Tonye Garrick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tonye
on NdaniTV
Background information
Birth name	Tamunotonye Nneka Nkiruka Ibiyemi Garrick
Born	(1983-08-27) 27 August 1983 (age 41) England
Origin	Lagos, Nigeria
Genres	RnB afropop urban contemporary Dancehall
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, fashion and interior designer
Instruments	Vocals singing
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Made Men
Associated acts	Timaya Password

Tonye Garrick (born August 27, 1983), known simply as Tonye, is a talented singer and songwriter from Nigeria. She was born in England.

One of her early songs, "What About Us?", was sung without instruments (a cappella). It was even used at a big youth debate in Nigeria in 2011.

Tonye grew up in different countries, including France, Nigeria, and the United States. In 2013, she decided to follow her dream of becoming a musician. Before that, she worked as a business consultant.

In 2015, she released a popular song called "Ari Belema". This song helped her get nominated for an award as a "Most Promising Act" at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Since April 2016, Tonye has been signed to Made Men Music Group.

Tonye's Early Life and Education

Tonye's family comes from Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria. Her special name, "Tamunotonye", was given to her by her grandmother. Her grandmother is from the Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State.

Tonye's father was a diplomat from Edo State, and her mother was from Anambra State. Because of her father's job, Tonye spent her early years in Nigeria, Paris, and the United States.

She went to two well-known schools in Nigeria for her secondary education: Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls and Queen's College, Lagos. Later, she went to Marymount University and earned a degree in International Business & Fashion Merchandising.

Her Music Journey

Before becoming a singer, Tonye worked in business. She was a business analyst for big companies like UBS Financial and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

In 2013, Tonye decided to leave her corporate job to focus on music. She released her first official song, "Were Niyen", which was very well-received. On October 2, 2014, she released another song called "Criminal", produced by Password. This song also became quite popular.

Her song "Abi Belema" in 2015 really took off. It earned her a nomination at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

Tonye has been inspired by many famous singers. She looks up to artists like Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Brandy, and Aaliyah. In an interview in 2014, she shared that she was working on her very first music album.

Tonye's Songs

Here are some of the songs Tonye has released:

• "What About Us" (2010)
• "Were Niyen" (2013)
• "Wait For Me" (2014)
• "Criminal" (2014)
• "Criminal (Remix)" (2014) – This version features Timaya.
• "Ari Belema" (2015)
• "Written in The Stars" (2016)

Awards and Nominations

Tonye has been recognized for her music:

See also

• List of Nigerian musicians