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ArchiveLesson #172Culture

Femi Koleoso on Hope and Music

Femi Koleoso, a musician, shares his thoughts on hope and joy in life. He believes music can bring happiness even after pain.

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Standard version (B1-B2)

Standard: natural English

Femi Koleoso is a musician and bandleader from north London. He plays the drums and is part of the band Ezra Collective. Recently, he had the chance to guest-edit a culture section in a magazine. Femi feels proud of this opportunity and wants to share his thoughts on . He believes that is very important in life. Femi thinks that after , there can be . He sees as a way to express feelings and bring happiness. Many songs come from but can create . Femi wants to show that good things can happen even in difficult times.

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Narration includes the headline and summary.

Adapted from The Guardian, 6 September 2026, and rewritten at three levels by Newslish. Newslish is not affiliated with the source. Read the original.

Key vocabulary

  • hope noun

    A feeling that something good will happen.

    She has hope that she will succeed in her new job.

  • pain noun

    A feeling of discomfort or suffering.

    He felt pain after he fell off his bike.

  • joy noun

    A feeling of great happiness.

    The joy of winning the game was amazing.

  • music noun

    Sounds that are arranged to be pleasing.

    She loves listening to music while she studies.

  • story noun

    A description of events or experiences.

    He told a story about his travels around the world.

Quick quiz

01What is the main idea of Femi Koleoso's message?

02What does the word 'pain' mean in the text?

03What does Femi believe can happen after pain?

04What does Femi do for a living?

Answered 0 of 4

Discussion

Femi Koleoso believes that hope is important in life. How do you think music can help people find joy after pain? In your answer, use the words 'hope' and 'joy'.