Dele Sosimi

Dele Sosimi, the Nigerian-British Afrobeat musician and educator, has been active in the global Afrobeat scene since relocating to the UK in December 1995. Having started his musical career with Fela Kuti's Egypt 80 band in his teens, he then teamed up with childhood friend Fela's son, Femi Kuti, in the late eighties to kick-start the Positive Force, touring, recording and performing worldwide.

Over forty years later, he remains an ambassador for the musical movement. His blend of complex funk grooves, traditional Nigerian music, African percussion and an underlying sense of jazz combines with his keyboard skills and rhythmic singing.

Hackney-born and UK-based, Dele has performed internationally, from the Montreux Jazz Festival to the Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco, Ollin Kan in Mexico, South Korea, and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Dele was also an Afrobeat music consultant for the National Theatre's production of Fela!, often performing with fellow pioneer Tony Allen. He performs on 22 September 2026 at 6:00 pm at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden.