, with Skepta, Jaykae, and Stormzy helping mould his style. What started as freestyles for fun soon evolved into storytelling — with songwriting becoming a personal journal to explore identity, resistance, and representation.
In 2023, Koza hit the live circuit, performing at open mics across London and eventually winning a Boxpark music competition. That same year, he released KOHLI, a bold debut single celebrating South Asian excellence, which received global radio play including BBC Asian Network and SBS PopDesi.
His next release, Shadows, cemented his reputation as a socially conscious artist. Tackling themes of racism and alienation, the track earned him BBC Introducing’s Featured Artist of the Week on the Asian Network, spotlighting him as a vital new voice in UK rap. Since then, Koza has continued to build momentum through collaborations with UK producers like Purple Tiger, fusing drum & bass, grime, and desi sounds into his distinct sonic identity. His music channels sharp bars, social commentary, and a drive to shift narratives — always rooted in authenticity and community.
Photographer: -
Ethnicity: Indian
Location: London, UK
Website:
GET TO KNOW - completed August 2025
3 words to describe you:
driven, different, maverick
Describe your sound:
The perfect fusion of Indian heritage with UK Rap
Describe the moment you knew that you wanted to pursue music:
The first time I ever held the mic; the feeling of spilling my experience through my songs and connecting with the audience is something I'm always chasing.
How does your heritage impact your art?
My family values that are part of my heritage is what drives my music - my family taught me to be authentic, have respect for others and always give it 100%. I blend cold cutting verses with South Asian beats that sample Bollywood bangers and feature South Asian instrumentation. More than that, you'll be able to catch some of my lyrics in Hindi, particularly with my debut single, "KOHLI", taken after Indian Cricket legend Virat Kohli.
What moment are you most proud of in your music journey so far?
My second single, "Shadows" had me featured as BBC Introducing's Artist of the Week on the BBC Asian Network. Despite a lot of negativity coming to me online for pursuing my passions, being given opportunities to share my music on industry platforms is something that I value very much!
Your next music goal:
Launch my debut EP, "Daydreams", coming out later in 2025!
If you could collaborate with anyone, who and why?
I would love to collaborate with Jay Sean - he's a Brit Asia icon and definitely influenced my music taste as I was growing up!
Your favourite lyrics:
"This ain't a culture, it's my religion" (Shutdown - Skepta)
I think this line perfectly embodies the meaning of grime, uk rap and music itself. As an artist, music is so much more than a hobby - it's what gets me up out of bed every morning, it's what keeps me going when times are tough, and it truly gives me something to believe in.
3 songs you're listening to right now:
So be it - Clipse
Cops & Robbers - Sammy Virji + Skepta
about time - Loyle Carner
Your community shout out:
I got to shout out my guy Young Mirza! (@youngmirza07) A very talented guy who can play any instrument, rap any verse and sing any melody, he's really helped me improve my craft and take my music in the right direction. We actually connected after realising we were both featured on BBC Asian Network, and we have some hot tracks on the way now too!
Anything else you'd like to share:
I just dropped my latest music video for "Switch Places Remix". I wrote this song after seeing my hometown get torn up in the racially-motivated riots that took place last summer. As a South Asian, I genuinely feared for the safety of my family and friends, and I'm sure many other people in the country can relate to that feeling of being worried about stepping outside of their home at that time. The video features powerful visuals from the riots and I think it's important that we address issues like systemic racism and discrimination head on; I'm very proud of my heritage and I refuse to be silenced.
