Time flies when you’re having fun! It has officially been 3 months since 2025 started and A LOT has happened. Just in case you missed it, we’ve prepared a sharp rundown of everything that went down at Mavin from January to March. Keep reading to find out what Q1 looked like for the number one record label in Africa!
Rema Dropped the Most Streamed Afrobeats Song of 2025 So Far
A day after he earned his first Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album, Rema teased his 2025 hit single “Baby (Is It a Crime)” with one of the most viral snippets by an African act in recent times (viewed over 28 MILLION times on X alone). After over a month of waiting, the greatly anticipated track dropped in February.
“Baby (Is It a Crime)” recorded over 2 million streams in its first full day of release, breaking the record for the second biggest opening day ever for an African song. It also earned the biggest debut for a 2025 Nigerian song on the Spotify Global Daily Songs Chart with a whopping 1.8 million streams. Since release, the chart-topping single has maintained a healthy distance from other African songs in terms of stream count, extending its record as the biggest Afrobeats song released in 2025 so far.
The Mavin Roster Earned A Blitz of Award Nominations For 2025 Headies Awards
Mavin Global emerged as the record label with the most nominations at the 2025 Headies Awards, leading the charge with 21 nominations overall. Rema recorded the most nominations for any artist at the Headies this year with 9 nominations, while Ayra Starr clinched 8 nominations to become the second most nominated artist overall. Johnny Drille and Ladipoe also earned 2 nominations each. Go team!
Ayra Starr Made History (Again)
Ayra Starr became the first female act to win the MOBO Award for Best African Music Act in 16 (SIXTEEN) years, as well as the first African female act to win a MOBO Award for Best International Act. In other news, her first single of 2025 “All The Love” has emerged as one of the top 20 most streamed Nigerian songs on Spotify in 2025, and the most streamed song released by a Nigerian female act on Spotify in 2025 so far. “All The Love” has continued to gain solid traction since the start of Q2, further proof that Ayra Starr is-and always will be-inevitable.
Magixx Released his Highly Anticipated Debut Album “I Dream in Color”
Towards the end of February, Magixx made us all dream in color with the release of his long-awaited debut album. The 13 track LP is a study in enduring ambition amidst ups and downs, insecurities and heartbreak. Magixx bares his soul on the record, giving listeners a glimpse of his polychromatic vision. “I Dream In Color” debuted in the top 5 albums on Nigerian Apple Music in its first 24 hours of release and is already a contender for one of the best Nigerian albums released in 2025 so far.
March Was for The Girls
March was International Women’s History Month, and the amazing Women of Mavin did their part to accelerate action by hosting a free women’s day event that gave small women-owned businesses a chance to sell and showcase their products. The event also offered opportunities for networking and knowledge building through insightful panel sessions, tutorials and more. On the digital front, the official Mavin IWD page launched a content series that spotlighted key women in the entertainment industry and the important work they do.
Bayanni Ended Q1 with a Last Minute Screamer-The “Love & Hustle” EP
After a year of dominating TikTok with viral hit singles, Bayanni kept the ball rolling with the release of his sophomore EP “Love & Hustle”. The project featured his hit songs “Goddess” ft. Ruger and “For Where” ft. Zerrydl alongside two hot new tracks-”Princess Treatment” and “Hustler’s Anthem” ft. Don Jazzy. The early success of “Princess Treatment” heralds another year of sultry bangers from Bayanni, who continues to give the people what they want with each new song.
