EXCLUSIVE: Why Iyanya joined Mavin, despite getting many offers

Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk says he joined Mavin Records because he needed a structured outfit that could help develop his music and take it to the next level.

The singer on Monday signed with Mavin, which is owned by Don Jazzy, one of Nigeria’s foremost music producers.

In a chat with TheCable Lifestyle, Iyanya said: “It’s official, I’m now a Mavin and we’ve dropped the first single and there’s more coming. Everything is official, it’s not a production deal or anything. I’m part of the label, so I look forward to more hits and I look forward to more achievements”.

The ‘Kukere’ singer said he couldn’t remember when exactly he left MMMG, his former record label, but stressed that after his departure, he sought someone in the music industry who can help him “fulfill” his ambitions.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: COMMERCIAL & QUALITY MUSIC 

“We needed the Iyanya brand to work with somebody who understands the music industry and can help me fulfill that dream. Making sure that I get my music right is the most important thing.

“We needed somebody who can help bring the real Iyanya to life, the singing Iyanya but at the same time commercialise the music.”

He further noted that he could have started a record label but decided against it because he didn’t want the stress of building a label to affect his music.

“It’s not hard for me to set up my label. It costs N120,000 to register a label. It’s nothing. I’ll put the name out there, I’ll make noise, but after that what’s next?,” the former Project Fame winner asked.

NOT READY FOR RECORD LABEL DEMANDS

Continuing, he said: “I’m not saying that if I tried it maybe I won’t do it but I don’t want to take any risk. My brand alone demands a lot, it demands a whole lot.

“Leaving Made Men after many years, I actually started a movement like ‘oh yeah I’m ready, I’m putting things together’ but I didn’t even see anybody I could trust.

“The future that I see and the achievements that I want to achieve is way beyond just putting 10 people together and just moving around with branded t-shirts. ‘Oh we’re brand new guys, Iyanya guys’, which is what everybody wants you to do but I need something stronger, I need to just get the music right.

“If you’re not putting out good music, nobody cares about your label. And leaving Made Men to start my own label means that I’m going to be in charge of my music, I’m going to be in charge of my logistics, I’m going to be in charge of everything, which is so stressful.

“I don’t think I’m ready for that. So I sat down with Temple Management, we talked about it and the best option was Don Jazzy because we already did that ‘Gift’ and the studio sessions for ‘Gift’, the recording, everything was nice.

THE DON JAZZY FACTOR

Don Jazzy’s production skills, he says, played an important role in his decision to join the Mavin family.

Speaking in the same vein as the producer who revealed that there’s a decent working chemistry between them, Iyanya took it one step further by saying “it’s a blessing” to work with Don Jazzy.

He said: “The thing about me and Jazzy is that every time we work, it’s just very smooth and it’s always productive, so we just said let’s make it official.

“I made the decision to join Mavin because I saw that they have what I want. First of all, Don Jazzy is an amazing producer, musician, legendary. So working with him, or having him supervise my projects is a blessing for me. I’m just trying to get it right.”

OFFERS CAME THROUGH, BUT HE WANTED MAVIN

He also revealed to TheCable Lifestyle that he got offers from many people who were willing to fund his record label if he had been interested in starting one.

Iyanya said he had to “let go” of the opportunities for something that’s “sure”, and added that he was more inclined to embrace a new chapter in his career.

“There’s no offer I didn’t get. I’ve worked hard enough to have people call me and say ‘I have money and I’m ready to invest’. I have so many of them, both white, black, Africans before joining Mavin.

“Those offers were there but people will always come through with these deals. They want to make money. Now, when they invest and they don’t make money, they’ll abandon you.

According to the ‘Desire’ singer, “learning new things” outweighs the risk of starting afresh.

“I don’t want to take that risk and I don’t want anybody to go to the press and say, ‘Iyanya said he wants to run his label and I dropped N500 million and Iyanya has not done anything’.

“Those opportunities were there but I let all that go for something that I know is sure. Don Jazzy is a perfectionist. I’ve spent time with him, I’ve worked with him and I know what I’m saying. I just needed somebody like that so at least… I’m learning new things working with him.

“I’ll be 10 years in this industry in a couple of months but I don’t want to carry that on my head. I still feel like I can learn more,” Iyanya added, with a great deal of hope towards what the future has to offer his career with Mavin Records.