Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective | Mixmag Lab London

Femi Koleoso is a London drummer, bandleader and DJ, known above all as the leader of Ezra Collective. Femi Koleoso has also played drums live for Gorillaz and Jorja Smith. Ezra Collective formed in London after its members met through the jazz youth programme Tomorrow's Warriors. Ezra Collective won the 2023 Mercury Prize for Where I'm Meant to Be, the first jazz act to take the award. At the 2025 BRIT Awards, Ezra Collective became the first jazz act to win Group of the Year. Ezra Collective released the album Here Because of Hope on Partisan Records on 11 September 2026. In August 2024 Femi Koleoso put together a Mixmag cover mix built around the influence of Fela Kuti. A May 2025 guest mix by Femi Koleoso for KEXP moved from classic Afrobeat through Afrobeats, soulful house and UK garage to jazz.

Sources: kexp.org, en.wikipedia.org, mixmag.net

Editorial note from Best House DJ Sets of All Time