Black Viking believes music is more than entertainment. It is a vehicle for telling stories, celebrating African identity and connecting cultures across continents.
Born Teddy Silluvan Donfack, he is building a creative identity that stretches beyond music into fashion, entrepreneurship and cultural expression.
Based between Nairobi and Copenhagen, he describes himself as a proud son of Africa, a global citizen, entrepreneur, father and creative driven by purpose.
His stage name carries a personal meaning, inspired by his African and Scandinavian heritage and the identity he hopes to pass on to his children.
“Black Viking is firstly a legacy and representation for my kids, who are African and Scandinavian, to give them a direction and something to be proud of,” he says.
The name also represents strength, courage, resilience, independence and exploration, qualities he associates with his African roots and international outlook.
His artistic journey has been shaped by movement across different countries and cultures. Having grown up in Cameroon, studied in Ghana and experienced life in New York, Copenhagen and Nairobi, he says music has always been part of his life.
“I’ve always been a curious person, a listener and a big fan of music from my childhood. I grew up with a wide variety of music, so I feel it has always been in me.”
Rather than follow a single musical tradition, he draws from the sounds and experiences encountered along the way, translating them into what he calls the Black Viking story.
His sound combines Afrobeats, Afro-fusion, street-inspired flows and melodic storytelling, with lyrics touching on life, ambition, gratitude, spirituality and celebration.
He also moves between English, French, Pidgin and African cultural expressions, reflecting his multicultural background.
“My multilingual approach comes naturally from my journey and the different cultures that have shaped me. I believe music is a universal language, and blending these languages allows me to stay authentic to my roots while connecting with a wider international audience,” he says.
His experiences moving between countries, starting over and navigating uncertainty have strengthened his belief in faith, patience and purpose.
That outlook informs his latest single, This Time Next Year, a song about hope and believing that circumstances can change.
The inspiration came partly from his own experiences and partly from the British comedy series Only Fools and Horses, particularly its central characters, Del Boy and Rodney, whose repeated attempts to achieve success reflect the persistence of dreamers.
“Having experienced different struggles, sacrifices and transitions in my own life, I wanted to create something that reminds people not to give up on their dreams,” he says.
Beyond music, he sees his identity as an opportunity to build connections between African and European creative industries.
He credits Nairobi with playing a significant role in his artistic development, particularly after arriving in Kenya just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the world slowed down, Nairobi provided an environment in which he could launch his fashion brand and establish relationships with local creatives.
His collaborations and associations with artistes including Barak Jacuzzi, Boutross, Shaq the Yungin and Nvirii the Storyteller helped expose his work to new audiences.
Copenhagen, on the other hand, is where he built his family, refined his craft and developed a broader understanding of the business side of entertainment.
“Kenya has been monumental in my artistic development, while Copenhagen has helped me understand show business, planning and the execution of dreams, plans and projects,” he says.
He is now seeking to bring the two markets closer through his music. His distribution arrangement with Warner Music Denmark, working alongside his mentor label KingsVille and partner GL Music Denmark, offers an opportunity to reach international audiences.
He recently completed a Danish tour covering more than eight major cities and is now undertaking a media tour across West, Central and East Africa, including Kenya.
The ambition is to build relationships across the continent while strengthening his international presence.
“I see navigating two markets with different audiences, industry systems and expectations as an advantage rather than a limitation. My goal is to build bridges between these markets, connect talents and cultures, and position African music within a truly international conversation,” he says.
His visual identity is equally deliberate. Traditional African masks and cultural elements feature prominently in his presentation, symbolising ancestry, spirituality, history and the connection between generations.
He combines these elements with modern, minimalist influences, seeking to celebrate African heritage without limiting its expression to traditional settings.
This philosophy also informs Black Viking Fashion House, his fashion venture, which he hopes to develop into a platform connecting African creativity with international fashion, particularly through sustainable production and cultural identity.
His ambitions extend further into entrepreneurship and community development. A nature lover who identifies with his Bantu heritage, he is planning an ecological farm and sanctuary in the mountains of his home village, Dschang, Cameroon.
Musically, he is working on new material, including collaborations with Nigerian and prominent Cameroonian artistes.
His recent collaboration with producer Mako le King on God’s Time is among the projects introducing audiences to his evolving sound.