How Can Someone So Young Have So Much Groove?
Let us introduce you to YOYOKA, the female drumming sensation who’s only 16!!
Shot to fame from a young age. A YouTube video at 8 years old doing a cover of a Led Zeppelin song. So cute, so good, she could barely touch the pedals. She has this crazy natural talent which is so inspiring.
Now she’s 16 and creating magic in jazz with a great collaboration with Ken Okada Group. She is the driving force in this song on drums. The effortless groove is remarkable, and she’s still only 16. Go back and watch that YOYOKA video below. Eight years old and drumming like a pro.
The Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA proudly announces the release of their third studio album, CROSSING OVER, a bold and dynamic work that captures the band’s evolving sound at the intersection of jazz, funk, rock and global influences. The music is driven by Okada’s compositional vision, blending rhythmic sophistication with melodic storytelling. The presence of YOYOKA, whose global recognition as a young drumming phenomenon continues to grow, adds explosive energy and precision throughout the record.
"At Eight years old, she was drumming like a pro."
What’s great to see in the Ken Okada Group video is the way they jam together. Different ages, different genders, and music is the glue. It gives them all a place to work together. Maybe that’s something in why we love creativity and music so much. It has a way of bringing us all together. This is a blueprint for how the world should be. Using your talent and your groove to harmonise. World leaders, listen up. Just listen. We’re stronger together, not against each other. Again, listen up!!!!
About YOYOKA
She’s been behind a kit since she could walk, performing live from age four in Ishikari, Hokkaido. She’s the youngest drummer ever named to Drummerworld’s “World’s Top 500 Drummers.” She’s appeared twice on Ellen, championed by Dave Grohl, Ian Paice, Chad Smith, Bootsy Collins and Anderson .Paak. She’s played alongside Cyndi Lauper, Tom Morello, Alex Lifeson and Fall Out Boy, and last year she was the only Japanese artist involved in Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell concert, Back to the Beginning.
About Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA is a jazz fusion ensemble known for its groove-driven sound and high-energy performances. Blending elements of jazz, funk, and rock with global influences, the band has built a growing international following through live shows and digital releases. Their music highlights both compositional depth and virtuosic musicianship, led by bassist and composer Ken Okada and featuring the internationally recognized drummer YOYOKA.
We love YOYOKA. Her pure talent and the way it looks effortless at such a young age is totally inspiring, and how she’s working with so much different talent. Go check out her YouTube channel and be amazed.
HG x