“Without The Song, There Is No Music” – Mavin’s Kizito Ahams On Business Behind Afrocroiser

Mavin Records’ Senior Manager of Licensing and Publishing, Kizito Ahams, has highlighted the importance of songwriters and the business side of music, saying every successful record begins with a song.

Speaking in an interview, Ahams revealed that the idea for the Afrocroiser camp started nearly two years before the documentary was released.

He explained that the concept was born after building a relationship with leaders of SACEM, the world’s oldest performance rights organisation, following a speaking engagement.

“I had early interactions with some of the leaders at SACEM a little under three years ago. After the speaking engagement, we struck up a conversation and built a relationship. We just knew that we had to do something together,” he said.

According to him, the goal was to create more than just a music camp by turning it into a cultural exchange programme.

“We decided to host them this time around and elevate it by making it a more experiential, cultural exchange programme rather than just a music programme. I got Jimmy on board as the creative guy, and after months of preparation and meetings with SACEM and the French Embassy, everything came together.”

Speaking on balancing creativity with business, Ahams stressed the importance of protecting intellectual property from the beginning of every project.

“Creatives naturally want to just vibe and create. But because we were working with people from different cultures, we had to educate everyone early. We signed split agreements and negotiated percentages before recording started.

“You don’t want a song to become a global hit and then people begin fighting over credits. The hallmark of what we do is protecting creators’ rights while finding better ways to maximise their intellectual property. Creativity and business can go hand in hand.”

Ahams also expressed his passion for recognising the contributions of songwriters and producers who often work behind the scenes.

“Without the songs, there is no music. Without the melodies, lyrics and beats, there is no music. Songwriters are still the most important people in the music industry because everything starts with them.

“I want to make sure they are better positioned, well represented and connected to the right opportunities. We also want people to understand that songwriting is more than writing lyrics. Sometimes it starts with a melody, and songwriters often create the entire demo before the recording artist adds their own style.”

On the future of Afrocroiser, Ahams said he hopes the initiative will show the global potential of Afrobeats while shining a light on the many professionals working behind the scenes.

“I want people to remember that Afrobeats is boundless. There are no territorial limits to how far our music can go. Nigeria can also be a home for collaboration because we have talented musicians, producers, videographers, cinematographers and content creators.

“When Burna Boy records a song that reaches nearly a billion streams, it is not just Burna Boy. It is the executives, business managers, lawyers, content creators and band members. It takes a village. We want people to appreciate the work happening behind the scenes and the people helping the industry grow.”

Ahams concluded by noting that African music often reaches global audiences through films, adverts and other creative projects, adding that the professionals responsible for securing proper placements, credits and compensation deserve greater recognition.