Singer

Mr. Leo

Mr Leo’s Birthday: 21 August , 1990

Fonyuy Leonard Nsohburinka popularly referred to as Mr Leo, is a Cameroonian singer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who was born on the 21st of August 1990. He is from the Nso ethnic group (Nso people). The artist grew up in a military barracks in Buea, South West region of the Cameroon; in a family of four he is the third.

His path to music wasn’t obvious at first—painting and football captured his heart initially. It took the encouragement of fellow artists Salatiel and Blaise B to steer him toward the church choir, where his musical journey truly began. Along the way, the soulful sounds of Seal and the distinctive style of 2face Idibia shaped his artistic development.

It was the breakthrough 2015 single “E go beta” that transformed Mr. Leo from an unknown artist into a household name, dominating Cameroon’s radio stations and ultimately conquering international audiences with its undeniable appeal.

His music career began with Alpha Better Records in 2015 which belongs to fellow artist Salatiel, where he spent 13 productive years before striking out on his own in 2020. Taking the leap into independence, he created Lionn’s Production Ltd, a platform that has nurtured rising talents such as Kameni and Gomez.

Few artists have shaped the country’s urban music scene as profoundly as he has, through his revolutionary fusion of Afropop, R&B, and makossa—a sound so distinctive it has become his artistic signature.

In 2016, Mr Leo the Balafon Music Awards’ Revelation of the year and best male artist. In 2017, he was nominated for the Africa music awards Afrima in Lagos, Nigerian under the category of best male singer of the year. In March 2017, he became brand ambassador of Itel mobile Cameroon follow by several endorsement deals. Mr Leo has an estimated net worth of $200,000 that’s about 112 million francs CFA.

Albums:

His discography includes several albums and EPs:

Love Original (2017)

Jeey (Lion of Africa) (2021)

Good Vibes (2024)

Awards and Recognition:

Multiple wins: In 2016, he won three Balafon Music Awards for Song of the Year, Revelation of the Year, and Best Male Artist.

African Entertainment Awards (USA): In 2017, he won Best Male Single for his song “Jamais Jamais”.

AFRIMA nomination: He was nominated for Best Male Central Africa at the All Africa Music Awards in 2017.

Grammy Academy: In 2021, he was invited to join the Grammy Awards Recording Academy.

Other accolades: He holds the title of Knight of the Order of Merit in Cameroon and is considered a “Red Feather Notable” of the Nso Tribe