Self-taught 6th grader Jude Kofie has captured the ears and hearts of listeners around the world.
AURORA, Colorado — 11-year-old Jude Coffey’s popularity has skyrocketed over the past year. The self-taught piano player played his first note on his piano keyboard and his father Isaiah filmed the moment on his mobile phone. At the time, Jude said he was 10 years old and his father surprised him because he didn’t even know his son knew how to play.
“I was sitting in the living room one day and I heard him playing keyboards in the basement,” Isaiah said. “So I picked up my cell phone and recorded what he was playing.”
Isaiah said she just started playing the piano after Jude watched a YouTube video on how to play it.
“I found it in some way. I don’t know how,” said Jude. “I was sitting around the keyboard and I could have hit random keys, but I couldn’t.”
Jude’s journey into musical phenomena began before he was born. Isaiah is also a musician and moved here with his wife Rose from Ghana, West Africa. He said he dreamed of playing on the big stage in his country, but he didn’t succeed. Years later, when Jude was born, he turned his attention to his newborn son. He was born with complications.
“He was born premature and I think he was two months old when he had surgery for a ‘hole in the heart,'” Isaiah said. “I thought the hole would close on its own with medication, but it didn’t, so I had to rush to St. Luke’s Presbyterian Hospital for heart surgery.”
Jude was born with low oxygen levels and a punctured heart that required surgery. He had to feed directly to his stomach until he was eight years old and was diagnosed with autism. Isaiah said he and his wife were looking for hope during that time.
“We were very worried, we cried, we fasted, we prayed unceasingly,” said Isaiah. “We were totally devastated because it started when he was born…the day we gave birth to him it all started.”
The following year, Isaiah found his son teaching himself how to play the piano. Jude already knew how to play a percussion instrument, but when his son started tickling his ivory, his parents believed their prayers were answered.
“That’s great,” said Isaiah.
Earlier this month, piano tuner Bill Magnusson heard about Jude’s achievements and was blown away by his story. Using money from his father’s estate, Magnuson promised Jude to purchase his grand piano for his $15,000 and tune it every month for the rest of his life. Magnuson also pays Jude to take professional lessons.
“I read music (and) love it so far,” said Jude. “(I) practice three hours a day and never stop.”
Jude performs a wide variety of music, from jazz to classical to gospel. He said Ghana Gospel is his favorite type of theater because his father is from and he wanted to play the same music his father plays.
“We play a lot of Ghanaian gospel songs, and that’s where he came from,” said Isaiah. “He has never been to Ghana. . So we are still praying and making plans to go. ”
Jude plans to pursue music professionally and wants to write his own songs. It’s a goal his parents are grateful for.
“We are happy,” said Isaiah. “I am so grateful to God that we can make a positive impact.”
To see more of Kofie, follow him on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
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