Why harnessing talent is costly in Nigeria - Don Jazzy

Music producer and CEO of Mavin Records, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has revealed that the cost of producing a new talent in his record label is costly because of the marketing mix involved in producing a talent.

He said that it was not enough to have talent to sing, but that the total cost of packaging such talent is humongous and costs up to $300,000 to launch new artiste in Mavins.

He said that steep investment is required to launch a fresh artist into the limelight, an estimated of N150 million to N500 million, to activate a new act under his label.

“To activate and launch a new Mavin talent? At the moment, about a minimum $100,000 or then to $100 to $300,000 in that bracket,” he said.

Don Jazzy explained that the sum is only the entry point for an artist’s first project.

“It’s never just one thing,” he noted. “You can have a great song, but if it’s not marketed properly, it won’t work. At the same time, you can spend a lot of money, but if people don’t connect with it, they don’t connect.”

According to him, Mavin has built structures to improve an artist’s chances of success: from marketing and PR teams to research units and production staff. Still, he emphasized that the artist’s passion is key.

“If you want it more than the artist, it doesn’t really work,” he stressed. “Some people have the vision, but the great ones also do the research. If you say you want to be like Michael Jackson, you have to study why Michael Jackson became Michael Jackson.”

He also reflected on his journey since the Mo’Hits era. After the label dissolved in 2012, he considered leaving the business due to rising costs but eventually pressed on, leading to the birth of Mavin Records now home to international stars like Rema and Ayra Starr.