TY Bello is a seasoned Nigerian singer and photographer whose works speak volumes in the Nigerian entertainment space. The multi-talented act is also a songwriter, a philanthropist, and an activist. Her musical journey started as far back as her university days when she was a member of the now-defunct gospel band KUSH.
Although Kush was disbanded, her dream stayed alive, and we all can testify to that. TY is known for her masterpiece single, Greenland, an overwhelming track with a strong message of love and hope for Nigerians. The singer is happily married to her husband Kashetu Bello, and they have beautiful kids together.
Profile Summary of TY Bello
- Full Name: Toyin Sokefun-Bello
- Date Of Birth: January 14, 1978
- Age: 46 years old
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Occupation: Singer, Photographer, Philanthropist
- Genres: Gospel
- Marital Status: Married
- Spouse: Kashetu Bello
- Children: 2
TY Bello Was Born In Ogun State, Nigeria, 46 Years Ago
Toyin Sokefun was born in Ogun State to late Remi Sokefun (father) and a mother whose name is unknown. Toyin’s talents could have been a thing of heredity as her father was also a known TV producer. The singer is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, where she bagged a degree in Economics. Although with her degree at hand, TY had a strong passion for the arts. This made her take up another course in Journalism, and shortly after, she went into photography.
However, she continued to nurture her passion for music. While in the university, she belonged to a gospel music band called KUSH, which stood for Kinetically Ushering Salvation into Hearts and Homes. They made waves in the 2000s but later disbanded for reasons unknown to the media.
Bello’s Humble Beginnings And Breakthrough as a Photographer
Following the disbandment of KUSH, Toyin went into photography, which was also a passion she nurtured from a young age. The young dreamer embarked on her solo journey as a photographer, a move that was quite challenging at the time because photography was not really a thing then.
Her works cut across different dimensions like portrait photography and documentaries. TY’s strides in photography made her stand out among the rest, and top politicians and influential personalities soon noticed her. She became an official photographer to the former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, during his reign.
TY Bello works as a fashion photographer with the reputable ThisDay Magazine and has worked with many A-list celebrities. One of her remarkable moves as a photographer was in 2016 when she discovered a street hawker Olajummoike Orisaguna and turned her into a top model. Olajummoke was a mother of two who hawked bread in the streets of Lagos in a bid to survive but had her life changed after she photobombed a shoot as TY Bello, was having a photo session with London-based rapper, Tinie Tempah. TY Bello seeing her potentials, offered to launch her career, a move which led to her being on the cover of ThisDay Magazine and signing some modeling contracts.
TY Bello, who became an inspiration to many after the exemplary act, earned herself a significant influence in society. She has engaged herself in many Humanitarian activities. The singer belongs to Link-A-Child NGO, an organization that seeks sponsorship for orphanages in Nigeria. Every year, the singer and photographer organize an exhibition, which she uses to raise funds for orphans. TY also advocates for human rights, especially for women.
TY Bello’s Successes As A Musician
TY Bello started singing from a very young age. Her love for music started as far back as when she attended Revival Word Church. She was a member of the music group which composed songs for church service. In that group, her skills were fine-tuned, and her passion grew stronger. As we mentioned earlier, she belonged to a now-defunct gospel band, KUSH. The gospel band was made up of Lara George, Dapo Torimiro, and Emem Emma.
They were all members of the Campus Fellowship choir at the University of Lagos. The group made a name for themselves with the release of their song ‘Let’s Live Together,’ which was a hit in the 2000s. The song was a single included in their album ‘The Experience,’ which happened to be the only album they released before their disbandment.
Continuing as a solo act after the disbandment of her crew, TY Bello released her debut album, Greenland, produced by Mosa Adegboye, in 2008. The album stood for peace, unity and was filled with messages of hope to Nigerians. TY Bello won awards at the Nigerian Music Award and a Sound City Award, and other recognition for that song.
The talented singer and songwriter has gone ahead to release other singles and albums. In 2011 she released another studio album, ‘The Future.’ This was followed by yet another album titled ‘The Morning Songbook’ in 2014. That same year, she released another album titled ‘Affirmations.’ In 2019, TY teamed up with ace Nigerian gospel singer Tope Alabi and made massively hit songs that formed the album ‘The Spirit of Life.’
For her notable works, TY Bello has won several awards and has several nominations to her name. She won the 2008 Nigerian Entertainment Award for Best New Act of the Year. TY also won the Best Female Video for her song ‘Ekundayo’ at the Soundcity Music Video Awards in the following year. She also won the Most Creative Personality of the Year at SRAF Awards in 2017. Along with her awards are numerous nominations on different platforms.
Like Her Career, She Enjoys A Successful Marriage
TY Bello is married to Kashetu Bello. The couple got married in 2009 and have been together since then. However, she prefers to keep her family life away from the media. This why is why there is not much information about the endeavors of her husband and children. However, the couple welcomed a set of twin boys on October 10, 2014.
This was coming after over five years of waiting and praying for a child. According to reports, before the singer eventually got pregnant, she battled for a long time with a health condition called Endometriosis. This had led to fertility issues that left TY and her husband to opt for IVF so they could have kids of their own.
Their patience and perseverance paid off eventually, and they had their babies. The birth of TY Bello’s twins shook the whole nation, with many reaffirming the existence of God. Their birth also inspired the release of TY’s popular album ‘The Morning Songbook.’ The twins, Christian and Christopher Bello, are 9​ years old now and are indeed a delight to behold.