Y'akoto

Neo-soul singer and songwriter Y'akoto's sophisticated take on contemporary R&B fuses elements of jazz, Afrobeat, pop, and more. Her 2012 major-label debut, Babyblues, drew her comparisons to singers such as Macy Gray, Erykah Badu, and Billie Holiday, particularly for her interpretive vocal ability. Her second album, 2014's Moody Blues, went to number 11 on the album chart in her native Germany. Born Jennifer Yaa Akoto Kieck in Hamburg in 1988, Y'akoto spent parts of her youth in countries including Cameroon, Togo, and Chad, in addition to Germany. She started writing songs ...