Mavin has unveiled its new artist Lifesize Teddy, following global success for Afrobeats exports Rema and Ayra Starr.
The UK continues to be a key territory for Nigeria-based Mavin Records, which launched in 2012. The label’s rising star is Lifesize Teddy, described as a rapper and Afro-fusion artist.
Lifesize Teddy released debut EP LST on Friday (August 11).
Mavin now reaches over 180 countries with a global streaming impact of more than six billion streams across an internationally successful stable of artists.
Founded by producer, music exec, entrepreneur and philanthropist Don Jazzy, Mavin 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. As well as a growing stable of artists, producers and songwriters, it has strategic partnerships with high-profile brands such as Nike, Pepsi, Meta, Deezer, Hennessy and Maybelline, and collaborations in film, fashion, sport, design and live events.
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 No.3 on the US Hot 100, the highest ever position for an Afrobeats song.
Calm Down is on its way to becoming the first Afrobeats record to hit a billion Spotify streams in under a year. Released in partnership with Virgin in the UK, Calm Down peaked at No.3 and has sales to date of 1,192,212 (Official Charts Company).
Mavin has also achieved a major sync for the track Wake Up with Rema and Bloody Civilian, which was featured on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie in 2022. Rema is now touring the world with his album Rave and Roses Ultra, and will be taking in his biggest live audience to date at London's O2 Arena on November 14.
Mavin is now a globally respected talent incubator
Don Jazzy
Mavin’s other big international artist is Ayra Starr, who launched in 2021. She is Mavin’s second most successful artist with over 1.5 billion career streams and 11.3m monthly Spotify listeners.
In 2023, Ayra Starr released the deluxe version of 19 And Dangerous featuring 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 singles chart.
Starr has had a number of high-profile collaborations, including a feature on Stormzy's track I Need You with Tendai. She is currently touring the world and has performed at multiple festivals, including Montreux Jazz Festival, Afronation and Wireless this summer, with her sophomore album due this year.
Mavin’s roster also includes Bayanni, BoySpyce, Ladipoe, Johnny Drille, Crayon, DJ Big N and Magixx.
Mavin is led by founder and CEO Don Jazzy and COO Tega Oghenejobo, with an executive team that is majority female, including Rima Tahini, director of A&R; Jennifer Imion, director of operations; Ifeoma Okonkwo, director of finance; Emmanuella Nnadozie, head of marketing; Kizito Ahams, sync & licensing manager; and Tobi Alabi, head of partnerships.
Mavin will unveil the second cohort of its Mavin Future Five talent leadership programme later this summer.
Mavin founder and CEO 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 Main. 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. Mavin is now a globally respected talent incubator, we are supercharged and have no intention of slowing down.”
Mavin COO Tega Oghenejobo said: "[What an] 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: “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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