Ezra Collective told NME why they think giving back to the community is vital in preserving their legacy. Read the interview below, or watch it in full via the video above.
The London jazz group caught up with NME while on the red carpet for the 2025 BRIT Awards at The O2 in London, shortly before they bagged the trophy for Group Of The Year and took to the stage for a closing performance with Jorja Smith.
The Mercury Prize winners are no strangers to arenas, after recently becoming the first jazz act to headline Wembley Arena – an experience they wanted to feel as intimate as possible for fans.
“We took every second and made it count so when we finished, we were just proud [and] excited for what the next thing is,” drummer Femi Koleoso told NME. “No matter how big or small a venue is, we believe that venues represent people and that every person is important. We wanted to play the show for each person, so every decision we made was about people.
“Regardless of whether there are 20,000 people in the room or 20 people, it is about connecting. When that is the main consideration, regardless of how big or small, it is always possible.”
Koleoso also explaiend how their youth centre roots meant that they want to continue giving back to the community in 2025.
“That is the foundation of why this moment is happening for us right now. Good people came into youth clubs and schools and taught us instruments. They poured their [knowledge] into us and then gave us this opportunity to perform at the BRIT Awards in 2025,” he said. “It would be a waste if we didn’t give this away to someone else.
“One day, the BRITs are going to happen and Ezra Collective won’t be here. One day we won’t get nominated and we’ll all be on our sofas watching it on the television – but if someone is here because Ezra Collective went into their school and inspired them, then we will last forever. So will they, if they do the same. That is the way we think about everything.”
On the night, the band were nominated in four categories: Mastercard Album Of The Year for their latest record, ‘Dance, No One’s Watching’, as well as Best New Artist, Alt/Rock Act and Group Of The Year. They took home the trophy for the latter, beating off competition from Bring Me The Horizon, Coldplay, The Cure and The Last Dinner Party. Visit here to find the full list of winners.
‘Dance, No One’s Watching’ was given a four-star review from NME last year. “On their third album, the five-piece pivot their style of jazz into hard funk, dub, neo-soul, Afrobeat and highlife,” it read. “The tight stabs and strong horn here feature across the album, from the marching, joyous ‘Hear My Cry’ to the Fela Kuti vibes of ‘Expensive’. You know this record will sound even better live.”
Around that time, the band spoke to NME again about the importance of supporting youth clubs across the country – saying that they would focus their efforts on helping more centres open if they had “Paul McCartney money”.
