As a little boy, Mario TJ Cassella, better known as Trio Mio, was always mischievous. He was always touching things he shouldn’t and going to forbidden places – like the pulpit in church, climbing the pews and tugging the church curtains. His mother, Irma Sofia bore it all. She hated it and would often reprimand young TJ.

“Let the child be. He will morph into whoever he will morph into,” the church minister would urge her. His theory was that children just become whoever they are meant to be. This did not sit well with Irma. It felt defeatist and irresponsible. He was right, but he was also wrong. How could she surrender her son’s development to the hands of fate? “You just don’t watch a child grow from the sidelines; you participate and get involved,” she said.

That philosophy has seen Irma walk with her son from childhood to adulthood. Needless to say, it wasn’t as bad as she thought. “As Trio grew up and joined high school, he turned out to be a calm and collected kid.” He was more deliberate and compassionate and sought her out first thing whenever he walked into the house. She liked that, and this only made them closer.

Besides his studies, Trio loved music and rapped every chance he would get in the house. His mom picked up that he had a seed in him but never worked on it as he was young and still in school. Heck, she actually wanted and always thought he would be a priest.

When the COVID pandemic hit, and with time on his hands, Trio and his elder brother BigTing AP managed to convince Irma to pay for the first of many studio sessions that set him up for his current success. He released his first hit, ‘Vile Inafaa’, and got onto YouTube, and the response was quite good.

His lyrical style, coupled with his mellow voice, was quite unique. People started to question his gender and gain interest in him. This new fame was welcome and brought about many inquiries on how to book and manage him.

He and his mother set out for interviews and settled down on a manager who promised them heaven. Months in however, the trio had a falling out. “The manager did not deliver the end of his bargain. Among other things, we were duped. He also didn’t coordinate or show up for an important planned shoot, and we were disappointed.” said Irma.

Her mother instinct kicked in and she decided to fight and show up for her son. From her sales executive background, she was able to pull a few strings and get what they needed for the shoot to be successful, from videographers and locations to booking studio sessions. This is what ushered her into the momager world, and she has been doing it ever since.

Trio, now a recognisable Kenyan artist, has grown in stature and wisdom. In 2020, he released the very catchy “Cheza Kama Wewe,” which easily turned out to be his breakthrough song. Fast forward, his collaboration with Safaricom for their seminal Chapa Dimba was a welcome partnership. Cheza Kama Wewe became the signature phrase for this partnership as he got the brand ambassador role for the program.

Safaricom Chapa Dimba is a prestigious national football tournament focused on giving youth aged 16-20 the opportunity to showcase and nurture their talent.

“We are honored to work with Safaricom, and this is a clear demonstration that when nurtured, talent pays.” Trio said. Trio, who started music mainly for the culture and for the fun side of it, said that this acknowledgement inspired him to dedicate himself to the craft and create opportunities for other upcoming artists. “In the near future and through our record label, Trouble Music Inc., we are hoping to sign and support more gifted youths by educating them on music production and the world of intellectual property.”

The momager has continued to praise her amazing team that supports Trio Mio. “He is backed by a dedicated professional team in legal, psychological, and financial matters.

Trio, now 20, draws strength from quiet control. He is charming and truly his mother’s son. According to his mother, and much to her disapproval, he spends a lot of time in the toilet racking his brain for lyrics, but eventually, it has paid off.