Last weekend, newcomer Mavo shocked Afrobeats by locking down the top 3 spots on the charts. For an artiste that many consider average, the guy’s motion is something that needs to be studied. Big artistes are riding his wave. Listeners are connecting and shouting “Kilo” while Afrobeats purists watch, aghast and befuddled. Mavo’s biggest secret, however, is not his relatability and pedestrian lyrics. It is his team, Inner Circle Entertainment. Yes, the same team that pushed Fido from ‘Awolowo’ to ‘Joy Is Coming’. They were the same team that pushed Kunmie of ‘Arike’ fame. They have done this before and are fast becoming the go-to management outfit for breaking obscure artistes into Afrobeats mainstream. When Fido fell out with them, I wrote a piece stating that it was a grave error and will mark the beginning of the end. Impatience and ignorance make artistes do ridiculous things and it is easy to assume that you have arrived and can do the work. That’s until you find yourself, alone, swimming in the deep end, drowning. If Fido had been patient, Inner Circle would have made him a bonafide superstar. He was on that trajectory already. He was a good singer and had an infectious smash hit that resonated around the globe. But hubris, hubris was his Achilles’ heel. For all the motion we see with Mavo, I am happier for the entire Inner Circle Team. I have been a label executive and I know how incredibly hard it is to break an artiste. What you are seeing is not luck. It is tears, blood and sweat of few persons, who bet everything on an unknown artiste - money, time, effort - with no guarantees that it will pan out. Seeing Mavo blow up is sweet victory and I am incredibly happy for them. Long may the streak continue. 🙏🏽❤️ ©️UK Alaneme, 2025. #Mavo #MusicBusiness #BestOfAfrobeats #AlaAfrica

Last weekend, newcomer Mavo shocked Afrobeats by locking down the top 3 spots on the charts. For an artiste that many consider average, the guy’s motion is something that needs to be studied. Big artistes are riding his wave. Listeners are connecting and shouting “Kilo” while Afrobeats purists watch, aghast and befuddled. Mavo’s biggest secret, however, is not his relatability and pedestrian lyrics. It is his team, Inner Circle Entertainment. Yes, the same team that pushed Fido from ‘Awolowo’ to ‘Joy Is Coming’. They were the same team that pushed Kunmie of ‘Arike’ fame. They have done this before and are fast becoming the go-to management outfit for breaking obscure artistes into Afrobeats mainstream. When Fido fell out with them, I wrote a piece stating that it was a grave error and will mark the beginning of the end. Impatience and ignorance make artistes do ridiculous things and it is easy to assume that you have arrived and can do the work. That’s until you find yourself, alone, swimming in the deep end, drowning. If Fido had been patient, Inner Circle would have made him a bonafide superstar. He was on that trajectory already. He was a good singer and had an infectious smash hit that resonated around the globe. But hubris, hubris was his Achilles’ heel. For all the motion we see with Mavo, I am happier for the entire Inner Circle Team. I have been a label executive and I know how incredibly hard it is to break an artiste. What you are seeing is not luck. It is tears, blood and sweat of few persons, who bet everything on an unknown artiste - money, time, effort - with no guarantees that it will pan out. Seeing Mavo blow up is sweet victory and I am incredibly happy for them. Long may the streak continue. 🙏🏽❤️ ©️UK Alaneme, 2025. #Mavo #MusicBusiness #BestOfAfrobeats #AlaAfrica