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The Bloc Party frontman took time out from Bloc Party to go solo and release his own album The Boxer in 2010.
On choosing the name and imagery of a boxer, he said: “As a boxer, you have to rely on nobody else but yourself to achieve what it is you want to achieve. Even though you take hits, you have to keep focus on your priorities and keep going. I thought that was an inspiring image.”
Kele went solo and travelled, taking his four most-loved records for inspiration.
He said: “After my solo record I wanted to have a year without music in a different part of the world. I had four records with me and that was enough.”
1. Led Zeppelin IV
2. Deftones White Pony
3. Nicki Minaj’s mix-tape Beam Me Up Scotty
4. Al Green Greatest Hits
He said: “I just wanted to drift and watch the world from a distance and I truly had intended to switch off but then 2011 happened; in terms of global history, the most dramatic year I have experienced in my entire life.”
On creativity during times of world crisis, he said: “It became impossible to switch off from the world when it seemed history was rewriting itself day after day. So I did what I always try to do to make sense of the world, I started writing lyrics and something became clear to me, I needed to put my band back together, I missed my friends. even though I had made a record by myself I missed the way that my band worked, how little improvisations and suggestions would then go on to spark other ideas in me like wildfire. Being in Bloc Party always forced me to think on my feet.”
Tenderoni is the debut solo single from Kele Okereke taken from his debut album The Boxer unleashed on 21st June, the music video is directed by Greko Sklavounos.