Michael Africk

Michael Africk (born 20 August 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, 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. 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.

Since 2006, he has founded several entertainment and tech companies, including Handcraft Entertainment and Inmoji.

Career

Musician

Africk sang "Someone Like Me", the theme song for Disney's animated film Doug's 1st Movie . 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. In the same year, he released his 11-track self-titled album.

Africk was the opening act for N'Sync and Britney Spears, and toured in Japan. He composed the music for the Japanese anime series Secret of Cerulean Sand (2002). "What Can I Do", his song for the final credits, features Mai Kuraki.

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. He composed "Love One Another" with Kuraki for the benefit of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami victims. 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 and Japanese Cultural IP. Currently Handcraft and Africk represent artist, influencer and model Mia Takarabe, DJ and Model Shuzo, artist and models Hana Kuro and Anna Aya.

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.

Africk founded Inmoji in Boston in May 2014. 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. Inmoji raised $2.5 million in seed funding in 2015 and $6.5 million in Series A round in 2016.

Africk was named one of the 12 Top Tech Leaders To Watch In 2017 by Inc.

Discography

Producer & Composer

YearTitle LabelAlbumPerformerPeak chart position in JapanCertification & Units Sold

RIAJ1999Love Day After TomorrowGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #2 Japan Hot 100 (Billboard) #63 1X Million 3,530,0002000Secret Of My HeartGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #21x Million 968,980 (physical sales) 100,000+ (digital sales)2000"Never Gonna Give You Up"Giza StudioDelicious WayMai Kuraki (ft.) Michael AfrickWeekly: #2 (Count Down TV), #2 (Oricon) Yearly: #58 (Count Down TV), #59 (Oricon) 2× Platinum 922,140 (physical sales) 2000Simply WonderfulGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #22× Platinum 600,0002001Perfect Crime (Album)Giza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #1 JPN Million 1,600,000 180,040 (physical sales)2001AlwaysGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #2 Platinum 115,000 371,0002001Reach For The SkyGiza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #32× Platinum 400,0002002Fairy Tale (Album)Giza StudioFairy Tale (Album)Mai KurakiOricon #13× Platinum

Albums

Music videos

Accolades

Japan Gold Disc Awards