Don Jazzy Reveals How He Discovered and Signed Ayra Starr to Mavin

Mavin Records boss Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has shared the story of how he discovered and signed Afrobeats star Ayra Starr to his record label.

Speaking in an interview with Echo Room, the veteran producer said he first came across Ayra on Instagram, where her originality and youthful energy immediately caught his attention.

Don Jazzy explained that he had asked one of his Gen Z followers to recommend promising young artists, and Ayra’s page was among those suggested. Her freestyle performance, he said, convinced him she had the potential to become a global Afrobeats sensation.

“I don’t know whether it’s a genius idea or not. It just felt like the industry needed it,” he said. “For someone like Ayra, there is a space for a young teenage Afrobeat superstar from Nigeria that we want to ensure becomes global. So it was very intentional.”

The Mavin founder revealed that his first direct message to Ayra went unanswered, so he reached out to her brother, who eventually connected him with the singer.

Ayra Starr officially joined Mavin Records in 2020 and released her self-titled debut EP in January 2021. The project featured the breakout single Away, which topped charts across Africa.

Since then, she has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading Afrobeats voices with global hits like Rush, and has earned a Grammy nomination, affirming Don Jazzy’s vision when he signed her.