African music platform to pay $1m in royalties
Musicians on stage. Looking ahead, Mdundo is projecting royalties payouts between $1.1 million and $1.3 million in 2025. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- According to Mdundo, this shift towards hyperlocal markets aligns with its goal of strengthening connections with African audiences while offering artistes new pathways to reach listeners and generate income.
A leading African music platform has announced that it is now prioritising hyperlocal markets to enhance the reach and impact of both its artistes and advertisers, focusing on tailored content in key regions across the continent.
“This approach has led to specific content development in their regions, where they spotlight Kalenjin and Kamba music in Kenya, Western Uganda, Tanzania with Singeli, and Nigeria focusing on Hausa content,” Mdundo.com disclosed in a statement, adding, “This strategy not only enhances the platform’s appeal to localised audiences but also significantly boosts the visibility and income potential for artists creating within these niches.”
According to Mdundo, this shift towards hyperlocal markets aligns with its goal of strengthening connections with African audiences while offering artistes new pathways to reach listeners and generate income. By localising content, Mdundo adds incremental value to its advertising clients, who benefit from targeted reach, and to artistes, who gain increased exposure in their communities.
Partnerships with global and regional powerhouses like Africori, Mavin, Universal Music Group, Warner Music, Slide Digital, and Content Connect Africa, have enabled Mdundo to maintain a diverse and highly sought-after music catalogue. These collaborations ensure that both well-established and emerging artistes can monetise their work effectively.Since its inception, Mdundo has paid royalties to over 156,000 artistes, with each payout cycle seeing growth in the number of beneficiaries.
Martin Nielsen, CEO of Mdundo, emphasises the company’s mission to offer a sustainable platform for African artistes. “Our commitment is to deliver consistent and meaningful earnings, helping individual artists grow while fostering the broader development of Africa’s music industry.”
Looking ahead, Mdundo is projecting royalties payouts between $1.1 million and $1.3 million in 2025. This growth underscores the platform’s role in ensuring that artistes are compensated fairly and that their creative output leads to tangible financial success.
Mdundo made a substantial payout to rights owners, record labels and musicians totalling between $1.2 to $1.5 million for the 2023/2024 period. By focusing on hyperlocal markets, Mdundo is tapping into regions often underserved by larger global platforms, creating growth opportunities for both artistes and advertisers.
This strategy, combined with robust distribution, a user-friendly platform, and innovative marketing tools, solidifies Mdundo’s role as a key driver of financial empowerment in Africa’s music ecosystem. As the company continues to expand, it promises even greater support for artists looking to monetise their work and reach new audiences.Mdundo is Africa’s premier music distribution platform, transforming the industry by enabling artists to distribute, promote, and monetise their music. Its user base totals 34.5 million Monthly Active Users across multiple African countries. This is largely thanks to its diverse and extensive roster of over 172,000 content providers. Currently, over 145,000 artistes have accounts with Mdundo.com.
