Harrysong
Harrison Tare Okiri, known professionally as Harrysong and also called Mr Songz, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He was born on 30 March, 1981, in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, to parents of Ijaw origin and spent part of his early life in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before moving to Lagos in 2007.
Harrysong developed an interest in music during childhood and began singing in church, where his mother was involved in music. He later performed as a lead vocalist with live bands in Lagos, including at nightclubs, before pursuing a recording career. His early work attracted the attention of music industry figures, including Kcee, and he went on to work with QuestionMark Entertainment and Five Star Music.
He released his debut studio album, Testify, in 2012 through QuestionMark Entertainment. Harrysong gained wider recognition in 2013 with “Mandela”, a tribute to former South African president Nelson Mandela. The song received the Most Downloaded Callertune award at The Headies 2013. He followed it with songs including “I’m in Love”, “Taiye & Kehinde” and “Beta Pikin”, which further established his presence in the Nigerian music industry.
In 2014, he released “Kolombo”, which won Best Contemporary Afro Video at the Nigeria Music Video Awards. He also became known for his songwriting and collaborations with other Nigerian artists. In 2015, he featured alongside Kcee, Orezi, Iyanya and Olamide on “Reggae Blues”, which won Best Pop Single at The Headies 2016.
Following his departure from Five Star Music, Harrysong established his own record label, Alterplate. He released his second studio album, Kingmaker, in 2017 and continued releasing singles and collaborations, including “Bum Bum Bum” featuring Davido in 2020.
In 2023, he released his third studio album, God Amongst Men. His subsequent releases have included “Reality Check” and “Selfies” in 2023, “Golden Pen” and “Maria” in 2024, and “Ogwashi-uku” and “Sisi Boma” in 2025.
Alongside his recording career, Harrysong has received recognition for his contributions to Nigerian music, including awards and nominations from The Headies, the Nigeria Music Video Awards, the Nigeria Entertainment Awards and The Beatz Awards.
