Kenké has built a quiet yet powerful voice in the world of Afro-soul and alternative R&B, focusing her writing on the subtle ache of feelings and the moments between decisions, where the heart and mind are in conflict.
Her new EP, Ordinary Is Spectacular Enough, delves deeper into this emotional space, exploring the slow, stubborn act of letting go at the end of a relationship.
The project finds meaning in the mess of a breakup, asserting that even ordinary feelings after love ends are worthy of being heard. The EP’s tracklist is as follows: “Only One,” “How Do I,” “Sorry,” “U & Me” and “The Problem with Man”.
“Only One” opens the EP with a hushed tone, articulating confusion and the feeling of being out of step when moving on. Though the track relates to the relationship’s end, the Abuja-based artiste reveals she wrote it in response to the pressure of the music industry. She realised the difference between music and the music industry, proclaiming that God is the greatest and the “only one” she needs.
The single “Sorry” shifts perspective to offer an apology to an ex who never moved on. Kenké admits to misunderstanding her ex’s silence, realising too late that her anger and distance may have been misplaced. The song, the EP’s single, acknowledges that the pain of the breakup wasn’t one-sided. She notes that sometimes saying goodbye to someone we love is necessary, not because we want to, but because it’s what’s best for one or both people.
“How Do I” captures the moment before an “awakening,” when a person wants to heal but doesn’t know how to move on. Kenké views the song as a “letter begging for help,” addressing the universal feeling of helplessness that leads people to keep going back to a relationship that’s not healthy. The lyrics ask the familiar question: “How do I leave someone I still love?”.
“U & Me” is where clarity finally breaks through. The song captures the beautiful aspects of loving and being loved, making one feel like they “can fly”. It’s about no longer being afraid to say what she feels. Though Kenké concedes, “It’s been taking me so long,” she realises that love isn’t always enough and that maybe they were never meant to last.
The EP closes with “The Problem with Man,” a track written with “a little bit of anger”. The title refers to “man” as humanity, not the male gender. It returns to the central conflict, detailing the feeling of being roped in, invested, and then left hanging by someone who isn’t. The song’s lyrics, “Tell me if it’s all in my mind,” express a plea to understand why we chase what hurts us and why letting go feels like losing.
Ordinary Is Spectacular Enough is available to stream now.
