Barney Lister and Kojo Degraft-Johnson’s respective resumes would make for the very coolest playlist. While Huddersfield-born Lister has produced records for the likes of Obongjayar, Rina Sawayama, Joy Crookes, Olivia Dean and Celeste, south Londoner Degraft-Johnson has lent his vocals to Cleo Sol, Little Simz, Jungle and Liam Gallagher. But it’s together that they make the sweetest music of all. MRCY’s rich, old soul sound invites you to let the love in while chasing those inner and outer demons far away. Lister’s timeless melodies and expansive orchestrations provide an open-hearted soundscape where Degraft-Johnson’s dulcet tones and sparkling falsetto can soar. This more-ish combination, crystalised across their two projects so far, has seen the duo win fans from Loyle Carner to Elton John, tour with Black Pumas and be named one of Rolling Stones’ Ones to Watch this year.

Glastonbury Festival has certainly been watching, which is where Nataal catches up with the duo. We huddle backstage at the BBC Introducing Stage, just ahead of their show, to discuss their blistering breakthrough since the outset of 2024, and imagine what comes next.

Nataal: Congratulations on your first show at Glastonbury as MRCY!

Barny: When we heard we were playing it was quite surreal, and now we’re about to go stage – it’s an amazing feeling.

Kojo: Totally, it still hasn’t sunk in. But the show is going to be bold. We’ll do what we do and just a lot of fun.

Nataal: Can you tell us about your musical journeys prior to MRCY?

Barny: My uncle got me hooked on James Brown. My mum played folk music and my dad was really into 70s rock. Then I discovered hip hop and moved down to London to be part of the industry. Over the years I’ve producing records for lots of great musicians but the missing piece was finding someone I could make tunes with as an artist. And as soon as I heard Kojo’s voice, it was like, we’ve got to do something.

Kojo: I’ve been singing my entire life. My parents were Christians so that exposed me to gospel, and they’d play soulful music in the car. I also listened to a lot of reggae, dub, jazz and a bit of classical. All sorts. Then after studying music at uni, I started gigging, delved into the session world and, you know, been part of a few bands. But everything kicked into place when I met Barney.

Nataal: The story goes, it was 2021 and Barry slipped into Kojo’s DMs.

Barny: Yes! My manager sent me a video of Kojo singing and I was blown away. So, we put a session in at my studio and it was immediately apparent that we were cut from the same cloth.

Kojo: It all felt very organic and authentic. We just knew that something special was being conjured up. And after not too long, we had a handful of songs we felt good about, and had establishing ourselves as a duo. So, at some point we decided to release ‘Volume 1’.

Barny: It’s scarry putting tunes out it’s important to not overthink it and just bravely jump in.

Nataal: And ‘Volume 2’ came pretty swiftly on its heels.

Kojo: The first one is such a great introduction to MRCY while the second elevates the sound some more. There is a bit more spikiness, a bit more angst. We’re still talking about the same things but it’s more personal and honest. A stronger vibe.

Barny: Also, it just takes time to form that trust in order to be vulnerable in your song-writing. For ‘Volume 2’ we felt more comfortable with really going there.

Nataal: What are some of those themes you’ve dug into more deeply?

Barny: It was both those big conversations around the state of the world, and about more intimate things happening in our own lives. We’re weaving some politics into these human, personal experiences. Right now, at the point we’re all living in, music should say something about society but at the same time we don’t want to be too grandiose and esoteric. For example ‘Man’ addresses masculinity in the way that it’s about trying to be the best version of ourself as young men today.

Kojo: And ‘Fear’ epitomises how we’re pushing more sonically and being a bit angrier, just giving that realness that resonates with people. It’s necessary to acknowledge what we’re all going through. So, this song is saying, don’t let fear get the better of you or stand in the way of spreading positivity – not just out in the world but in yourself as well. Don’t wallow too hard in the darkness – push through to the light. That’s a recurring theme of the whole project. It’s like, we may as well enjoy dancing in the flames, because we have no other choice.

Barny: And now we’re just percolating a bit because the next release will be our debut album and that’s going to have an even bigger feeling.

Nataal: You’ve had a crazy trajectory so far. What have been some pinch-me moments?

Kojo: Glastonbury has to be one of them!

Barny: Yeah, and our headline show at Jazz Café. It was the first time we entered a stage and it was just like, oh my, everyone's going fucking nuts. Obviously there were a lot of our friends there, but it felt really legit.

Kojo: The Glasgow show was legendary too. We’d never been there before and the turnout and energy was incredible.

Nataal: How does the rest of your year look?

The summer is back-to-back festivals and then we’ll go out on tour again in November, so it’s quite a relentless situation. But once we've performed all the music so much, we’ll know where you want to go with it next. Like ‘Rowena’ has this big psychedelic ending, which pays off when we do it live.

Nataal: Any plans to take the MRCY show to Accra, Kojo?

Kojo: Love that idea! I feel like those conversations will probably be happening once the next project is written but that’d be the dream, for sure. I haven’t been there for a while but it’s a great city and getting better all the time. It’d be great to get Barry in Accra and show him around. He better bring some Factor 50, though.

Barny: And I’d want to drink a lot of those big glass bottles of Fanta! We need to play a show in Accra and another one in Huddersfield – that would be an iconic tour.

Nataal: Make it happen! Thank you and have a great show.