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Tempoe

{{Short description|Nigerian record producer and musician}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tempoe

| image = File:Tempoe.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Michael Chigozie Alagwu

| alias = Tempoe (MÄD!)

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Lagos State, Nigeria

| genre = {{hlist|Afrobeats|pop|hip hop|contemporary R&B}}

| associated_acts = {{hlist|Omah Lay|CKay|Victony|JOeboy}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Record producer|DJ|singer|songwriter}}

| years_active = 2016–present

| label = Panda Entertainment

| instrument = {{hlist|Keyboard|synthesizer|drum|shekere|sampler | Vocals}}

}}

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!",{{cite web|last1=|title=4× Platinum record producer, Tempoe on a hit streak with ‘Soweto’|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/4x-platinum-record-producer-tempoe-on-a-hit-streak-with-soweto/|website=sunnewsonline.com|date=27 May 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}} at the beginning or end of all his music productions. His production of CKay's breakout afrobeats song, Love Nwantiti received global recognition.{{cite web|last1=|title=RAISING THE TEMPOE OF AFROBEATS’ GLOBAL TAKEOVER|url=https://guardian.ng/life/raising-the-tempoe-of-afrobeats-global-takeover/|website=guardian.ng|date=29 October 2021|access-date=5 October 2022}}{{cite web|last1=|title=Tempoe Produced "Love Nwantiti" Goes Double Platinum In The United States|url=https://independent.ng/tempoe-produced-love-nwantiti-goes-double-platinum-in-the-united-states/|website=independent.ng|date=1 October 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}

He has produced tracks for Omah Lay, Joeboy, CKay, Jason Derulo, Victony amongst others and is currently signed to Panda Entertainment.{{cite web|last1=|title=Stephanie Okocha, Tempoe - Alliance That Produces Hits And Wins |url=https://independent.ng/stephanie-okocha-tempoe-alliance-that-produces-hits-and-wins/|website=independent.ng|date=30 July 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}

Musical career

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.{{cite web|last1=|title=New Music Ckay – Nkechi Turn Up |url=https://soundcity.tv/new-music-ckay-nkechi-turn-up/|website=soundcity.tv|date=30 August 2021 | access-date=5 October 2022}} 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.{{cite web|last1=|title=Introducing Tempoe: The Producer Behind The Latest Chart-topping Afrobeat Records |url=https://the49thstreet.com/introducing-tempoe-the-producer-behind-the-latest-chart-topping-afrobeat-records/|website=the49thstreet.com|date=20 August 2020 | access-date=5 October 2022}}

In 2019, Tempoe collaborated again with CKay in the production of the afro-fusion single, Love Nwantiti.{{cite web|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/ckay-love-nwantiti-trending-tiktok/|title=How CKay's 'Love Nwantiti' Became the World's Song|website=okayafrica.com|date=14 February 2020|access-date=5 October 2022}} The track has been certified platinum in France and the United Kingdom and double platinum in the United States and the Netherlands.{{cite web|url=https://www.coolfm.ng/news/editorial/ckays-love-nwantiti-certified-platinum-in-uk/|title=CKay's ‘Love Nwantiti’ Certified Platinum in UK|website=coolfm.ng|date=28 February 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://independent.ng/music-producer-tempoes-godly-raises-bar/|title=Music Producer, Tempoe’s "Godly" Raises Bar|website=independent.ng|date=17 July 2021|access-date=5 October 2022}} Tempoe also produced the single Door from Joeboy's debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic,{{cite web|url=https://pan-african-music.com/en/nigerian-producers-to-watch-out-for-in-2021/|title=The Nigerian producers to watch out for in 2021|website=pan-african-music.com|date=28 April 2021|access-date=5 October 2022}} and Alcohol, which received 50 million streams within four weeks of its release.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1pgv|title=BBC World Service - Tempoe|website=bbc.co.uk|date=26 March 2022|access-date=7 October 2022}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/meet-the-magic-finger-producer-tempoe/|title=Meet the Magic finger producer ‘Tempoe’|website=vanguardngr.com|date=28 May 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://thenationonlineng.net/tempoe-consolidates-production-mastery-to-become-recording-act/|title=Tempoe consolidates production mastery to become recording act|website=thenationonlineng.net|date=27 July 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2022/10/video-victony-tempoe-soweto/|title=New Video: Victony & Tempoe – Soweto|website=BellaNaija|date=25 October 2022|access-date=22 November 2022}} The song featured at number 15 on Rolling Stone magazine's Top 40 Afropop Songs of 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-afropop-songs-of-2022-1234650065/young-jonn-xtra-cool-1234650127/|title=The 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2022 |website=rollingstone.com|date=28 December 2022|access-date=4 January 2023}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/24/tempoes-rising-profile-with-stephanie-okocha/|title=Tempoe’s Rising Profile with Stephanie Okocha|website=thisdaylive.com|date=24 July 2022|access-date=5 October 2022}}

Awards and recognition

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.{{cite web |title=AFRIMMA 2022 nominees unveiled as Gen Z Stars dominate|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/afrimma-2022-nominees-unveiled-as-gen-z-stars-dominate/ |website=vanguardngr.com |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=24 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=AFRIMMA 2022 nominees |url=https://afrimma.com/afrimma-vote-2022/ |website=afrimma.com |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=23 September 2022}} In October 2022, he was honored by BMI at the BMI Awards London for his contribution to the song Love Nwantiti{{cite web |title=Wizkid, Tems, CKay, Joeboy, Tempoe, P2J, win BMI London Awards|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/wizkid-tems-ckay-win-bmi-london-awards/7msg7xt |website=PulseNG |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=4 October 2022}} in the category of Most Performed Song of the Year.{{cite web |title=BMI London Awards|url=https://www.bmi.com/award-shows/london-2022/ |website=bmi.com |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=TEMPOE Wins Big at the BMI London’s Awards|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/03/tempoe-wins-big-at-the-bmi-londons-awards/ |website=thisdaylive.com |access-date=6 October 2022 |date=3 October 2022}} He was listed in the TurnTable End of the Year Top 50 of 2021 as a Top Producer of the Year.

class ="wikitable"
Year

!Event

!Prize

!Recipient

!Result

!Ref

2021

|The Beatz Awards 2021

|Afro Dancehall Producer of the Year

|Himself for "Godly" by Omah Lay

|{{nom}}

| {{cite web |title=TEMPOE Wins Big at the BMI London’s Awards|url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/10/30/beatz-award-names-category-after-don-jazzy-nomination-full-list/ |website=pmnewsnigeria.com |access-date=7 October 2022 |date=30 October 2021}}

rowspan="2"|2022

|African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA)

|African Producer of the Year

|Himself

|{{nom}}

|{{cite web |title=Tempoe Receives Afrimma Nomination For African Producer Of The Year|url=https://independent.ng/tempoe-recieves-afrimma-nomination-for-african-producer-of-the-year/ |website=independent.ng |access-date=14 October 2022 |date=8 October 2021}}

BMI Awards London

|Most Performed Song of the Year

|Love Nwantiti

|{{won}}

|

Production discography

  • 2016
  1. Nkechi Turnup - CKay
  2. Container - Ckay
  3. Play - Blaqbonez
  • 2019
  1. Love Nwantiti - CKay
  2. Jensimi - Reminisce featuring Niniola{{cite web |title=Record Producer, Tempoe Talks Music Production and Future Projects|url=https://www.boomplay.com/buzz/2482563 |website=boomplay.com |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=3 September 2021}}
  • 2020
  1. Godly - Omah Lay
  2. Party Dé - DJ Lambo featuring Buju
  • 2021
  1. Understand - Omah Lay{{cite web |title=Meet 3 of the Producers Behind Afrobeats’ Latest Hits|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/afrobeat-producers-rexxie-ppriime-tempoe/?rebelltitem=6#rebelltitem6 |website=okayafrica.com |access-date=5 October 2022 |date=3 September 2021}}
  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

{{reflist}}

Category:Living people

Category:Nigerian hip-hop record producers

Category:21st-century Nigerian musicians

Category:1996 births

Category:Nigerian songwriters

Category:Nigerian Afrobeats musicians