Patrice Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Patrice Iteke Wilson |
| Also known as | Pato |
| Born | Nigeria |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2007–2016 |
| Labels | |
Patrice Iteke Wilson, also known by his stage name Pato, is a Nigerian-American record producer, songwriter, and singer. He co-founded the ARK Music Factory (with Clarence Jey) in 2010, a record label which specialized in young pop artists. Wilson is credited with signing American singer Rebecca Black prior to the release of her 2011 debut single "Friday," which peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wilson and Jey wrote and produced the song, as well as most songs performed by artists of whom signed to the label; ARK shut down in 2012.
Wilson's successor label, Pato Music Worldwide (PMW) signed singer Alison Gold and released her 2013 debut single "Chinese Food," which peaked at number 29 on the chart. After overwhelmingly negative reception from both songs, they became sources of widespread mockery and subsequently viral phenomenons through their music videos on YouTube.[1] PMW likewise shut down in 2016, and Wilson has since maintained a low profile.[2]