MAVIN FOUNDER and CEO Don is over the moon with the progress of his independent label and recently admitted that ‘the growth has been staggering and great to see.’
Mavin has had a meteoric growth from inception in 2012, to now lead the Afrobeats scene as an internationally acclaimed and respected global brand, reaching over 180 countries with a global streaming figure of over 6 billion streams across an internationally successful stable of artists.
Founded by creative visionary, producer, music exec, entrepreneur and philanthropist Don Jazzy, the label is based at the heart of the culture in Lagos, Nigeria. The company delivers 360 label services, artist management, publishing, sync, cross-platform digital content and production.
The label’s biggest export Rema has achieved over three billion streams in just under three years since his debut, with 34.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the highest of any Afrobeats artist.
He has broken records with his 2022 track ‘Calm Down’ and its remix with Selena Gomez, which peaked at Number three on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record for Highest Charting Afrobeats artist In Billboard Hot 100 history.
Another Mavin superstar, Ayra Starr, launched in 2021 and is already lauded as the leader of Africa’s ‘New Wave’ in a male-dominated Afrobeats scene.
She is already Mavin’s second most successful artist with over one and a half billion career streams and 11.3 million monthly Spotify listeners.
“Ayra released her eponymous debut EP in 2021, followed by 2022’s debut album ’19 and Dangerous’, with hit single ‘Bloody Samaritan’ and its remix featuring Kelly Rowland.
This year, she released the album deluxe which contained the global smash hit ‘Rush’ which saw her become the Youngest African Female Artist to surpass 100 million views on a single video on YouTube and the only Nigerian Female Artist to have charted a solo song on the UK Official Singles Chart.
The UK is a key territory for Mavin, and the label recently unveiled exciting new artist, Lifesize Teddy.
A rapper and afrofusion artist, Lifesize Teddy is primed to occupy a hip hop subgenre that has yet to enjoy success for female artists, despite the global popularity of Afrobeats.
On her debut EP LST, which came last week, Lifesize Teddy serves an experimental blend of five songs which showcase her range, creativity and sonic talent.
Celebrating their 11th year of developing some of the genre’s best talent, Don Jazzy said: “I’m really happy to see that Mavin has set some new trends and records in our industry.
“Artists like Rema and Ayra Starr continue to inspire Afrobeats’ global domination. Johnny Drille has created a great niche, a loyal fanbase and a definitive live performance culture that will stand the test of time.
“I’m hopeful about our new star in the making Lifesize Teddy and the exciting campaign that is now unfolding! All this is testament to the creativity, hard work and dedication of everyone at team Mavin.
“Our promise has always been to continue supporting the expansion of Afrobeats into new territories and markets via collaboration and innovation. The growth has been staggering and great to see. I am also particularly excited for our producers and songwriters and Mavin Furture Five cohort unveil as well.
“Watch this space. Mavin is now a globally respected talent incubator, we are supercharged and have no intention of slowing down.”
Mavin continues to enhance its global reach with other talented artists on the roster, a rich list that includes Bayanni, BoySpyce, Ladipoe, Johnny Drille, Crayon, DJ Big N and Magixx. The company is led by Don Jazzy and COO Tega Oghenejobo, with an executive team that is majority female.
Oghenejobo enthused: “Incredible year we’ve been having. Our partners, talent, fans and stakeholders have been unbelievable.
“It’s our 11th year and we’re looking to break more new ground in touring, artist development and collaborations. We are looking to consolidate our successes with new talents like Bayanni, who has enjoyed a global hit with ‘Ta Ta Ta’ within his first year of active artistry, also Ladipoe who we have great ambitions for, considering the great success he has enjoyed in the past couple of years.
“New signings like Lifesize Teddy also present an exciting opportunity to give our audience a fresh sound. The task is to sustain the momentum and we’re confident that these pillars will help us do that.
“We also won’t stop working with and supporting our community here – by providing a platform, developing careers, championing talent, sharing our knowledge and educating our people about the music and the industry. We want to create value for our global audiences and get even more people interested in the music business and in the culture.”
Mavin A&R Director Rima Tahini said of Ayra Starr and Lifesize Teddy: “As we prepare for her next project, we understand where Ayra Starr occupies in the narrative of Afrobeats global ambitions.
“She is one of the most prominent ‘New Wave’ artists on the continent. We are glad she’s able to stand as an inspiration for a lot of the female artists out there who have not been able to enjoy equal levels of success as their male counterparts. She is breaking a lot of boundaries and industry stereotypes, and we’re happy to see that.
“It’s very interesting to see her growth and it’s only up from here. We are also excited about the Mavin Academy, our artist incubator. One of the gems it has given us is our newest artist Lifesize Teddy.
“Her potential is so huge and we are looking forward to seeing her through this incredible journey she has started. We will continue to discover new sounds and develop some of the continent’s brightest stars here at Mavin.”
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