Nigerian music star Tekno is riding a wave, hot off his critically acclaimed 2023 album The More The Better and gearing up for a North American tour. The music star is priming the pump with his brand new single “Wayo” and a partnership with the innovative independent label emPawa Africa.

“Wayo,” co-produced by Tekno and GRAMMY-nominated hitmaker ShugaVybz, is the first page of this exciting new chapter.  The title, “Wayo” — Nigerian slang for “deceive” — takes a surprising twist as Tekno creatively flips the script, reassuring his lover of his devotion with the line “I no come do wayo.”

The song is further amplified by a stunning music video. Directed by filmmaker Dammy Twitch, is set against the backdrop of Lagos. It stars Tekno and Nollywood sensation Uzoamaka Aniunoh as a couple caught tackling the highs and lows of love.

“Wayo” marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between Tekno and emPawa Africa, the brainchild of music star Mr Eazi. This joint venture will see Tekno’s Cartel Music imprint release music through emPawa Africa. Additionally, Tekno will become a partner and investor in the label. This partnership is a perfect fit as emPawa Africa’s reputation for discovering and nurturing African talent is in sync with Tekno’s own passion for supporting upcoming artists. Together, they promise to deliver fresh perspectives and empower African creatives, pushing the boundaries of the African music scene.

Speaking about his new partnership with Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa, Tekno says, “We look forward to seeing how this partnership will catalyse the growth of emPawa Africa, its artists, and the broader African music ecosystem”, with Mr Eazi adding, “With this deal with Tekno and Cartel Music, we are ushering in a new phase of emPawa. This phase will see us partnering with African artists at different stages of their career who want to maintain financial and creative freedom, yet move from talent for hire to equity participation. It’s a first-of-its-kind deal for Afrobeats.”

With an amazing new single, a great partnership, and a North American tour on the horizon, Tekno is setting the stage for a remarkable year.  “Wayo” is just the beginning, and fans can expect much more to come from this Afrobeats superstar. 

JUNE 2024 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

June 7 – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto

June 8 – Mural Festival, Montreal

June 13 – Irving Plaza, New York City

June 15 – The Filmore, Silver Spring, MD

Listen to “Wayo” here: