Kofi Stone Returns With Double Single Release With 'Heartlands' and 'Thorns'

Tyrese King
Aug 8
2 min read

Birmingham-based musician Kofi Stone overcomes difficulty and shines a light on relatable mental health struggles, proving a desire to explore meaningful subjects on a double release with ‘Heartlands’ and ‘Thorns’.

A double release, ‘Heartlands’ is part confession and part plea as it’s soulful hook expressing his pain with a fined tuned guitar instrumentation that rifts like water over a raw and rough production which is smoothed by a bassline.

Turning to his mother to help him push through insecurity and doubt during a hard time, we witness him make a choice to choice light over darkness.

"I wrote this song two weeks after getting out of hospital. I vowed to myself, once I came out, that I would live life to the fullest”, Kofi said.

“I wanted to capture how I felt when I was bedbound, and how - even though I felt pretty helpless - I knew I still had a responsibility to stay alive to fulfil my purpose."

His rap verses however offer striking clarity on this time. he gives us a realism from his perspective as he details wanting to give up and what he went through and the acklowlgement that his time might be cut short. He raps, “This little something got me wouldn’t go without a fight. Tried bargain with the Lord but he wouldn’t take a bribe. Looking at the doctor like maybe it’s my time..”

The accompanying video, Directed by Christoph Davis, shows the waiting room of a hospital, which leans into the concept of two versions of Kofi co-existing together.

On his second track, ‘Thorns’ featuring British-Nigerian Jacob Banks, who offering his soulful vocals to help tell a gripping story of a single mother living with mental health struggles as she raises her children and navigates life.

Speaking about this concept, Kofi explains: “I wanted to highlight mental health and the struggles faced specifically with schizophrenia. I approached the song from two perspectives - one from the point of view of a mother, and the other from my own.”

This is the first time that Kofi has released music since last year’s album A Man After God’s Own Heart, however in that time Kofi has enjoyed a sold-out UK, European, and Australian tours.

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