Hello,

I hope June was kind to you

In the past months, I've been quietly experimenting with the kind of content I share and the format. I've been thinking a lot about how to evolve this newsletter into something that still feels like me, but also feels more valuable to you. Something that makes you want to keep opening, reading, sharing it etc.

Part of the experiment meant trying interviews too, because honestly, there are so many brilliant people around doing meaningful work in the African music [and creator] ecosystem, and it’d be selfish of me to just keep learning from them alone. In May, we heard from Banko, fresh off his time leading Sony Music West Africa after six years.

This month, I sat down with Marc-Andre to discuss Warner Music’s foray into francophone Africa; a conversation that unlocked so much for me. I had no idea that many francophone African countries still aren’t monetized on YouTube, and how there are even more Francophone African countries than Anglophone ones - especially given how the sound and music industry of both side have fared. That conversation gave me so much perspective.

So, I’ve been testing what works and letting go of what doesn’t; and somewhere between all these, I’ve also been slowly putting together the second edition of our magazine (!!). It's almost a year since the first one, which has become a gift that keeps on giving. No hard release date yet, but I’m hoping for an end-of-year drop or something close.

If there’s anything you’d love to see in this upcoming edition (say ideas, features, suggestions) hit me up. And if you’d like to support it in any way, DOUBLE hit me up.

Now, I’ve written quite a bit of long-form content over the past few months, so I figured I’d try something a little lighter today. Something like a quick rundown of what’s been happening in the music business (and the creator economy, to some extent) over the past 7 to 14 days. Just a compilation of stuff I’ve noticed and bookmarked, so you don’t have to.

I do these catchups personally, because in truth, staying plugged in to what’s happening around you, your industry, craft, or field, is a cheat code. It has been mine. The info could be passive in some cases and prominent in others, but one way or the other, it registers, and you’ll be surprised how it shows up in your life, work, strategies, or even your next big idea when you least expect it.

I might do this more (if you like it), so if this kind of content speaks to you, please let me know. We could make it a weekly thing even, and while a lot of it will centre African music [and eventually creator economy], it’ll, in some cases, lean global too because global context sometimes inspires ideas, practices or strategies that can be localized.

So, let’s get ‘Round the Music Business (and Creator Economy) over the Past 7–14 Days…

1. “The vision is to treat every part of Africa as somewhere we can find new music,” Marc-André Niang on Warner Music’s Inroad into Francophone Africa

In 2024 alone, more than 123 million listeners worldwide streamed audio content in French (music, podcasts, or audiobooks) on Spotify. Interestingly, 100 million of those listeners were outside of the historically francophone regions of France, Quebec, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.

Every month, more than 64 million hours of music performed in French is streamed from all corners of the globe. French music owes this global success to the wealth of styles it encompasses, making it increasingly appealing to international audiences far beyond its traditional markets.

This growing global appetite for French-language content sets the backdrop for more strategic shifts by major music companies. The story here is not one of a new office or a new title, but of the deeper, often dirty work of building something that can last in a place long rich with talent but lacking in infrastructure. This is part of a broader recalibration, as global music giants turn their attention to overlooked Francophone regions with untapped potential.

Universal Music France, for instance, made such move earlier in 2024 by partnering with Binetou Sylla, founder of Wèrè Wèrè Music, to launch Def Jam Africa across Francophone Africa territories. Recently, Warner Music has followed suit… but with a distinctive model that bridges offices in Johannesburg, Paris, and Abidjan, and with leaders like Marc-Andre at the helm, who speak the languages of both business and culture fluently.

“There’s a strong cultural trade route between France and West Africa,” said Simon Robson, Warner Music’s President of Recorded Music for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “WM Africa Francophone will help us support the artists in that space, just as our 91 North venture is successfully doing with talent working a similar trade route between Canada and India.”

2. Apple Music’s Global Head Oliver Schusser Thinks “It’s Crazy That Music Is Still Free”

At the 2025 National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) annual meeting, Apple Music’s global head Oliver Schusser didn’t hold back his reservations about ad-supported (free) streaming when asked what part of the songwriter value chain he’d redesign if possible. “It’s crazy that 20 years on, music is still offered free,” he said, doubling down on Apple’s paid-only model.

Unlike Spotify, Amazon Music, and others, Apple Music has never offered a free, ad-supported tier and Schusser says that’s intentional. “We’re the only service that doesn’t have a free service. That’s not because of the money or anything. As a company, we look at music as art and we would never want to give away art for free. It just makes no sense to me.” His argument is part of a larger discourse that free streaming cannibalises higher earnings and sends the wrong message that music has little tangible value.

While other DSPs often use free tiers as a funnel to convert listeners into paid subscribers, Apple continues to stand its ground that art shouldn’t come with a price tag of zero.

I kinda hinted at the Subscription-based (premium) streaming and Ad-supported (free) streaming phenomenon here.

3. Senegal, Rwanda, Kenya Join Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt in IQ’s Global Arena Guide 2025

Recently, I contributed to the newly-released Global Arena Guide 2025, now in its sixth year. Once again, I handled the Africa section, which as usual included South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and for the first time - Senegal, Kenya, and Rwanda.

The report maps out arena-capable venues across these countries, providing a practical snapshot for international agents, managers, and touring teams looking to route through the region. What venues are available? What’s viable? What’s typical for an arena-tier show in Africa? The full guide spans 70 markets across six continents, features a directory of over 600 arenas, and is packed with actionable venue intel. It’s premium content and available exclusively to paid subscribers via IQ’s website.

I’ve been contributing to IQ Magazine’s coverage of Afrobeats and the broader African live music business, starting with last year’s Global Promoters Report, where we expanded the Africa section from three countries (Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt) to six; adding Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana for the first time in the report’s history.

In January, I also worked with the IQ team on their ILMC Special Edition, which featured IQ’s first dedicated report on the Afrobeats phenomenon and its place in the global live music ecosystem. That piece drew insights from some of the most active players in the scene, including:

• Ropo Akin (Cokobar / Burna Boy)
• Ishsha Bourguet (UTA / Tyla)
• Josh Koram (Afro Nation / Wizkid)
• Rob Hallett (Robomagic / Fally Ipupa)
• Clementine Bunel (Wasserman / The Cavemen)
• Andy Anderson (Mavin Records / Rema, Ayra Starr)
• Sam Gill (Earth Agency / Omah Lay)

4. Deezer Is Rolling Out the Music Industry’s First AI Tagging System to Address 20,000 AI-Generated Tracks Uploaded Daily

Deezer says over 20,000 fully AI-generated tracks are uploaded to its platform EVERY DAY (??); almost double what it was seeing back in January. That means about 18% of daily uploads on the platform are now 100% AI-made. So in response, they’ll be rolling out an AI tagging system, making them the first DSP to clearly label albums that include fully AI-generated music.

They’re also excluding AI-only tracks from playlists and recommendations, so they don’t interfere with artist payouts or overall listening experience for users. While these AI tracks only make up about 0.5% of total streams, Deezer says 70% of their streams are fraudulent, meaning they’re basically uploaded to game the system.

5. Live Nation Bets $1B on U.S. Venues While Doubling Down on Africa’s Live Arena Future

Live Nation is putting its money where the music is. Simple!

The live giant just announced plans to invest $1 billion in 18 new and renovated venues across the U.S. over the next 18 months. The upgrades will span everything from intimate clubs to large amphitheaters, in cities both big (Denver, Pittsburgh, Seattle) and small (Allentown, Riverside, Birmingham).

This is part of its ultimate push to expand its owned-and-operated venue footprint up to about 150 venues in the U.S. (about 4% of the total market). The goal is to bring more big shows to smaller cities and reduce the need for fans to travel hours just to see their favorite acts. Meanwhile, the company also revealed it invested $14 billion in artists globally in 2024, underscoring its continued bet on live music as both an economic driver and cultural force. That mindset extends to Africa.

The Dome, Johannesburg

Last year, I reported Live Nation trumpeting its interest in expanding into Africa, with CEO Michael Rapino emphasizing, “We think Africa is going to be a big business.” In March, a partnership between Live Nation, Big Concerts, Stadium Management South Africa, and Gearhouse SA led to the launch of The Dome in Johannesburg. With a seated/standing capacity of 10,500 and an expansive 6,000 square meters of event space, the venue is purpose-built for concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and product launches. It officially opened in March with a headline show by Nigerian artist Tems, with ticket prices ranging from R1,310 ($68.50) for VIP access to R800 ($41.80) for General Admission.

Early reviews trickled in after the concert, and I came across some audience chatter about sound inconsistencies and limited sightlines.

Despite these operational kinks, the venue is, however, expected to become a new benchmark for arena-level concerts in the region, bolstered by the strategic muscle of Live Nation and Big Concerts.

Meanwhile in Nigeria, Live Nation, alongside a consortium led by Persianas Group and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), is already betting on local entertainment with the development of a first-of-its-kind 12,000-capacity arena in Lagos. Construction of the $100 million venue reportedly began in February 2024, with completion expected by December 2025, about six months from now.

I probably sound like a broken record now always citing this but fingers crossed sha!

6. SongTools and M.A.D Solutions Partner to Power Marketing for African Artists

SongTools and M.A.D Solutions are teaming up to make marketing a whole lot easier for African artists. The partnership plugs SongTools’ one-click marketing tech (including playlist outreach, ad automation, smart links, and real-time campaign analytics) directly into the M.A.D Solutions dashboard.

That means artists, managers, and labels working with M.A.D can now launch smarter, data-driven campaigns without needing five different tools or so. It’s all built into a single workflow, streamlining the promo side of releases and giving artists more room to focus on the music.

The integration rolls out to all M.A.D clients starting from the close of June.

7. Matthew Ohio of Industry Nite Appointed Managing Director of Bell Music Nigeria

Matthew will lead operations on the ground in Nigeria as Bell Partners, a global music and investment company, builds what it describes as the future of rights, talent, and IP across the continent. He’ll work closely with Mark Bond, who is spearheading Bell Music's business growth initiatives in Africa.

Bell Partners operates as a full-service music company, offering expertise in publishing, label services, distribution, administration, licensing, and artist management. They also provide access to capital investment in both catalogues and future works of their partners. Since launching in 2022, Bell Partners has reportedly invested over $350 million USD in music rights globally.

Matthew, as you may know, is the founder of Industry Nite, a Nigerian showcase platform that helped launch the careers of talents like Yemi Alade, DJ Spinall, and many others. As Executive Director of El Carnaval, he’s also delivered major campaigns and live events across three continents in partnership with brands like MTN, Diageo, Johnnie Walker, and Trace, bringing a mix of cultural fluency, operational experience, and creative ambition.

Before founding Bell Partners, Hayden Bell served as Head of A&R for Sony Music Asia Pacific (2013–2019) and held senior executive roles at companies like BMG and SM Entertainment. Last year, Bell Partners partnered with Spanish-based Larrosa, aiming to tap into Larrosa’s experience in the global Spanish-language music market. The alliance positions them to maximize opportunities in key markets like Spain and Latin America.

This Nigeria move seems to be a similar play and Matthew is being positioned to lead that initiative, also given his network and history in the Nigerian music scene. Bell Partners has since established teams in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia and it seems to be setting sights on Africa now; starting with Nigeria, and likely South Africa next.

8. It’s Official! CKay Joins AWAL Following Exit from Warner South Africa

You might’ve already caught a hint from the credits on his new project, where AWAL America is clearly listed.

CKay, of course, had been with Warner South Africa for a while now, following his run with Chocolate City; one that spawned successes including Love Nwantiti, which has become one of the most successful Nigerian songs of all time, at least by streaming metrics and [global] reach.

With the release of his new project, CKay is now officially an AWAL-signed artist, joining the likes of Simi, though likely under a different arrangement, possibly routed directly through the U.S. division. This new chapter with AWAL hints at a fresh direction (re: CKay Holdings LLC), and it’ll be interesting to see where he takes it.

9. Lucian Grainge’s Take on the Role AI Can Play in Music

Last month at the Brilliant Minds conference in Stockholm, Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, sat with Alex Norström, Co-President & Chief Business Officer at Spotify, for a fireside chat on all things music business; including (of course) the ever-present AI convo, which at this point, we can’t get past.

Grainge gave a balanced take on artificial intelligence that honestly echoes my thoughts on the entire AI-in-music discourse. He made a clear distinction that AI can’t replicate authentic artistry, but it can support the creative process. He drew a line between using AI as a tool versus expecting it to replace human creativity.

“Do I think that the next Elton John will come from AI or from a program? The answer is that it can’t… You can’t fake being Amy Winehouse, or fake that music. Every style of music has come from someone’s passion and their imagination”

He, however, went on to acknowledge that every major creative industry has evolved with technological advancements, and music is no exception. He spoke about AI’s potential to actually help creators; maybe in unlocking a bridge, sparking a lyric, or helping a songwriter push through writer’s block.

“Do I think that technology will be able to support that? The answer is absolutely yes.”

10. Kizz Daniel Now Owns His Debut Album & Pre-2017 Masters

This month, Kizz Daniel announced that he has officially reclaimed ownership of his debut album and pre-2017 singles like “Yeba” and “Sofa”, following series of mediations. This, interestingly, came about a week after Taylor Swift also made headlines around her masters.

If you remember, Kizz (then Kiss) Daniel broke out under G-Worldwide Entertainment (2014), where he released his debut album New Era (2016); after which, things got messy. He was embroiled in a legal battle with the label, which even led to him tweaking his stage name. Eventually, he went independent, setting up his own imprint, FlyBoy INC, and later partnering with EMPIRE for releases since the past 3–4 years till date.

But now, it looks like there’s been a truce. In fact, on his recent single “POLICE”, he credits G-Worldwide Entertainment founder Emperor Geezy as the executive producer. Good to see that fences have indeed been mended behind the scenes.