It is not uncommon to find two or more big-time celebrities within the same family; even within the same field of expertise. Sometimes the skill, or the spirit of the craft, runs within that family – it is a heritage. Sometimes they influence one another; and may help each other to climb up. That’s the golden advantage of a supportive family when it exists. And the Apata family has just a touch of that. Teni the Entertainer is a highly-talented Nigerian songwriter and singer, the sibling of another renowned Nigerian music artist namely Niniola. Neither of them attempts to dim the light of the other – there is plenty of space to fly.
Teni, as she is fondly called, has a surprisingly melodious and passionate voice that connects so well with listeners. Her brand of Afrobeat music is often a blend of Pidgin English, slangs, and sometimes Yoruba (including her native dialect). Teni is very creative; and the fresh ideas she infuses into her songs have taken her to global recognition. Combine this with her tomboy dressing and mannerisms, her cheerfulness, playful attitude, and non-conformist thinking – she is the true package of an entertainer. Her buxom body is not a hindrance at all. We invite you to have a glimpse into the world of Teni the Entertainer – and her journey into musical fame.
About Teni the Entertainer: Her Origins
Born in December 1993 in Lagos, Teniola Apata uses the stage names Teni the Entertainer, Teni Makanaki, or simply Teni. Some online sources claim she was born in 1992. She is the daughter of a retired Brigadier-General, Simeon Apata (who is now late). Her family hails from Ekiti state, southwest Nigeria.
Teni is said to be the ninth out of ten children in a polygamous home. Her father had three wives. The singer recounted in later interviews how her father was assassinated in the presence of the family by gunmen on January 8, 1995. She was still 2 years old; and the event predictably scarred the entire family.
Teni completed her secondary education at Apata Memorial High School, owned by her father. From there, she took off to the USA. She earned a degree in Business Administration (with a minor in Information Technology) from the American InterContinental University.
As a child, Teni was a drummer in her school’s music band. She also had a stint as a child actor in the Nigerian kiddies television series, the KKB Show. In that show, she played the role of a judge. She and her siblings were also quite restricted from going outdoors as kids. As such, they formed the habit of singing loudly along the corridors of their house. Teni also loves to play basketball. And she claims she would have become a basketball player if she did not go into music.
Teni: Her Sojourn into the Nigerian Music Industry
Teni started by freestyling her music on Instagram. She debuted her music career in the year 2016 when she released the single ‘Amen’ under the Chizzy Magic Fingers record label. In 2017, Teni left Chizzy Magic Fingers to sign up with Dr. Dolor Entertainment record label. Thereafter, she released her next single ‘Fargin’ in September of that year – which brought significant recognition to her music nationwide.
Under Dr. Dolor Entertainment label, she went ahead to release the hit singles ‘Askamaya’, ‘Case’, ‘Uyo Meyo’ and ‘Wait’, which became incredibly successful. The song ‘Askamaya’ attained the 15th position on MTV Base’s Top 20 Naija Tracks of 2018. Additionally, Teni was featured in YouTube Music’s Trending Artist on the Rise in February 2019.
Again, Teni wrote a song for music megastar Davido titled ‘Like Dat’, which brought even greater recognition to her as a songwriter.
Right from 2016 to the present, she has released the following popular singles:
- Amen
- Fargin
- Wait
- Pareke
- Lagos
- Askamaya
- Fake Jersey
- Shake Am
- Case
- Pray
- Uyo Meyo
- Party Next Door
- Sugar Mummy
- Power Rangers
- Lockdown
- Your Body
- Superwoman
- For You (featuring Davido)
- Hustle
- Injure Me
- Marry
- Apata
Her Studio Albums and EPs are as follows:
- BILLIONAIRE (2019)
- THE QUARANTINE PLAYLIST (2020)
- WONDALAND (2021)
- MOSLADO Refix (featuring Emmyblaq)
- TEARS OF THE SUN (2023)
Teni has also collaborated with other well-known Nigerian (and African) music artists in their music projects. They include the likes of Dr. Dolor, Davido, Shizzi, Mayorkun, Diamond Platnumz, Codest Boi, and Ojayy Wright.
Teni: Endorsements
Teni the Entertainer cornered her first major brand endorsement as Wema Bank Alat.ng brand ambassador in June 2019. The same year, she signed other juicy endorsement deals with Cadbury’s TomTom, Pepsi Naija, Budweiser, Globacom, and Tecno.
Teni: Her Net Worth (2024)
The singer has combined earnings from her musical performances, music royalties, online streams of her songs and brand endorsements. Teni the Entertainer is said to have an estimated net worth of between 1 million and 3 million US Dollars (as of 2024).
Teni: Industry Awards
Teni is a recipient of some of the most illustrious awards in Nigeria and on the international scene, over the years.
The NotJustOk platform placed the singer in the eighth position on its list of the 10 Hottest Artists in Nigeria. Yet again, Teni was included in Premium Times’ list of the Six Nigerian breakout stars, viral sensations of 2018. And in October 2022, she received the award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) from the Nigerian government.
Teni has earned other notable awards which include the following:
- 2018 The Headies Award: Rookie of the Year
- 2018 Soundcity MVP Awards: Best New Artist
- 2018 Nigerian Entertainment Awards: Most Promising Act to Watch
- 2019 The Headies Awards: Best Pop Single for ‘Case’; Best Recording of the Year for ‘Uyo Meyo’; Best Vocal Performance (Female) for ‘Uyo Meyo’; Viewer’s Choice
- 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards: Best female MVP
- 2021 Net Honours: Most Searched Musician (Female)
Teni’s Personal Life
Teni is currently single; or at least she has not revealed her relationship status to anyone. For now, she is largely focused on her music.
Her free-thinking mentality concerning sexual orientation is not hidden in her choice of lyrics and social media posts. A number of times, she depicted rainbow colors in her dressing (which seems to indicate her identification with the LBGQT community). However, she has made no statement to confirm or refute it.
Nevertheless, she gave hints about her desire to start her own family sometime in the future.
