Live Review: Hak Baker - Koko Amplify, London 30/11/2025
Hak Baker charms with a heartfelt show at KOKO.
Following his sold-out 2023 KOKO debut, Hak Baker returns to the iconic Camden venue to headline KOKO Amplify. The inaugural festival sees Hak performing whilst showcasing the freshest wave of new talent. Tonight many of London’s most exciting rising artists are given the opportunity to move from more intimate venues to the KOKO Theatre stage with a 15 minute set each, their short but sweet slots come thick and fast and keep the crowd truly engaged.
A stacked set of new performers thrill the crowd, for all of them it is a new experience performing in such an iconic venue which feels grand yet endearingly intimate. The evening is hosted by the charismatic Casskidd a music producer, DJ and broadcaster, who hosts 'The Alternative Selection' on BBC Radio 1Xtra. He says of this showcase “If you’ve discovered someone new tonight, say “Yes Cass””.
SRF wins over the audience with his easy charm, shyly asking after his first song “That wasn’t too loud was it?”. He is a bluesy guitar singer songwriter from South London, and his song ‘Foxberry Road’ is dedicated to where he grew up, keenly asking the crowd if there are any fellow residents here. His languid and laid back sound compliments the dreamy glitter ball lights showered across the venue, showing off the kaleidoscopic instrumental jams. Having played Cafe KOKO earlier this year, he brings a sound inspired by 1960s rock right up 90s RnB alongside his 4-piece band, which is a sure fire hit with the eager audience tonight.
Ashaine White confidently steps onto the stage, just her and her guitar, and starts with her new song ‘Party’, about all of the places she proclaims she doesn’t want to be. With a rock tinged edge and personal, often sweary lyrics, the North London native creates music that blends grunge and soul and is influenced by disparate artists including Ella Fitzgerald and Radiohead. As a North London girl, KOKO has been her dream venue, calling out her local Enfield massive- she says “it’s just me and Ezra Collective”.
South-east London born and raised, Lovelle's style of soulful pop music embodies London’s culture with an array of influences. Her reggae tinged beats and soaring vocals show she is a seasoned performer, having opened for the likes of Becky Hill and Miguel. Her keen humour shines through as she announces her last song to sadness from the audience, “Well, book me again then”, with a cackle and infectious charm in abundance.
Iyamah is on just before Hak, her self-described “Rootsy soul” has already seen her tour with artists including Mahalia and Masego. Brighton-born Iyamah was influenced at an early age by voices like Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys, with a lyrical focus on identity, self-worth, and female empowerment. ‘8 of Swords’ is an evocative song about the battle people wage between going for their dreams and being practical, with the refrain ‘They say it’s always the same story, Better get on with your day, You won't get nothing by complaining, darling’, which will undoubtedly resonate with the youthful Camden crowd.
Headliner Baker is known for his self styled “G-Folk” style, an inventive mixture of grime, folk, and spoken word. He is a proud East-Londoner with roots in grime and storytelling that cuts deep and a sound that refuses to be pinned down. Starting his set with new song ‘Tall Walls’ from his new album due next year, and as Hak pithily puts it, it’s “Out with the old and in with the new shit”. The song is about the walls he’s built around himself to protect from being hurt, a reflective and somber vibe, reminiscing on lost love, youthful dates at chicken shops and bus stops, ‘Heartbreak is a motherfucker.. all I know everyday is that I’m lonely’. Saying to a girl in the audience “sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry” followed by his distinctive gravelly laugh.
He repeats the line: ‘Am I that cold or do I just not care at all’ with a raw emphasis that really hits hard.
Providing ultra-honest, relatable and raw tales of modern British life is a hallmark of Hak’s sound, with a combination of pared-back folk songs with raw vocal performance and quick-witted East London lyricism. Second song ‘Luvly’ brings up the tempo and has the audience clapping along despite the poignant lyrics about a man who cannot receive the love from the woman who loves him.
Final song ‘7am’ brought the party atmosphere with one of Hak’s roadies pouring out shots of tequila for the front row to share with him. The refrain of the song is very apt: ‘ Shots of tequila, all in unison/ Got new pals now, none of them innocent’. With a triumphant close, and jumping into the crowd and taking selfies, a beaming Hak finishes his set to sheer adoration.
Words by Brendan Sharp
Photography by Harry Wassell
