Just like its massive continent, the African music culture is vast and varied. Traditional and contemporary genres coalesce and feature a beautiful blend between history and modernity. An example of this is the ever-vibrant African popular music or Afro Pop.
Afro Pop consists of contemporary genres that are a crossbreed with Western popular music. Among its several various musicians, a 29-year old from Nigeria is definitely one to watch out for this 2022 and beyond. This is Tekno Miles, and here is everything you need to know about the King of Afro Pop.
Background: Tekno in his early days
Augustine Miles Kelechi is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer. He is a global sensation with millions of followers on his social media accounts and views in music videos, hence he is hailed as 'the King of Afro Pop'.
Miles was born on December 17, 1992 in Bauchi State, and is now from Ivo Local Government Area, Ebonyi State. His younger brother named Augustine Uche is also a musician and goes by the stage name Spotless.
Although Miles was born in Bauchi State and hails from Ebonyi State, he practically grew up in several states because his father was a member of the Nigerian Army. These include Abuja, Nasarawa, and Kaduna—places that stimulated his creativity and diversity. He is a member of the Igbo tribe but he also grew up among the Hausa and other groups where he learned other cultures and spoke different languages.
Career: Tekno in the music industry
Miles’ passion for music began when he was a child, which further heightened when he was enrolled in a music school at the age of 8. There he learned to play instruments like the piano and guitar.
Miles’ perseverance to pursue the entertainment industry led him to be signed to K-Money Entertainment as an upcoming and promising musician. In 2013, he released his first single ‘Holiday’ that featured vocals from Davido. It gained massive airplay on several radio stations and television (TV) channels—a definitive mark that placed him on the Nigerian musical scene.
The hit single that really put Miles on the global music industry and mainstream popularity was ‘Duro’. It was produced by DJ Coublon and was released on YouTube on June 18, 2015. Like ‘Holiday’, it received airplay on radio stations and TV channels, where it was positively received across Africa and the United States. Here we share with you a list of his notable recorded and released songs:
- Holiday, 2013
- Onye Ne Kwu ft Ice Prince, 2013
- Anything, 2014
- Duro, 2015
- Where, 2016
- Pana, 2016
- Yawa, 2017
- Body ft Kizz Daniel, 2018
- Don’t jealous me, 2019
- Uptempo, 2019
Awards
Apart from the positive reception of the people, the roots of Miles’ musical genius was even more emphasised with the two following awards he received:
- Best Pop Extra Video, 9th Nigeria Music Video Awards, 2015
- The Best New Act, MTV Africa Music Awards, 2016
Recent sponsorship: Tekno as Bitcasino’s global ambassador
Miles is in his late 20s but he is already a big hotshot. He is considered to be one of the richest, most influential and followed Nigerian artists with an estimated net worth of $2.5 million by 2020. Global brands follow him to represent them.
After Miles’ endorsement deal with MTN Nigeria worth ₦18 million, he got the attention of Sony Music and signed him in an international $4 million deal. Now, the influence of the King of Afro Pop goes even beyond the music industry due to his very recent partnership with world-renowned crypto casino, Bitcasino.
