Mdundo to pay artists up to $1.5m in royalties

Mdundo head of music and licensing Wanjiku Koinange said the implementation of its Artist Royalty Payment Programme would benefit about 156 000 artists over the said period.

Mdundo has broken down the total amount payable to content providers as follows:

• Kenya: 44% for 56 000 active artists.
• Tanzania: 19% for 15 200 active artists.
• Nigeria: 17% for 25 000 active artists.
• South Africa: 7% for 7 500 active artists.
• Uganda: 6% for 19 800 active artists.
• Ghana: 6% for 6 900 active artists.

Koinange emphasised the platform’s commitment to empowering African artists. “Our belief extends beyond mere musical creations,” she said. “We are dedicated to nurturing the essence of African music. The Artist Royalty Payment Programme at Mdundo is evidence of our pledge to empower artists, ensuring their voices are heard and their earnings well-deserved.

“As Mdundo looks ahead, the Artist Royalty Payment Programme remains a beacon of hope for musicians across Africa. Mdundo’s commitment to fair compensation, strategic partnerships and innovative approaches paints a promising picture of the future of the music industry on the continent.”

Mdundo said it had seen growth in payment for major artists in East Africa including Kenya’s Vijana Barubaru at 68%, Tanzania’s Bony Mwaitege at 64%, and Uganda’s Levixone at 70%.

Meanwhile, Mdundo announced that it had partnered with Kenya-based media technology company Afrisauti. Speaking about the partnership, Afrisauti CEO Mutinda Boniface said: “Afrisauti is proud to join forces with Mdundo in rewriting the melody of artist support. As partners, we are harmonising our efforts to ensure that every musical note translates into tangible success for the creators. Mdundo is not just a platform, it’s a stage for transformative change.”

Last December, Mdundo entered into a partnership with Kenyan telco Safaricom to introduce a subscription service exclusive to its customers, offering DJ mixes at Ksh5 (about $0.031) per day.

The company said such collaborations aimed to boost the monetisation of music for artists, providing a consistent income stream to support sustainable music careers.

Mdundo boasts a diverse and extensive roster of more than 172 000 content providers, and its collaboration with labels across Africa guarantees its 30.8 million monthly active users – as of December 2023 – access to a wide array of music spanning different genres, styles and regions.