Tekno has opened up about one of the most difficult periods of his career, revealing how severe acid reflux damaged his vocal cords, forcing him to step away from music, cancel shows and undergo surgery in New York.
Speaking in a recent interview, the singer recalled pushing himself to record despite noticing problems with his voice, only to wake up the next day with a severely swollen throat.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Tekno said he chose to remain grateful instead of dwelling on why the setback happened at the peak of his career.
“I could be mad at myself or be mad at God, like, why me? Why at a time where, like, I was literally sitting on the top of everything? I lose my voice. I could focus on that or I could focus on the fact that that happened and I’m able to still wake up and smile and laugh and then keep doing what I do, which is music,” he said.
The singer revealed that the illness forced him to refund more than $1 million worth of performances, leaving him in financial difficulty.
“I was refunding over a million dollars worth of shows,” he said, adding that he even struggled to pay for the surgery.
According to Tekno, a previously booked $110,000 show in Cameroon became his only source of income during the period. After settling his medical bills, he was left with just $3,000.
Tekno eventually travelled to New York, where he underwent surgery at NYU after searching for the right specialist to treat his condition. He also called for improvements in Nigeria’s healthcare system, saying he had to travel abroad to find the right doctor to save his voice.
“I was refunding over a million dollars worth of shows. That was dark.”
Years ago, Tekno lost his voice after severe acid reflux damaged his vocal cords, forcing him to cancel shows, undergo surgery in New York, and step away from music at a career-defining moment. pic.twitter.com/NzawBMp2we
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) July 8, 2026
