Veteran Nigerian music producer and Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy, has opened up about how he discovered and signed one of Afrobeats’ fastest-rising stars, Ayra Starr.
Speaking in a recent interview, Don Jazzy revealed that his first encounter with Ayra Starr came through her Instagram posts, which caught his attention for their raw talent and authenticity.
According to the music executive, he had initially reached out to a Gen Z acquaintance, asking if they knew any young talents within their school or circle of friends.
The contact responded by sharing a list of Instagram handles of several aspiring singers, one of which belonged to Ayra Starr.
“I might not be able to come to your schools to find talents, so I asked if she knew people that could sing,” Don Jazzy explained. “She sent me a couple of Instagram pages. I kept watching them to see how they would move on the social media space.”
What sealed his interest, he said, was a particular freestyle video Ayra Starr posted. The song, which touched on youthful themes and emotional struggles, resonated deeply with him.
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“I saw a video where she was freestyling and I was like, this girl looks young and fresh. The context of what she was talking about was a Gen Z experience we didn’t really have in Afrobeats at the time. I felt the industry needed that energy, a young teenage Afrobeat superstar who could eventually go global,” he said.
Don Jazzy revealed that he wasted no time in reaching out to the then-teenager, sliding into her Instagram direct messages to express interest in working with her.
When she didn’t respond immediately, he also contacted her brother to facilitate communication.
“I went to her DM and said hello, how are you? She didn’t answer me first. I later sent a message to her brother as well,” he recounted.
The Mavin boss emphasized that signing Ayra Starr was an intentional move aimed at filling a gap in the industry and amplifying a fresh, youthful voice that could speak to Gen Z audiences.
Since joining Mavin Records in January 2021, Ayra Starr has become one of Afrobeats’ most prominent voices, earning international acclaim with hits like “Away,” “Rush,” and “Bloody Samaritan.”
Her music has topped charts globally, and she has been nominated for multiple awards, including a GRAMMY nomination for Best African Music Performance in 2024.
Don Jazzy’s revelation further underscores his reputation for spotting and nurturing talent — a legacy that has seen him introduce stars like Wande Coal, Tiwa Savage, Rema, Ladipoe, and Johnny Drille to the world.
With Ayra Starr now firmly on the global stage, Don Jazzy’s story highlights the power of social media in discovering the next generation of music icons.
