Marioo

Updated: June 17, 2026

Birth Name: Omary Ally Mwanga
Date of Birth: 31 December 1995
Age: 31
Origin: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Gender: Male
Nationality: Tanzanian
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter, Music Producer
Genres: Bongo Flava, Amapiano, Afropop

Biography & Career:
Marioo is one of Tanzania's most beloved contemporary voices, a singer, songwriter, and producer whose warm melodies have made him a household name across East Africa. The real name behind the stage persona is Omary Ally Mwanga, and his biography is a true rags-to-riches story rooted in the Temeke district of Dar es Salaam. After spending part of his childhood with his grandmother in Kibiti, the future star returned to Dar es Salaam, left school early, and worked as a car mechanic and welding technician before music changed everything.

The turning point came at work, when the young artist met a client who helped him reach a recording studio. That break led to the 2018 debut single Dar Kugumu, released through Instinct Records, which became an instant hit throughout the country. Around the same time, the talented writer was crafting songs for other performers, including tracks for Nandy, Lulu Diva, and Christian Bella, sharpening a craft that would soon define a generation of Bongo Flava.

Blending Bongo Flava with amapiano, afropop, and R&B, the Tanzania-born performer built a catalogue of beloved hits such as Mama Amina, Raha, Naogopa, Tete, Dunia, and the cross-border smash Nairobi with Kenyan star Bien of Sauti Sol. In December 2022 came the debut album The Kid You Know, a milestone that cemented his standing as a leading regional artist. Working largely independently under his own Bad-Nation banner, the producer keeps churning out fresh records that dominate playlists from Tanzania to Kenya and beyond.

Off stage, the singer keeps his personal life mostly private. He is not married, so there is no public wife, though over the years he has been romantically linked in the media to figures such as singer Mimi Mars and actress Paulah Kajala. Grounded and grateful for a journey that began in a garage, Marioo continues to win hearts with heartfelt storytelling and an unmistakable voice that carries the sound of modern East Africa to the world.

Marioo Albums:
The Kid You Know

Marioo Best Songs:
Mama Amina
Raha
Naogopa
Tete
Dunia
Nairobi
Bia Tamu
Dear Ex
Mi Amor
Chibonge