Celebrity Name: Patoranking
New Company: HAUS23
Primary Agent: Billy Wood (Head of Agency)
Department: Live / Touring
Territory: Worldwide (ex. North America + Africa)
- Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Patoranking has officially signed with London-based HAUS23 for worldwide bookings, excluding North America and Africa.
- HAUS23 is a newly launched boutique “artist-first” live agency founded by veteran music agent Billy Wood, formerly of WME, CAA, and UTA, and co-founded alongside Scout Creatives.
- The deal aligns with Patoranking’s global momentum, built on nearly a billion YouTube streams, world tours across 50+ countries, and performances at venues like London’s O2 Arena, New York’s Apollo Theater, and at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Qatar.
- The signing comes at a pivotal moment: Patoranking is gearing up to release his fifth studio album after dropping his comeback single “No Jonze” in late 2025, and is booked to headline Africa Oyé festival in Liverpool this June.
Nigerian Afrobeats icon Patoranking has signed with HAUS23, a new London-based boutique live agency, for worldwide bookings excluding North America and Africa.
The announcement confirms HAUS23 has secured one of African music’s most decorated global touring acts as a flagship signing on its growing roster.
Born Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie in Lagos, Nigeria, Patoranking is widely recognized as a cultural bridge between Afrobeats, Reggae, and Dancehall.
He broke into international consciousness in 2016 with his smash hit “My Woman My Everything,” and hasn’t looked back since, releasing anthems like “Babylon,” “Abule,” and “Kolo Kolo” under his own label, Amari Musiq, while collaborating with the likes of Major Lazer, Wizkid, Davido, and Bryson Tiller.
His catalog has collectively amassed nearly one billion streams on YouTube alone. He is an MTV Africa Music Awards Best Song of the Year winner and was named to Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 class of 2020.
His live reputation is equally impressive. Patoranking has performed across more than 50 countries, graced stages at London’s O2 Arena, opened for Lauryn Hill at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center during her Miseducation 20th Anniversary Tour, performed at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Qatar, and most recently headlined the iconic Apollo Theater in New York City.
He also recently performed at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Niger Delta Games and is set to make his Liverpool debut at Africa Oyé on June 20–21, 2026.
HAUS23, founded in February 2026 by Billy Wood, a 20-year industry veteran with a track record spanning WME, CAA, and UTA, describes itself as an “artist-first” agency built for long-term artist development and smart global touring. Wood co-founded the agency alongside Scout Creatives, with Gary Ward serving as Booking Coordinator.
Takeaways
This signing is bigger than just a booking deal; it signals African music’s continued mainstream penetration into the UK and European live circuit.
HAUS23 is a brand new agency that launched just weeks ago, and landing Patoranking as an early signing gives it instant credibility and a ready-made global headline act.
For Patoranking, partnering with an independent, artist-focused boutique rather than a mega-agency like WME or UTA tells you something: he wants attention, not just a slot in a crowded roster.
With his fifth studio album on the horizon and his live energy as potent as ever, the timing is perfect. HAUS23 now has the infrastructure to place him on festival stages, arena supports, and headline slots across the UK, Europe, Asia, and beyond; territories where Afrobeats appetite is rapidly growing.
Could this signing open major European festival headline slots for Patoranking in 2026 and beyond? Will boutique, “artist-first” agencies like HAUS23 become the go-to for Afrobeats stars?
