Date of Birth: December 17, 1992
Early Life and Background
Augustine Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno, was born on December 17, 1992. Hailing from Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Tekno is the youngest among his siblings, including one sister and four brothers. His musical journey began at a young age, guided by his father, a guitarist. By the age of eight, Tekno was already playing the piano under his father’s mentorship. His early exposure to music continued as he learned other instruments such as the drums and guitar through formal music classes.
Career Beginnings
Tekno’s professional music career took off when he signed with K-Money Entertainment, where he released his debut single “Holiday” in 2013. Featuring vocals from Davido, “Holiday” garnered significant radio and TV airplay, establishing Tekno as a promising new artist in Nigeria’s music scene.
Rise to Fame with Made Men Music Group
In October 2013, Tekno joined Made Men Music Group (MMMG), a prominent Nigerian record label led by Ubi Franklin and Iyanya. At MMMG, Tekno released several successful tracks, including “Dance” and “Anything.” The label also released a compilation album titled The Evolution in 2014. Other notable artists under the MMMG umbrella included Selebobo, Emma Nyra, and Baci.
Breakthrough Single: “Duro”
Tekno achieved widespread recognition with his single “Duro,” released on June 18, 2015. Produced by DJ Coublon, “Duro” became a major hit, receiving extensive airplay across Nigeria and internationally. The song’s success was further amplified by a remix featuring Phyno and Flavour N’abania, debuting at number 5 on Capital XTRA’s Afro Beats Chart Top 10 in September 2015.
Notable Music Releases
Tekno’s discography includes a range of popular tracks and collaborations:
- 2013: “Holiday,” “Onye Ne Kwu” (feat. Ice Prince)
- 2014: “Dance,” “Shoki,” “Go Low,” “Mess,” “Zima,” “Jonzing,” “Anything”
- 2015: “Duro,” “Maria,” “Wash”
- 2016: “Where,” “Pana,” “Rara”
- 2017: “Yawa,” “Be,” “Samantha,” “Go,” “Mama” (feat. Davido), “Only”
- 2018: “Your Love,” “Jogodo,” “Choko,” “Body” (feat. Kizz Daniel)
- 2019: “Woman,” “Don’t Jealous Me,” “Freak Me,” “Uptempo”
Production Credits
As a producer, Tekno has contributed to several notable tracks:
- 2014: “Show” by Victoria Kimani
- 2015: “Feeling You” by Rima (feat. Tekno), “Pray for You” by Lynxx (feat. Tekno), “Boss” by Ice Prince
- 2016: “Last Station” by Stoneboy (feat. Tekno)
- 2017: “If” by Davido, “Catch You” by Flavour, “Silika” by Madee (feat. Tekno), “Go” by Tekno
- 2018: “Green Light” by DJ Cuppy (feat. Tekno), “Jogodo” by Tekno
Awards and Nominations
Tekno has received numerous accolades, including:
- Best New Act of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards (2014)
- Best Pop Extra Video at the 9th Nigeria Music Video Awards (2015)
- The Best New Act at the MTV Africa Music Awards (2016)
- African Video Of The Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards (2016)
Personal Life
Tekno is in a relationship with Rachel Akosua Garton, professionally known as Lola Rae. The couple welcomed their child in 2018.
With his impressive range of talents as a singer, dancer, and producer, Tekno continues to be a significant figure in the Afrobeats and Afropop music scenes.