Known by her nickname Koffee, Mikayla Simpson is a Jamaican singer, rapper, DJ, and guitarist whose vibrant mix of dancehall, reggae, and rap earned her international attention and a major-label deal with Columbia U.K., which issued her debut EP, Rapture, in 2019.
Born in 2000 and raised by her single mother in Spanish Town, just outside of Kingston, Simpson sang in the church choir as a child and taught herself to play guitar at the age of 12. Inspired by Jamaican reggae stars like Protoje and Chronixx, she began writing lyrics in her early teens and in 2016 won her school’s talent show. She earned her nickname on a particularly hot day when she was the only one among her friends who ordered a hot coffee while they were drinking soda. As Koffee, she released an acoustic version of her song “Legend” about Jamaican runner Usain Bolt in 2017, and the video quickly went viral on Instagram. Her next single, “Burning,” featured her original take on Upsetta Records’ “Ouji Riddim” and topped several reggae charts in the U.S. In 2018, at only 18 years old, Koffee performed with both Protoje and Chronixx, joining the latter on a BBC broadcast from Kingston’s legendary Tuff Gong Studios and later on a tour of the U.K. Her status as a rising star grew even brighter when she signed with Columbia U.K. and released the singles “Toast” and “Ragamuffin,” both of which appeared on her debut EP, Rapture, in 2019.
