Universal Music Group (UMG) has purchased a majority stake in Mavin Global, a Nigerian record company founded by the business mogul Don Jazzy. The deal is set to be finalized in the third quarter, pending regulatory approval. Mavin Global is home to talents like Rema, Ayra Starr, and Ladipoe.
The terms of the agreement, including financial details, were not publicly disclosed. However, Don Jazzy, the founder and CEO of Mavin Global, along with COO Tega Oghenejobo, will continue to lead the label as part of the investment arrangement. UMG Chairman and CEO, Lucian Grainge, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating,
“With Don Jazzy, Tega, the Mavin Global team, and their artist roster, we’ve found ideal partners with whom to grow together. Mavin’s brilliant artists have been catalysts in the transformation of Afrobeats into a global phenomenon, and we’re thrilled to welcome them into the Universal Music Group family.”
Mavin Global had already established connections with UMG, notably with Rema’s chart-topping hit “Calm Down,” initially distributed by Virgin Music. The track, which reached No. 3 on the Hot 100, garnered over 1 billion on-demand streams in the U.S. alone. The partnership aims to propel Mavin’s growth globally, focusing on Mavin’s Artist Academy and nurturing the next generation of African leaders in the music business. Tega Oghenejobo expressed confidence in the collaboration, stating,
“UMG is home to some of the world’s foremost music entrepreneurs and artists, making them a perfect match for our aspirations. By collaborating with UMG, we are dedicated to cultivating a vibrant creative environment that propels African music to new heights on the global stage.”
This move by UMG signifies a strategic entry into the Nigerian Afrobeats scene, with genres like Afropop, Afro-fusion, and high life making waves in the international scene. The Afrobeats wave has seen global superstars from Nigeria like Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy, with emerging talents like Rema and Ayra Starr leading the charge.
R&B legend Usher has also disclosed that he wants to collaborate with Nigerian artists, Burna Boy and Pheelz, in his latest album. Usher had featured Pheelz in the lead song of his latest album, ‘Ruin’ and Burna Boy in the album titled track, ‘Homecoming’. Usher had reiterated his new sway into Afrobeats in an interview with Apple Music, saying
“I am all about collaboration and bringing African, you know, Nigerian culture to my own world. Their music is really popular now…I wanted to be part of it (Afrobeats), that’s why I went to Africa to make this album.”
The Recording Academy’s introduction of the Best African Music Performance category at the Grammy Awards category further reflects the genre’s growing influence globally.
