How Tekno Found Solace Again in Music After Almost Quitting the Industry

Tekno is in a season of peace. 

After residing in Nigeria and the United States, the 33-year-old musician has called Paris home for four months by the time of his Zoom call with Billboard. “I feel like spending this amount of time in Europe is very amazing for me mentally, it’s really helped me,” Tekno says.

Reaching the state of serenity isn’t just by happenstance, but the aftermath of resilience. In April 2017, Tekno publicly announced that he suffered from severe acid reflux, which caused his vocal cords to become inflamed. The diagnosis followed his slew of hits including the global smash “Pana,” penning and producing Davido’s genre-defining “If,” and receiving co-signs from the likes of Drake and Billie Eilish. The hitmaker transitioned from being one of the biggest stars to come from the continent to him considering quitting music.

“Why is it the same moment I’m with Drake in the studio and I can’t sing?” the Nigerian singer-songwriter recounts to Billboard. “[Or] I’m supposed to be recording this record for Billie Eilish, Travis Scott and I’m here I can’t even sing for them. All that boiled into anger and dissatisfaction, I was sad. I don’t like using the word ‘depressed,’ but I was cooked.”

Tekno’s ongoing battle with acid reflux resulted in a severe episode, where he was unable to speak for nine months, and was forced to cancel shows that totaled a loss of millions. The mental and financial turmoil pushed Tekno to search for a resolution. After numerous doctor’s visits, Tekno made the decision to get vocal cord surgery in New York in 2019. While the procedure was successful and he fully regained his voice a year later, his passion for music didn’t return with it.

“I actually hated listening to music,” he admits of his post-surgery malaise. “If I heard a new artist it used to piss me off. For a while, I thought it was because I lost my voice and I couldn’t sing. But even after I got my voice back and I could sing, I was still mad…To be a good artist, you have to listen to music. Not being able to listen to music was such a dark [period].”

His aversion towards music became exacerbated around the releases for his debut album Old Romance in 2020 and The More The Better in 2023. Tekno explains that the projects, especially the latter, didn’t come out of a positive place, but rather one of urgency. The More The Better was pushed out to earn his release from his contractual obligations to SoundCloud.

“We were just going through label wars,” Tekno explains. “[Those projects] weren’t released from a place of happiness or excitement. It was more like, ‘Let me drop this so I can move on about my business.’ So it didn’t allow me to love the project.” 

After experiencing all-consuming anger, Tekno decided he desperately needed to change his perspective and find himself again. He credits reading as one of the major keys for pulling him out of the darkness. The mindset shift led him to create his third studio album, Where Did Love Go?, released in July 2026 via Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa. He says the project took him back to his days of being unapologetic and free-spirited in the music industry.

“I didn’t care about [anything],” Tekno recalls. “I just wanted to make music. I didn’t care if the label told me ‘We like this record’ or ‘We don’t like this record.’ I’m putting it out. [They weren’t] telling me nothing.”

When reflecting on the era of “Pana” that propelled his career before health challenges caused him to pause, Tekno says he has “zero mixed feelings.” Although he admits one of his few regrets is not releasing his debut album around when he was dropping hit after hit, he says he “just didn’t know any better” and had no guidance at the time.

“I’m one of the opportune,” Tekno says. “At that time, it wasn’t about no algorithm. I didn’t have this huge label that put millions on my material. It was just pure love from the fans. To be among one of the few [artists] that could make a record in your bedroom and have people in Nigeria, East Africa, West Africa, Turkey, London love it. It’s such a privilege to experience that. That’s such a beautiful time in my life.”

As for receiving credit for the impact he made on the rising Afrobeats scene in the 2010s, Tekno doesn’t entertain the narrative. 

“For me, receiving the flowers, it’s almost like I’m doing this for you guys to tell me how amazing I am,” he emphasizes. “That’s not why I do it. I do it because I love it. And I’m among the few that is opportune to do what he loves and get to travel the world for that. I would never say I wasn’t appreciated enough and I haven’t been given my flowers. I feel like that’s just a trend that started. They give you your flowers when you’re in the grave… So while I’m alive, thriving and making history, keep them flowers, man. I’m good.”

While the 2010s was a prime era for Afrobeats, Tekno believes the global genre is currently “in the best place it could possibly be.” He shares with Billboard that several of his favorite Afrobeats artists today include Burna Boy, Asake, Rema, Tems (who he calls “spiritual”), Victony, and FOLA (“Oh my God, some wild melodies, man”).

Where Did Love Go? is only the beginning of Tekno’s official return to music. He confirms to Billboard that the album was just the “warm-up” and he is set to drop his next project in September 2026. As for performing, he is set to tour the UK and Australia this year including a stop in London on October 4 to celebrate Nigerian Independence Day. In addition, he has hopes to tour across Africa and the U.S. in the near future. 

Tekno says he is excited to be back where it all started with his true love for the game and he’s made it clear that he’s “chasing no position with nobody in the business.”

“I think when you start to only chase results, you lose the love that you have for the music,” he offers. “We’re in a time where it’s algorithm-based. I’m not saying that everybody’s not talented,

but there are people that actually really love this music thing for real.”

“I’ve loved this since I was seven,” he adds. “I’ve really loved music and being able to find that love again is what has really helped me to lock in and create an album. Right now I’m in Paris working on another album and I’m not going to stop making music. Just creating masterpieces, because the way I’m in love with it right now again, it’s only a matter of time.”