Growing up in Elthan view, a family-oriented neighborhood in Spanish Town, 46 km from Ocho Rios, Mikayla Simpson would always order a hot coffee instead of soda on a hot day: so her friends called her “Koffee”—with “k” probably instituted as a result of the common pronunciation.
The Protoje—inspired teen prodigy proved herself first, unknowingly winning a talent audition at a school cafeteria before going on to learn music theory and vocal technique in her high school choir.