5 Lessons Iyanya’s Move To Mavin Should Teach Nigerian Musicians

Iyanya shocked everyone when on his birthday October
31, 2016, he announced on his page that he had signed
to the Supreme Mavin Dynasty, record label of Don
Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Korede Bello, Reekado Banks, D’ija,
Dr SId, and D’prince.
Many did not see this coming as Iyanya was rumoured
to have started his own label some time ago, and is
even believed to be co-founder of the Made Men Music
Group (Tekno, Tonye, Selebobo).
He did it, and it is about one of the smartest move any
Nigerian musician can make in this times of social
media ego and unnecessary pride.
Below are five lessons Nigerian Musicians should learn
from his move.
1. Pride cannot help your career: Everyone expected
Iyanya to float his own label in the event of his exit
from Made Men Music Group, but as it is, like the tweet
of Don Jazzy said, not every artiste must own his own
label. No one knows the issues or whatever that drove
Iyanya to sign his label, but better than letting his pride
overshadow his common sense such that he would float
a (maybe mediocre label), he signed under the Mavin
label, and has opened doors opportunities and one of
the strongest artiste management in the country.
2. Money is not a guarantee for success in the music
industry: Neither is having a great record label, but
taking into consideration the magic Mavins has done to
most of its artistes, Korede Bello,Díja, Reekado Banks,
Tiwa Savage, Dr Sid, one cannot but applaud their
strategies and rest easy in the knowledge that their
management, combined with Iyanya’s obvious talent
would be no less productive. Iyanya might have
possessed the funds to start his own label but his
knowledge of the importance of proper management
most likely made him take the deal with Don Jazzy.
3. Change is constant in the music industry: Even family
have been known to split when it came to the issue of
business, same goes for the music industry. When it
was time to leave, Iyanya did not adamantly refuse and
stick with TripleMG (with Tekno’s rise seemingly
unstoppable) but decided to flow with the tide, berthing
on new shores. Inability to change or stagnation is one
of the quickest ways to kill an entertainment career and
Iyanya is obviously not ready to let his die anytime
soon. Asides that, friendships would end at some point
when it is no longer beneficial.
4. It is never too late to start afresh: With his music
receiving less and less of attention, Iyanya most likely
was at a point when he needed a new flavour to his
craft. This he might not have been able to do at Made
Men Music, but most likely will with the Mavins.
Hopefully, this move would revive Iyanya’s music and
breathe a new fresh air to his music and sound. Afterall,
you can’t afford to fall short with Tiwa Savage, Reekado
Banks and Korede Bello hot on your tails. Or can he?
5. Strategy is key to winning: In a perfectly timed move
to coincide with his birthday, Iyanya unveiled his new
deal with the Mavins, causing a bigger bang, creating
more buzz than either would have made alone. This was
a well-calculated move which would create more buzz
for the singer, drawing more positivity to his new deal
as fans seem more optimistic about it in the spirit of
celebrating his birthday.
This day would go down as one to remember in the
Iyanya’s career as October 31, 2016, would be
remembered as the day he both celebrated his birthday
and took wing under the Mavin dynasty.
A wise man once said, “In life, there are no
coincidences.”