Michael Africk


Michael Africk 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. 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. 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. 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.
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. "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 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. 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. 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.

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

YearTitleLabelAlbumPerformerPeak chart position in JapanCertification &
Units Sold
RIAJ
1999Love Day After TomorrowGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #2
Japan Hot 100 #63		1X Million
1,400,000
2000Delicious Way Giza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #1 3X Million
3,530,000
2000Secret Of My HeartGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #21x Million
968,980 100,000+
2000"Never Gonna Give You Up"Giza StudioDelicious WayMai Kuraki Michael AfrickWeekly: #2, #2
Yearly: #58, #59 		2× Platinum
434,250
2000Baby TonightGiza StudioDelicious WayMai Kuraki
2000Stay By My SideGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #11X Million
922,140
2000Simply WonderfulGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #22× Platinum
600,000
2001Perfect Crime 'Giza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #1JPN Million 1,600,000
6× Platinum
2001Can't Forget Your Love/Perfect CrimeGiza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #22× Gold
180,040
2001AlwaysGiza StudioDelicious WayMai KurakiOricon #2Platinum
200,000
2001Come on! Come On!Giza StudioPerfect CrimeMai Kuraki
2001Never Gonna Give You Up Giza StudioStart in My LifeMai Kuraki
2001Promised YouB-GramToki no TsubasaZardOricon #6Gold
115,000
2001Toki no TsubasaB-GramZardOricon #1Platinum
371,000
2001Reach For The SkyGiza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #32× Platinum
486,320
2001Tsumetai Umi Giza StudioPerfect CrimeMai KurakiOricon #2Platinum
400,000
2002Fairy Tale Giza StudioFairy Tale Mai KurakiOricon #13× Platinum
800,000
2002What Can I DoGiza StudioMichael Africk
2003If I Believe 'Giza StudioIf I BelieveMai KurakiOricon #12× Platinum
444,536
2003SameGiza StudioIf I BelieveMai Kuraki
2003Just a Little BitGiza StudioIf I BelieveMai Kuraki
2003Time After TimeGiza StudioIf I BelieveMai KurakiOricon #3Gold
200,000
2003Mi CorazonGiza StudioIf I BelieveMai Kuraki
2004Wish You The Best 'Giza StudioWish You The BestMai KurakiOricon #11x Million
956,162
2005Don't CryMadacy RecordsThe FixJordan Knight
2005"Chocolate: Kimi no Santa ni Naritakute"Mainichi AdventureSparkling Point
2005"Winter*Swear"Giza StudioGrowing of My HeartMai Kuraki
2007Season Of LoveNorthern MusicOne LifeMai KurakiOricon #5
2007Silent LoveNorthern MusicOne LifeMai KurakiOricon #5
2008One Life 'Northern MusicOne LifeMai KurakiOricon #14Gold
2011"Kimi e"Tenshi no CloverAimi
2023Someone ElseHandcraft Entertainment/Virgin Music/B ZONEAnna Aya
2024Hit Me With Your LoveHandcraft Entertainment/Virgin Music/B ZONEAnna Aya
2024Forever for youNorthern MusicForever for youMai KurakiOricon #3, Billboard #4
2025Be RomanticHandcraft Entertainment/Virgin MusicHana Kuro
2025PlayboyHandcraft Entertainment/Virgin MusicHana Kuro

Albums

YearTitleLabel
1999Michael AfrickHollywood Records
2011Michael Africk IIGiza Studio

Singles

YearTitleWritersProducersLabel
1999My Heart Belongs To You Michael Africk, Perry Geyer, Miguel PessoaMichael Africk, Perry Geyer, Miguel PessoaHollywood Records
2011Make It LoudMichael Africk, Louis Bell, Jordan KnightLouis BellHandcraft Music
2011No... Yeah Michael Africk, Sammy Adams, Matty TrumpLouis BellHandcraft Music - MusicBall / Souldiggaz
2012So BeautifulMichael Africk, Louis BellLouis Bell, Michael AfrickHandcraft Music