Mikayla Victoria Simpson (born 16 February 2000), who performs under the stage name Original Koffee and formerly as Koffee, is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, rapper, and guitarist from Spanish Town. She released her debut single "Burning" in 2017, and signed with Columbia Records after releasing another single the following year. Her 2019 debut EP Rapture won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. Her most recent album, Gifted was released on 25 March 2022.
Early life and career Koffee's mother was an occasional actress, Seventh-day Adventist, and a Ministry of Health employee. Koffee's first musical inspirations stemmed from her mother's religious background. She sang in her church choir, taught herself guitar at the age of 12 on an instrument borrowed from a friend, and began writing lyrics inspired by listening to reggae singer Protoje. She attended Ardenne High School in Kingston, Jamaica.
2010s
In 2016, she won her school talent show at Ardenne High School located in Kingston, Jamaica without realizing that the informal show at which she performed in her school cafeteria had been an audition. She went on to learn music theory and vocal technique in her high school choir. A defining moment for Koffee occurred in her final year of high school when she performed at her school's talent show with other gifted artists in front of about 1,000 people. She indicated that the show gave her the first bit of confidence to perform and deliver music live.
Koffee gained popularity after uploading a video to Instagram of her singing. In 2017 she released her first single, "Legend", with just her voice and acoustic guitar. A tribute to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the song became a viral Instagram hit, once the athlete reposted it on his own Instagram. Awareness of the violence and social problems she witnessed growing up has influenced her lyrics, and besides Protoje and Chronixx she has cited Super Cat and Giggs among her musical inspirations.
Koffee was introduced by Cocoa Tea at the Rebel Salute, a reggae festival, and has also performed with her musical inspirations Protoje and Chronixx.
"Burning", her take on Upsetta Records' Ouji Riddim (which had been made popular by Jamaican artists Busy Signal and Luciano), followed. "Burning" grew out of her desire to inspire herself to push forward despite disappointment at not getting into post-secondary Sixth Form after she graduated from Ardenne High School. In June she spent three weeks at number one on The Foundation Radio Network's Top 30 Reggae Chart covering New York City and South Florida.
In 2018, Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer, songwriter, and deejay Cocoa Tea brought her on stage at the 2018 Rebel Salute and Rototom Sunsplash in Jamaica and Spain respectively. Protoje asked her to perform with him. Chronixx invited her to join him on a BBC Radio 1Xtra broadcast from Tuff Gong Studios, and she went on to tour with him in the UK at venues such as Bush Hall and at Alexandra Palace. Koffee and Chronixx appeared on BBC Music Introducing...LIVE on 10 November.
Koffee's December 2018 single "Raggamuffin" called out gun violence and governmental neglect of the youth. BBC Radio 1Xtra named Koffee one of its "Hot for 2019" artists. Her next single, "Toast", was produced by (izybeats) and (Walshy Fire) of Major Lazer. Both Chronixx and Protoje appear in the video. In 2019, Tory Lanez made a remix to "Toast" as a part of his International Fargo project which can be found on SoundCloud.
In 2018, she also signed with Columbia Records UK, and Rapture. Her debut EP on the label, was released on 14 March, 2019. Her "Throne" video, which takes viewers on a tour through her home town of Spanish Town, Jamaica, debuted on The Fader on 22 January 2019. On 13 November 2019, Koffee was announced as an opening act for Harry Styles on select dates of the North American leg of his 2020 Love On Tour, and on 3 December as an opening act for the Latin American leg.
On 26 November 2019, Koffee released her first cross-over collaborative single "W", featuring hip-hop artist Gunna. The song was later featured on the fictional iFruit Radio station in the video game Grand Theft Auto V.
2020s Rapture won a Grammy Award at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, making Koffee the youngest person (at 19 years old) to be awarded in the Best Reggae Album category.Campbell, Howard (2019) "'In with fighting chance' ", Jamaica Observer, 22 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019 Koffee was the musical guest on Nick Cannon's sketch comedy and improv television series Wild 'N Out which aired on 18 February 2020, on VH1.
In October 2020, Koffee was named by Elle magazine as one of "10 Trailblazing Women Changing The Future You Need To Know", the others being: Mowalola Ogunlesi, Tobi Kyeremateng, Ngozi Onwurah, Simi Lindgren, Balanda Atis, Magdalene Abraha, Holly Fischer, Celeste and Margaret Busby.
Her debut full-length album, Gifted, was released on 25 March 2022 to positive reviews."Reggae star drops ‘Gifted’ album", Manila Standard, 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022
In April 2025, Koffee returned with a new single, "Koffee". It marked her first release under the new moniker of Original Koffee.
Awards and nominations AwardYearRecipient(s) and nominee(s)CategoryResultGrammy Awards 2020 Rapture Best Reggae Album 2023 Gifted MOBO Awards2020Herself Best Reggae Act HerselfBest International Act 2022HerselfBest Caribbean Music Act NAACP Image Awards2021LockdownOutstanding international song Black Reel Awards2022The Harder They Fall” (song)Outstanding Original Song Hollywood Music In Media Awards2022Vroom (with The FaNaTix, Idris Elba, Lil Tjay, Davido, Moelogo)Best Original Song – Video Game IRAWMA (International Reggae & World Music Awards)2023HerselfEmperor of Reggae & World Music Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year Best Female Vocalist Peter Tosh Award for Recording Artiste of the Year Best Female Dancehall/Rap Artiste GiftedToots Hibbert Award for Best Album/CD
Discography Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions SWI UK US ReggaeKoffee Billboard Chart History Gifted Released: 25 March 2022 Label: Promised Land, Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 39 9 2
EPs Title EP details Peak chart positions US Reggae Rapture Released: 14 March 2019 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 1
Singles As a lead artist Title YearPeak chart positions Certifications Album SUR UK US R&B "Burning" 2017 rowspan="15" — — — "Raggamuffin"2018 — — — Rapture "Toast" — 70 47 BPI: Platinum MC: Gold "Blazin"2019 — — — "Throne" — — — "Rapture" — — — BPI: Silver "Rapture (Remix)"(featuring Govana) — — — rowspan="2" "W"(featuring Gunna) — 82 — BPI: Silver "Lockdown"2020 4 — — Gifted "Pressure" — — — rowspan="2" "Pressure (Remix)"(featuring Buju Banton) — — — "West Indies" 2021 — — — Gifted "Pull Up"2022 — — — "Shine" — — — "Koffee" 2025 — — — rowspan="2" ""2026 8 — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory."*" denotes that the chart did not exist at that time.
As a featured artist Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK "Cyanide (Remix)"(Daniel Caesar featuring Koffee)2019 — "Repeat"(J Hus featuring Koffee)2020 21 BPI: Silver Big Conspiracy "Gimme"(Sam Smith featuring Jessie Reyez and Koffee) 2023 60 Gloria "Slow Burner"(Interplanetary Criminal featuring Koffee)2025 31 rowspan="2" "Send Shots"(Rudimental featuring Original Koffee and Winny)2026 — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other guest appearances Year Song Other performer(s) Album 2020 "Don't Walk Away" John Legend Bigger Love 2021 "The Harder They Fall" rowspan="1" The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)
References