Music
Preview: ten things to know about MNEK before he headlines Heaven
Making the jump from bedroom producer to successful recording artist is no mean feat, but it’s something MNEK knows a lot about.
Ahead of his headline gig at Heaven on 18 November, we dig deeper into the career of the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, remixer and all-round super talented guy from Lewisham, London.
1. MNEK (real name Uzoechi Emenike) landed a publishing deal with EMI when he was just 14.
2. At 16 he was part of the team behind The Saturdays’ hit All Fired Up.
3. By 19 he was considered one of the most in-demand producers in British urban pop.
4. He’s since been involved in producing No.1 hits for Little Mix, Duke Dumont and Oliver Heldens.
5. Kylie and Rudimental are among the other artists he’s written and produced for.
6. You can hear MNEK’s distinct vocals on tracks by Gordon City, as well Rudimental songs Spoons and Baby.
7. Rudimental’s Amir Amor, in particular, is regarded as one of his mentors: “He’s one of my biggest inspirations,” MNEK told The Standard in a previous interview. “His attention to detail is something I will always look up to. A lot of dance producers aren’t really musical, they don’t care much about detail. Rudimental care so much.”
8. He’s covered in music-related tattoos including a pair of headphones on his right forearm, and ‘Play’ and ‘Record’ symbols on his left arm, alongside the classic hip-hop label Delicious Vinyl and a cassette on his neck.
9. He’s previously cited producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (best known for their work with Janet and Michael Jackson) as influences and idols. As luck would have it, he later went into the studio with them.
10. MNEK is now gearing up to headline London’s Heaven on Wednesday 18 November, book now at Ticketmaster.co.uk.
