Michael Chigozie Alagwu, better known by his stage name Tempoe, is a Nigerian record producer, DJ, singer and songwriter. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he is popularly known for the tag "MÄD!",[1] at the beginning or end of all his music productions. His production of CKay's breakout afrobeats song, Love Nwantiti received global recognition.[2][3]

Tempoe
Background information
Birth nameMichael Chigozie Alagwu
Also known asTempoe (MÄD!)
BornLagos State, Nigeria
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • DJ
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
Years active2016–present
LabelsPanda Entertainment

He has produced tracks for Omah Lay, Joeboy, CKay, Jason Derulo, Victony amongst others and is currently signed to Panda Entertainment.[4]

Musical career edit

Tempoe began his career as a statistician and web developer in Nigeria's budding tech industry. He had always found pleasure in music, teaching himself basic production techniques using the fruity loops app and producing songs for free, before a chance meeting with then afrobeats producer, CKay, led to him producing the latter's first official single, "Nkechi Turnup" in 2016.[2][5] He went on to produce other songs, such as Container for CKay and Play for Blaqbonez, both signed to Chocolate City. In a bid to improve his production skills, he enrolled at Sarz's Production Academy.[6]

In 2019, Tempoe collaborated again with CKay in the production of the afro-fusion single, Love Nwantiti.[7][6] The track has been certified platinum in France and the United Kingdom and double platinum in the United States and the Netherlands.[3][8] In November 2020, Tempoe teamed up with singer Omah Lay, producing another successful single, Godly, which garnered over 100 million accumulated streams across all music sharing platforms, peaking at number 5 and number 15 in Ghana and Kenya's top 100 tracks on iTunes.[9] Tempoe also produced the single Door from Joeboy's debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic,[10] and Alcohol, which received 50 million streams within four weeks of its release.[11]

In May 2022, he produced and performed in the single, Soweto, the lead track off Victony's Outlaw EP, which is his first official single as a performing artiste.[12][13] Tempoe released the video for Soweto in October 2022. The video was directed by Jyde Ajala and garnered over 8 million views on YouTube within four weeks.[14] The song featured at number 15 on Rolling Stone magazine's Top 40 Afropop Songs of 2022.[15]

In 2022, Tempoe signed a publishing deal with American independent record publishing group, APG, and the partnership led to his being tapped to co-write and produce Robinson and Jason Derulo's single Ayo Girl, which features fellow Nigerian afrobeat act, Rema.[16]

Awards and recognition edit

Tempoe received a nomination for the African Producer of the Year at the 2022 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) alongside Pheelz from Nigeria and DJ Maphoriza from South Africa in September 2022.[17][18][19] In October 2022, he was honored by BMI at the BMI Awards London for his contribution to the song Love Nwantiti[20] in the category of Most Performed Song of the Year.[21][22] He was listed in the TurnTable End of the Year Top 50 of 2021 as a Top Producer of the Year.

Year Event Prize Recipient Result Ref
2021 The Beatz Awards 2021 Afro Dancehall Producer of the Year Himself for "Godly" by Omah Lay Nominated [23]
2022 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) African Producer of the Year Himself Nominated [18][17]
BMI Awards London Most Performed Song of the Year Love Nwantiti Won [21][22]

Production discography edit

  • 2016
  1. Nkechi Turnup - CKay
  2. Container - Ckay
  3. Play - Blaqbonez
  • 2019
  1. Love Nwantiti - CKay
  2. Jensimi - Reminisce featuring Niniola[24]
  • 2020
  1. Godly - Omah Lay
  2. Party Dé - DJ Lambo featuring Buju
  • 2021
  1. Understand - Omah Lay[25]
  2. Bend You - Omah Lay
  3. Door - Joeboy
  4. Soso - Omah Lay
  5. Alcohol (Sip) - Joeboy
  6. Purple Song - Omah Lay
  7. Piece of Mind - Mayorkun
  8. 100 Metres - Teni
  9. On - Teni
  10. Door (remix) - Joeboy Featuring Kwesi Arthur
  • 2022
  1. The Front Door - MI Abaga featuring Duncan Mighty
  2. Soweto - Victony and Tempoe
  3. Ayo Girl - Robinson and Jason Derulo featuring Rema
  4. Contour - Joeboy
  5. Iz Going - Bad Boy Timz
  6. Something to Lose - Wurld
  7. Press - Wurld
  8. Same as You - Wurld
  9. Mine - Blanche Bailly and Joeboy
  10. Winter Wonderland/Don't Worry be Happy - Omah Lay

References edit

  1. ^ "4x Platinum record producer, Tempoe on a hit streak with 'Soweto'". sunnewsonline.com. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "RAISING THE TEMPOE OF AFROBEATS' GLOBAL TAKEOVER". guardian.ng. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Tempoe Produced "Love Nwantiti" Goes Double Platinum In The United States". independent.ng. 1 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Stephanie Okocha, Tempoe - Alliance That Produces Hits And Wins". independent.ng. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  5. ^ "New Music Ckay – Nkechi Turn Up". soundcity.tv. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Introducing Tempoe: The Producer Behind The Latest Chart-topping Afrobeat Records". the49thstreet.com. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  7. ^ "How CKay's 'Love Nwantiti' Became the World's Song". okayafrica.com. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  8. ^ "CKay's 'Love Nwantiti' Certified Platinum in UK". coolfm.ng. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Music Producer, Tempoe's "Godly" Raises Bar". independent.ng. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  10. ^ "The Nigerian producers to watch out for in 2021". pan-african-music.com. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  11. ^ "BBC World Service - Tempoe". bbc.co.uk. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Meet the Magic finger producer 'Tempoe'". vanguardngr.com. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Tempoe consolidates production mastery to become recording act". thenationonlineng.net. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  14. ^ "New Video: Victony & Tempoe – Soweto". BellaNaija. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  15. ^ "https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-afropop-songs-of-2022-1234650065/young-jonn-xtra-cool-1234650127/". rollingstone.com. 28 December 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  16. ^ "Tempoe's Rising Profile with Stephanie Okocha". thisdaylive.com. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Tempoe Receives Afrimma Nomination For African Producer Of The Year". independent.ng. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  18. ^ a b "AFRIMMA 2022 nominees unveiled as Gen Z Stars dominate". vanguardngr.com. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  19. ^ "AFRIMMA 2022 nominees". afrimma.com. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  20. ^ "Wizkid, Tems, CKay, Joeboy, Tempoe, P2J, win BMI London Awards". PulseNG. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  21. ^ a b "BMI London Awards". bmi.com. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  22. ^ a b "TEMPOE Wins Big at the BMI London's Awards". thisdaylive.com. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  23. ^ "TEMPOE Wins Big at the BMI London's Awards". pmnewsnigeria.com. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Record Producer, Tempoe Talks Music Production and Future Projects". boomplay.com. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Meet 3 of the Producers Behind Afrobeats' Latest Hits". okayafrica.com. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.