Celebrating 10 years of Tekno's classic 'Pana' - One of Afrobeats greatest songs

Since the 90s, the Nigerian pop music scene has steadily evolved by finding inspiration in Western imports and modern interpretations of indigenous genres.

In the 2000s, explored significant hip hop and R&B fusion that mirrored the dominant American hits of the era. There was also the domestication of Dancehall and Reggae, which delivered era-defining hits. In the 2010s, Nigerian artists and producers turned their attention to the Pon Pon sound, the Azonto import from Ghana, and even explored EDM fever, which swept the Western markets.

In the middle of the 2010s, Afrobeats was already gaining international momentum, and the stars shaping the sounds were tirelessly in search of new frontiers to conquer. While the leading protagonists Wizkid and Davido made bold moves into the American market, back at home, other stars were making moves of their own, and their inspiration wasn't far away across the Atlantic. Their inspiration was found in Nigeria's sister country, Ghana, where sonic innovators had found a bouncy successor to the Azonto sound.

In 2015, a certain musician named Mr Eazi, who spent years schooling in Ghana, returned to the country with a fresh sound called the Ghana Bounce, and Nigerians loved it. His impact was delivered on two hits: 'Skin Tight' with Ghanaian songstress Efya and 'Holl Up' featuring Nigerian star Dammy Krane and Ghanaian star Joey B.

Nigerian stars with their ears always on the ground quickly caught on to the sound and began domesticating it to create jams of their own. While a host of Nigerian pop records document the dominance of Ghana bounce, none managed to do this at the scale of Tekno's 'Pana'.

Produced by Kritzbeat, if there was ever a perfect Afropop record, it was Tekno's 'Pana,' which packs the dreamy Ghana bounce, classic Afrobeats colloquialism, and infectious melodies that combined to create a monumental hit that swept across the continent.

When 'Pana' dropped 10 years ago on July 22, 2016, it captured the mood of an expanding soundscape where new innovators were introducing fresh sounds to add complexities to Nigerian pop music. From Kizz Daniel's sweet boy Afrobeats, Adekunle Gold's folk medleys, Runtown's paced vibes, to Lil Kesh's boisterous street jams, Afrobeats listeners embraced a wide variety. Yet, it was Tekno's 'Pana' that won the year with a tune that tingles whether in the club, on the street, at private parties, or even underneath the sheets.

From Lagos to Accra, Malabo to Cape Town, 'Pana' was an African anthem that took the fresh-faced multi-hyphenate star to a mainstream superstar, setting the mood of a continent.

'Pana' not only dominated the streets but also dominated the award season. It won Song of the Year at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival 2016 and claimed Certified Banger of the Year at the tooXclusive Awards, while earning nominations for Best Single of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2017 and Best Song in Lyrics at the COSON Song Awards.

Its music video, directed by the great Clarence Peters, further extended the song's footprint, picking up four nominations at the WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards 2016 across African Video of the Year, Best African Male Video, Best West African Video, and Best Afro Pop Video. That same year, Tekno walked away with Best Breakthrough Act at the MTV Africa Music Awards

In 2020, when Nigeria's only aggregate music chart platform, TurnTable Charts, compiled a list of Afrobeats' greatest songs year on year, 'Pana' was selected as the biggest song of 2016. Its impact is also documented in the place it holds on the list of Pulse Nigeria and Billboard's Greatest Afrobeats songs of all time.

For Tekno, 'Pana' was more than just a hit. It was a moment that translated into a run of hits that solidified his place as one of Afrobeats' leading hitmakers of 2016 - 2017. He followed up 'Pana' with the hits 'Diana,' 'Rara,' and 'Yawa', all in the space of 10 months. So monumental was his impact on the scene that when Davido returned to Nigeria following a tricky foray into the American market, it was Tekno who assisted him in crafting the comeback mega hit 'IF'. It was a full-circle moment as Tekno repaid Davido, whose guest verse on 'Holiday' rocketed him to mainstream fame in 2013.

While 'Pana' gave Tekno wide fame, the sheer size of its impact also created high expectations from fans and critics who expected him to maintain his spot at the summit of Nigerian pop music. While pondering the impact of 'Pana' on his Substack page, The Naija Way, Nigeria's foremost pop culture curator, Ayomide Tayo, described Tekno as "The Prince who never became king."

Although Tekno cites a throat infection, which he battled in 2019, for slowing him down commercially, critics might argue that he caved under the unbearable weight of massive talent. Be that as it may, 'Pana' remains a one-of-one record and the display of emphatic talent by a star who can combine sensuality, infectious rhythm, and cultural relatability to craft a hit that recalibrated the soundscape.

10 years later, it remains fresh, stimulating, exciting, and a reliable party starter, and Afrobeats is better and greater because it exists.