Tresor (Musician) - Early Life, Career Beginnings & Achievements, Other Business Ventures, Discography and Awards

Mukengerwa Tresor Riziki (37 years of age), best known by his stage name Tresor (stylised as TRESOR), is a Congolese-born singer, songwriter, music producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He gained prominence in 2015 after releasing his single "Mount Everest" from his debut album, VII. His name "Tresor," when translated from French, means "treasure."

Early Life

TRESOR was born on April 24, 1987, in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is one of eight siblings. Orphaned at the age of seventeen, he left his home in 2007 after completing high school. He listened to music from artists such as Hugh Masekela, Papa Wemba, and Miriam Makeba. His love for music grew, and when he was frequently taken to child care centers, he began playing instruments. After both of his parents died due to illness, he decided to pursue his musical dream. After months of traveling, he settled in Durban, South Africa, where he worked as a car guard by day and a security guard by night to make ends meet. During this time, he began working his way into Durban's local scene, performing as a session musician with various artists.

Career Beginnings and Achievements

In June 2015, he signed with Sony Music. As part of his major label debut, he released the single "Never Let Me Go", which was co-written and co-produced by Matthew Field from Beatenberg. The song was certified 5× platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). He released his debut album, VII, in September 2015. The album, which took him seven years to compose, featured collaborations with musicians such as AKA, Beatenberg, Khuli Chana, and The Soil. It achieved mainstream success and charted as a #1 dance hit record in Italy for the singles "Mount Everest" and "Never Let Me Go". The single "Mount Everest" (Freddy Verano Remix) reached #1 on the Shazam trending Global Chart in 2016. The singles were released by Sony Music and Ultra Music in the US and Warner Music in some parts of Europe. The album won Best Pop Album at the 22nd South African Music Awards and was also one of the most nominated albums. He was also nominated at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Pop/Alternative Artist.

In 2016, he was invited by British Grammy award-winning musician Seal to join his South African tour the week after his SAMA win. They toured together in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. In April 2017, he signed a partnership with Universal Music under his company Jacquel Entertainment Group. He then released his sophomore album, The Beautiful Madness, in May 2017. The album won Best Afro Pop Album at the 24th South African Music Awards four months after its release.

In 2019, he released his third album, Nostalgia. The album won Best Afro Pop Album at the 25th South African Music Awards in 2019. It featured musicians such as AKA, Kwesta, Lokua Kanza, Beatenberg, Mafikizolo, The Soil, Sauti Sol, and Msaki. Later that year, he released the single "Sondela" featuring singer Msaki, which was nominated for Record of the Year at the 26th South African Music Awards. In June 2020, he announced the release of his fourth album, Motion. The album featured singles such as "Thril" and "Zwakala", with "Zwakala" sampled from Ray Phiri’s "Stimela".

In April 2021, he released his album Rumble In The Jungle, which featured South African amapiano producers Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa. On September 3, 2021, he released the single "Light House" in collaboration with Da Capo and Sun-El Musician. The song entered Channel O Top 30 at number 15. Tresor contributed a cover of the Metallica song "Nothing Else Matters" to the charity tribute album The Metallica Blacklist, released in September 2021. "Lighthouse" was the lead single from his highly anticipated fourth solo studio album, Motion, which was released on October 15, 2021. The album was nominated for Best Afro Pop Album at the 28th South African Music Awards.

He also wrote and produced the single "Fountains", which featured Nigerian singer Tems from Drake’s 2021 album Certified Lover Boy.

In April 2022, it was announced that Hunters partnered with TRESOR to establish the Jacquel Culture House platform for upcoming artists.

In June 2022, he wrote and co-produced the singles "Currents", "Massive", "Flight’s Booked", "Overdrive", "Downhill", and "Tie That Binds" from Drake’s 2022 album Honestly, Nevermind.

The following month, Tresor was listed on the Billboard Hot 100 songwriters list at number 15.

In January 2023, he co-wrote and produced the single "We Caa Done", which features Drake and Popcaan.

Tresor's Other Ventures

Jacquel Entertainment Group

TRESOR started his own record label and talent management company in 2010. He sought an avenue to release his own music while also helping nurture other artists. The label is currently distributed by Universal Music and includes artists such as Bonj and Batundi.

Jacquel Culture House

In April 2022, he launched Jacquel Culture House, a division of Jacquel Entertainment Group. This initiative is a youth incubation and empowerment program for upcoming South African artists.

Jacquel Ventures Investment Firm

In November 2023, he established his R100 million Jacquel Ventures Investment Firm. The firm aims to build and invest in luxury goods, real estate, consumer brands, entertainment, and technology-enabled companies. Its goal is to shape the future of businesses that impact lives and shift culture in Africa and beyond.

Goma

In February 2024, TRESOR began planning his multi-million rand luxury farm, nicknamed "Goma". The property is set to feature restaurants, an outdoor amphitheater, a recording studio, an art and exhibition gallery, a designer boutique hotel, and several venues for special events. This project marks his first investment under Jacquel Ventures and is projected to be a 3-year endeavor with R30 million invested.

Activism

Outside of his work as a musician, he is an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children Fund and also serves as a United Refugee Agency ambassador, advocating for refugees' rights.

Discography

Studio albums

VII (2015)

VII (Repack) (2016)

The Beautiful Madness (2017)

Nostalgia (2019)

Rumble In The Jungle (2021)

Motion (2021)

Production discography

2021:

Drake - Certified Lover Boy

16. "Fountains" (featuring Tems)

2022:

Drake - Honestly, Nevermind

4. "Currents"

8. "Massive"

9. "Flights Booked"

10. "Overdrive"

11. "Down Hill"

12. "Tie That Binds"

2023:

Popcaan – Great Is He

1. "We Caa Done"

Awards

Best Pop & Alternative, 2016

Male Artist of the Year, 2018

Best Pop Album, 2018

Best Pop Album, 2019