“I think the good in people is never lost,” Koji said. “And it’s never gone from music. Music is an art form that celebrates potential. If you’re looking for it, you’re going to find it.” - February 20, 2012 interview with Gaining Ground Media.
Koji can be seen advocating with organizations such as Resolve and Invisible Children on behalf of the child soldiers being used by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in central and east Africa as well as Humility Now to help raise awareness about the homeless right here in the United States. His concerts feature a combination of music, storytelling, media and visual art, all aimed at empowering youth to create positive, lasting change and build community.
In 2010, Koji released four records. Seaside Sessions was a demo tape that came together in one day with producer Gabe Liberti at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn. That spring, he hit the road with his demo in tow and almost immediately after upon returning home, Koji landed a deal with Run For Cover Records. In August, RFC released Spring Song Vol. 1 - a full-length live record tracked at intimate house shows on Koji’s spring tour, followed by Some Small Way - Koji’s first full band release. In October, No Sleep Records released a full-length 12” vinyl split with Chicago’s Into It. Over It., entitled IIOI/KOJI, which was lauded by the Associated Press as one of 2010’s Most Overlooked Albums, alongside artists like Mumford and Sons, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Gucci Mane.
Koji was named one of Alternative Press magazine’s “100 Bands To Know in 2011“. He released a 12" vinyl-only split with long time friends, La Dispute, entitled Never Come Undone, which came out via No Sleep Records. The record was released amidst Koji's "Resolve Tour," where he performed in addition to sharing video and photography, collecting petition signatures and letters to congress seeking funding for the endangered LRA Strategy (it was eventually funded because of the youth advocacy community), and conducting community round table discussions to drive further into the issue of the LRA in central Africa, America's role in creating peace, and the power of an individual's voice to make change on this and any issue. His side of Never Come Undone features the song "Peacemaker" as well as Koji's take on Ted Leo's Biomusicology and was dedicated to fellow activist, Nate Henn, who was killed in 2010's World Cup bombing in Uganda.
He released "Matters" EP in 2013, and "Fury" EP in 2015.
Most of Everything
Koji Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics to Koji's song Most of Everything are about a personal journey towards self-discovery and simplification. The first few lines describe the singer's decision to give away most of everything in order to become free. This could be interpreted in a few different ways - perhaps the singer was feeling weighed down by material possessions, or wanted to free themselves from emotional baggage. The next line about cutting off their hair adds to this sense of shedding old identities or versions of oneself that no longer feel true. The line "it was like seeing my face for the very first time" suggests that this process of letting go is also a process of self-revelation - by giving away everything, the singer is forced to confront who they really are.
The next stanza describes the singer's new experience of being outside after this transformation. They reflect on how they might have changed - again, this could refer to both external and internal changes. The question "who am I today?" emphasizes the sense of fluidity and uncertainty that accompanies any journey of self-discovery. The final lines about having "a simple path" and a "simple life" suggest that the singer has found a sense of contentment or fulfillment in this new way of being. This could be interpreted as a rejection of consumerism or a desire to live in a more sustainable and mindful way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I gave away most of everything to see if then I could get free.
I got rid of most of my possessions to test if it would bring me a sense of freedom.
I cut off most my hair because I was getting scared that I might be hiding something.
I trimmed my hair as I was worried it was a way to hide my true self and I wanted to embrace my real identity.
It was like seeing my face for the first, for the very first time.
By shedding my old self, I felt like I was discovering my real self as if I was looking at my face for the first time.
And in going outside, I think how I might have changed.
When I step out into the world, I contemplate how much I have grown and evolved from my previous self.
I wonder, 'who am I today?'
I often ponder on my current identity and question who I am at this point in my life.
Now, I haven't got a lot but it's much more than I thought I'd need to get by…
Even though I have fewer possessions, what I have now feels like more than enough to survive.
a simple path, a simple life.
I have chosen to live a modest and uncomplicated life that brings me contentment.
Contributed by Kennedy Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.