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Michael Africk
American singer-songwriter (born 1975) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michael Africk (born 20 August 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-platinum record producer and entrepreneur. After signing with Disney's Hollywood Records and releasing a solo album in 1999, he toured with N'Sync and Britney Spears.[1][2][3] He collaborated with Mai Kuraki as a producer, songwriter and featured performer on the album Delicious Way which debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart and had the highest first week sales for a debut album in Japanese music history with 2,218,640 units sold and remains the sixth best selling album of all time in Japan.[4] He has collaborated on many chart topping singles and albums with Kuraki over the years, including the multi-platinum single Never Gonna Give You Up where he is also featured as a performer.[5] Africk has six number one albums and ten top three singles to his credit as a writer and producer, and has received 6 Japan Gold Disc Awards for album and/or song of the year.
In 2011, Africk released his second studio album with Japanese record label Northern Music/Being Music. The album was co-produced by Africk and Louis Bell.[6]
Since 2006, he has founded several entertainment and tech companies, including Handcraft Entertainment and Inmoji.[7][8][9]
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Musician
Africk sang "Someone Like Me", the theme song for Disney's animated film Doug's 1st Movie .[1] The song was written by William Squier and Jeffrey Lodin, produced by Africk, Perry Geyer and Miguel Sa Pessoa, and featured the Boston Symphony Orchestra.[1][10] In the same year, he released his 11-track self-titled album.[3][11]
Africk was the opening act for N'Sync and Britney Spears, and toured in Japan.[2][12] He composed the music for the Japanese anime series Secret of Cerulean Sand (2002).[13] "What Can I Do", his song for the final credits, features Mai Kuraki.[14]
Africk collaborated with Mai Kuraki for the song Baby Tonight, a single from the album Delicious Way. The album debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart with 2,218,640 units sold, making it the highest first week sales for a debut album in Japanese music history and sixth overall.[4] He collaborated with Kuraki on other songs as a writer and/or producer, including Never Gonna Give You Up, Secret of my heart, Love Day After Tomorrow, Stay By My Side, and others from the same album. Never Gonna Give You Up, which features Africk as a performer was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[5] He composed "Love One Another" with Kuraki for the benefit of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami victims.[15] The song, featuring his vocals, was released on his self-titled album and Kuraki's album Over the Rainbow in 2012.
Handcraft Entertainment
Africk founded Handcraft Entertainment with the vision of globalizing the J-Pop genre. Handcraft Entertainment operates as a production and management company as well as a record label. Currently Handcraft and Africk represent artist, influencer and model Hana Kuro as well as artist, actress and model Anna Aya.[16]
Entrepreneur
In 2006, Africk started his tech career when he co-founded XLR8 Mobile. He would go on to found Dijit and Inmoji as well.[17]
Africk founded Inmoji in Boston in May 2014.[8] Inmoji is a software company offering a software development kit to messaging apps and an extension for smartphones that both create clickable icons that enable users to share their favorite brands, products, and experiences directly within the apps without leaving the message.[7] Inmoji raised $2.5 million in seed funding in 2015 and $6.5 million in Series A round in 2016.[18][19]
Africk was named one of the 12 Top Tech Leaders To Watch In 2017 by Inc.[20]
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Discography
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Producer & Composer
Albums
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