MNEK facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
MNEK
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MNEK performing at Glastonbury in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Uzoechi Osisioma Emenike |
| Also known as | Uzo Emenike |
| Born | 9 November 1994 Lewisham, London, England, UK |
| Origin | Bellingham, London, England, UK |
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| Years active | 2011–present |
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Uzoechi Osisioma "Uzo" Emenike (born 9 November 1994), known professionally as MNEK (pronounced EM-ə-NEE-kay), is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. His stage name, MNEK, is a clever way of spelling his last name, Emenike. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award and a Brit Award. He also received the ASCAP Vanguard Award for his amazing work.
MNEK has written and produced songs for many famous artists. These include Jax Jones, Zara Larsson, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Clean Bandit, Kanye West, Craig David, Christina Aguilera, Becky Hill, Selena Gomez, Years & Years, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé, and Madonna.
Contents
MNEK's Music Journey
Starting Out (2011–2013)
MNEK began writing poems and songs when he was very young, around 7 or 8 years old. He also started experimenting with music production software. When he was 14, he uploaded some of his songs to Myspace. He sent them to his favorite artists on the platform.
One artist, Anita Blay, heard his music and sent it to her music publisher. MNEK didn't even know what a publisher was at the time! Soon, many people in the music industry wanted to work with him. He learned a lot about the music business while still going to school. His parents wanted him to finish his education.
In 2011, at 16, MNEK started working with a production group called Xenomania. He helped write songs for Florrie's Experiments EP. This was his first professional songwriting credit. After this, he worked with popular groups like The Saturdays and The Wanted. He also released his first single, "If Truth Be Told," in November 2011.
In 2012, he worked with singer A*M*E on her song "City Lights." He also appeared on Rudimental's song "Spoons." This song was on their 2013 album Home. MNEK also worked on other songs for that album, like "Baby."
In 2013, MNEK helped create the song "Need U (100%)" which featured A*M*E. This was a big step for him. The BBC also named him one of 15 artists to watch for in 2014.
Growing Success (2014–2015)
In January 2014, MNEK was featured on Gorgon City's song "Ready for Your Love." This song became a big hit, reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. He then released "Every Little Word" as a "buzz" single from his upcoming album.
His lead single, "Wrote a Song About You," came out in June 2014. That same month, Oliver Heldens' song "Gecko (Overdrive)," which MNEK wrote, became number one on both the UK Dance Chart and the UK Singles Chart. MNEK also worked with music legends like Madonna and Kylie Minogue in 2014.
He released his first collection of songs, an extended play (EP) called Small Talk, on 20 March 2015.
In July 2015, MNEK released a very successful song called "Never Forget You" with Swedish singer Zara Larsson. This song was a huge hit around the world. It became Platinum in the UK and US, and even 3 times Platinum in Sweden! It reached number one on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the US.
Songwriting and Debut Album (2016–Present)
After the success of "Never Forget You," MNEK became a very sought-after songwriter. He wrote for many artists, including Beyoncé's song "Hold Up" in 2016. He also worked with Becky Hill, Jax Jones, and others.
In 2016, he released his own solo song, "At Night (I Think About You)." He also covered the famous Queen song "Don't Stop Me Now." MNEK announced he was working on his first full album.
In 2017, he released another single called "Paradise." In February 2018, he released "Tongue," which was the first single from his debut album, Language. The album was released on 7 September 2018.
In 2019, MNEK hosted a special songwriting camp. This camp helped young singers and songwriters find a safe and welcoming place to create music. He wanted to support new talent in the industry. Artists like L Devine, Olly Alexander, and Rina Sawayama took part.
In 2020, MNEK teamed up with Joel Corry for the song "Head & Heart." This song became a number one hit on the Official UK Charts, which was MNEK's first time reaching the top as a featured artist!
In 2021, MNEK appeared as a guest vocal coach on RuPaul's Drag Race UK. He also collaborated with the Sugababes on a new version of their song "Run for Cover." Later that year, he appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox with Olly Alexander.
In 2022, MNEK produced several songs for the new girl group Flo's EP The Lead. These included the singles "Cardboard Box" and "Immature." He also collaborated with Jax Jones on the song "Where Did You Go?" which reached number 7 in the UK.
In 2023, MNEK released "Radio" with Sigala. He also released "16 Again" with Paul Woolford and Lewis Thompson, and "Oh The Glamour" with Aluna, Pabllo Vittar, and Eden Prince.
On 2 February 2024, MNEK announced his own new music label called MuzoByUz. The first artist signed to his label is Tyler Lewis.
Discography
- Language (2018)
Awards and nominations
Images for kids
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MNEK backstage in 2019
See also
In Spanish: MNEK para niños
