French composers team up with Nigerian stars to craft the next global hits
The rhythm of Afrobeats is getting a French twist. Nine French composers specializing in rap, pop, and urban music recently joined forces with Nigerian Afrobeats artists to create 60 tracks aimed at international audiences.
Over the course of a week at Mavin Records’ headquarters in Lagos, the artists blended French, English, Nigerian Pidgin, and Creole into dynamic musical collaborations. The label, known for producing Afrobeats sensations like Rema, Ayra Starr, Ladipoe, and Magixx, hosted the innovative project.
Akotchaye Okio, director of the international artists’ rights organization Sacem, which organised the camp alongside the French embassy and Mavin Records, said: “If even one or two songs hit globally like Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush’ or Rema’s ‘Calm Down,’ then we will have achieved our goal.
The cross-continental collaboration signals a growing fusion of Afrobeats with European influences, potentially shaping the next wave of international chart-toppers.
