05/06/2026
Rest in Peace, Kanya King CBE, Founder and CEO of the
A visionary, trailblazer and changemaker whose impact reaches beyond music and the events industry.
At a time when Black talent, culture and creativity were often profited from but not valued, Kanya built something of her own and challenged the industry to do better.
Her work gave artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and industry professionals opportunities to be seen and rewarded. She demonstrated what is possible when Black people create the spaces they deserve rather than wait to be invited into them.
In her 2020 open letter to the music industry, Kanya wrote:
“The music industry, it is fair to say, could and should have dealt better with Black artists, Black-run companies and taken on more Black executives...”
Those words resonated then and continue to resonate today. While progress has been made, the work of creating equitable opportunities, increasing representation and ensuring Black communities benefit from the value they create remains ongoing.
At The Zoo XYZ, we see Kanya's legacy in every conversation about access, ownership, representation and creating better experiences for the people who bring culture to life.
Kanya's journey provided a blueprint for what is possible, not only on stage, but behind the scenes, in boardrooms, production offices, creative agencies and across the wider events and entertainment industries.
Thank you for showing us what leadership, resilience, and vision can achieve.
Rest in Power, Kanya King.
