Will singer's mid-tempo music style work in 2017?

Tekno started the year with a hangover from last year’s success. The Made Men Music Group (and Upfront and Personal) artist enjoyed his career best year with the success of ‘Pana’.

The song which spread like wildfire across the continent and into distant market attracted Sony Music’s Columbia Records to back the singer with a deal which would enable him make more music and distribute in the US and UK.

And while the singer is caught up with the rise of his star and the growth of his celebrity, he has been making moves to free up his business, get more investment and become the best possible commercial artist that he can be.

He is now in agreement with Upfront and Personal Global Management Consultants, a company owned by influential entertainment mogul, Paul Okoye, who was very instrumental in securing the Sony deal. Although his parent record label, Made Men Music Group is still involved, they are currently playing a minimal role in the career of the singer.

With that tricky part sorted, the singer is freed up to focus on creating the music that he is revered and valued for. Tekno is a hit-making machine, and he is at the peak of his creating powers, having discovered a formula that works and drives his music in this space and time.

The Nigerian music industry is in a mid-tempo bubble, and until it bursts, Tekno remains one of the leaders of that movement in pop music. He was responsible for the production and songwriting for the smash hit single ‘If’, which has catapulted Davido back to the fore of the music business on the continent.

His emergence this year has seen him release the video for the conscious single ‘Rara’, which dropped in 2016. The visual taps into the current economic situation of Nigeria, and gives an outlet for Nigerians to project their pain, via the art.

But the focus won’t be on that song for long. Another single titled ‘Yawa’, has been offloaded from his hard drive, into industry channels, and frankly it’s a jam.

‘Yawa’ obeys all the rules of making mid-tempo music, utilizing a core Highlife melody, and looping it over muscular mid-tempo drums and meandering synths. The new song feels more like the true successor of ‘Pana’. It fails to bang and inspire love at first sight, but it worms itself into your ears and straight to your heart after repetitive listens. It was produced by Masterkraft.

Tekno is working his way towards his debut album which is expected to be released in 2017. And to do that and successfully market it, he has to deliver the biggest commercial singles in the coming months. That won’t be a big ask. He has the people behind him, and the creative juices are flowing.