Key Points:
- Don Jazzy says he sought a young Afrobeat star. He set clear goals for a fast, wide search.
- A Gen Z fan sent links for campus voice picks. Ayra’s page came back, then a bold clip.
- He saw a freestyle on drug use and paused. He sent a DM, then pinged her brother.
Mavin boss, Michael Collins Ajereh, known as Don Jazzy, spoke. He told how he found Mavin star, Ayra Starr. The chat came on The Echo Podcast with Olushola Olaleye.
He said there was a gap at Mavin then. They needed a teen Afrobeat star to go global. He set a plan and began a wide search. He adds, the hunt had a clear end goal.
How Don Jazzy found Ayra Starr
First, he asked a Gen Z lady he follows online. Then, he told her to scout voice picks in school. He asked, “Do you have friends who can sing?” He kept tabs to see how they move online.
At the time, he could not visit schools in person. She sent some Instagram pages of young acts to watch. He watched them grow and read their social moves.
Later on, a clip of Ayra landed in his chat.
She freestyled on drug use in a raw take. That spark felt sure to him at once. He said, “This is it,” as the plan clicked.
The DM, the wait, then a swift reply
He went straight to her DM with a note. Next, he wrote, “Hello, how are you,” to start. However, she did not answer him at first. So he also sent a short text to her brother.
A few hours passed, then Ayra sent a reply. They spoke more, and he took it from there. He kept the path clear for the next steps. Soon, the link felt right and he moved fast.
He felt no song spoke true on Gen Z life. So he aimed to build that voice with care. He said the move was firm, clear, and planned. Meanwhile, the clip set his plan in full gear.
In recent news, Don Jazzy aids Nigerians with bold help.
Wider talk on women in Afrobeats stays loud this month. See our note on fair support for women.
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