A low, distinctive voice echoes ‘MAD!’ at the start of a track, and the listener knows exactly who is at work. That signature tag belongs to Michael Chigozie Alagwu, the Nigerian record producer known globally as Tempoe.
Born in Lagos, Tempoe did not take a traditional route into the music industry. He began his professional life as a statistician and web developer, teaching himself basic production techniques using the Fruity Loops application in his spare time.
His big break arrived by chance in 2016, when a meeting with the artist CKay led to him producing ‘Nkechi Turnup’. That collaboration marked the beginning of a partnership that would soon change the trajectory of his career.
Tempoe is the creative force behind some of the most streamed Afrobeats records in history. He produced CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’, a track that achieved multi-platinum status in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and France.
He has since crafted hits for Omah Lay, including ‘Godly’ and ‘Understand’, as well as Joeboy’s ‘Door’ and ‘Alcohol’. In 2022, he stepped into the spotlight as a performer on ‘Soweto’ with Victony, a song that Rolling Stone magazine named among the best Afropop tracks of the year.
Tempoe is known for a melodic and improvisational style that blends ambient piano lines, Calypso guitars and deep bass kicks. He describes his creative process as sporadic, often taking a small, raw idea from an artist and building it into something far grander than a simple song.
His work has earned recognition from the BMI London Awards and the Recording Academy, solidifying his reputation as one of the most influential producers of his generation.
