What are your names?
Venever V!CE (Vocals)
Nikko Harris (Drums/Vocals)
Jacob Regehr (Piano/Vocals)
Ryan Maccoul (Bass)
Tom Shand (Guitar/Vocals)

What is the band’s name?
Our name is AKEEL

How did you come up with the band’s name?
We all made suggestions for band names and we went with V!CE’s suggestion, AKEEL. AKEEL derives from the Arabic word “Aqil”, meaning wise, knowledgeable, intelligent, educated, and intellectual, quiet, well-trained, wisdom and decisiveness. It was selected as our communal name as we each bring something to the group that covers a piece of that definition. Everything has a meaning and AKEEL fit the group.

What is your genre of music?
We are a very genre diverse group, but Alternative Soul would be the best fit for us.

Give us a little bio about you.
Formed in 2019, Vancouver based AKEEL has a sound that defies categorization. Four out of the five members sing: lending to their distinctive, full sound and diversity of genre. Three of the members (Tom, Nikko & Jacob) have been working together on separate projects for the past ten years.

What made you go into music?
We have all had a connection with music from a young age. It is a place of connection. Music makes people feel and is something to look at as a positive message and output for humanity.

Who are your influences?
AKEEL’s influences come from Anderson Paak, P!NK and Gwen Stefani
Our separate influences are;
V!CE’s influences: Gwen Stefani, P!NK, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac
Jacob’s influences: Stevie wonder, PJ Morton, Run The Jewels & Jojo
Nikko’s influences: Raveena, 80s ballads, nu-disco and funk. I still listen to prog because it has a mathematical take on music and rhythm that deviates from the ordinary.
Tom’s influences: Alien Ant Farm, The Beatles, Jim Hendrix, H.E.R., SZA, and Genesis Owusu

Are you a signed?
We are not currently signed.

Your new single ‘I’m Solid’ is out now, tell us more about the single.
We are excited to be releasing “I’m Solid” as our debut single.

What is the meaning behind the single?
“I’m Solid” is about finding your self-worth. Let this song be an anthem of positivity and inspiration during this time of uncertainty.  

Who did you work with on the single?
This was a collaborative effort from AKEEL. The lyrics were written by our Drummer Nikko Harris, music by Jacob Regehr, our pianist, and the song was mixed by our guitarist Tom Shand.

Describe the track in two words.
Courageous & Energetic

Will we see a Music Video for the single?
Yes! We hope to release a video for this single this year.

Will we see an EP or Album and if so, what can we expect from it?
We are hoping to release an EP in 2022. What can be expected from it is big harmonies, soulful vocals, keyboard solos, and a lot of soul.

What else can we expect in 2021?
We will be steadily releasing more singles over this year, follow our social media accounts to keep up with our weekly content.  

Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
We would like to have our first album out and be travelling on tour.

What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“To be yourself is all that you can do” – Chris Cornell
“I want to give back to people what music has given me and that’s Hope.”

When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Breakables
Yerba Matte
Set List
Spare Strings
Inhaler

Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes we do! Our social media accounts are:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube