The Dark Side of Being an Afrobeats Star Nobody Talks About — Mayorkun

Mayorkun on His Career and Breakthrough

Before becoming a star, Mayorkun worked at a bank opening accounts and struggled to pay rent. A short music clip he posted almost by accident caught Davido’s attention. After an anxious wait—including a couple of weeks when Davido went quiet—Mayorkun received the WhatsApp message that changed everything: “Pack your things.” The message arrived as he was walking back to his seat after leading praise and worship at church.

His breakthrough brought an immediate practical benefit. Mayorkun says the first cheque he received for “Mama” went straight to rent: ₦5 million for a whole house he shared with his friends. Later, his former bank booked him for a show and paid him more than he would have earned there in five years. His mother had worried about him leaving a steady job to pursue music, but eventually saw that the gamble had worked.

Fame and the Music Business

Mayorkun says becoming popular is “easy work” compared with staying relevant. He argues that artists shouldn’t have to act outrageous just to feed the algorithm. He prefers to be himself, and says social media can be useful—but artists need to understand how to use it rather than hide behind an air of mystery.

He is sceptical of some streaming-era hype, saying songs can be pushed until people believe they’re hits, even when listeners haven’t naturally taken to them. He prefers the pre-streaming era, when a song’s popularity felt more genuine. At the same time, he says nobody can reliably predict a hit in the studio. His song “Eleko” once reached a million views in a week, but at an early show he wondered whether even seven people knew it when the crowd didn’t sing along.

Creativity and Songwriting

Mayorkun describes his creative process as instinctive rather than planned. He usually arrives at the studio, listens to beats and lets ideas emerge.

He has written songs for other artists since his early days, sometimes giving tracks away because they suited another singer better. He says he doesn’t regret doing so. He is preparing a five-song EP tied to his ten-year milestone, though some songs he once intended for it no longer feel right for him.

Criticism, Resilience and Support

Negative reactions to his music affected Mayorkun so deeply that he stopped writing lyrics he cared about for two years. He eventually resumed after his manager reminded him that not every song has to be a number one.

Mayorkun says artists need to develop resilience, especially now that they face constant public scrutiny and higher costs to break through. He also credits Davido with looking out for him early in his career: Davido insisted that he find a lawyer before signing a deal, paid for the lawyer himself and later encouraged him to start his own business.

Personal Stories

Mayorkun once put “Mayor” on a car’s number plate and enjoyed the attention. But being chased by fans eventually grew tiresome, and he decided Uber sounded better.

During lockdown, he bought six bikes for his family, though the hosts wondered where anyone would ride them in Lagos. He also says he lasted only about 18 hours in London before wanting to go home. He described life abroad as feeling like “a prison” because he didn’t feel he belonged there.

What’s Next

Mayorkun wants to stage two different shows: one acoustic or orchestral performance to showcase his singing, and another built around a DJ and the party side of his music. He prefers performing in Nigeria, especially in December, while noting that his UK fanbase is growing.

Asked who should be a future podcast guest, he nominated Fireboy.

Personalities

• Mayorkun — Guest and central figure.
• Chika and Etch — Hosts, as identified in the subtitles.
• Davido — Discussed as the person who discovered and supported Mayorkun.
• Fresh and FA — Producers and collaborators mentioned in connection with a song.
• Frank — Mayorkun’s longtime manager.
• Fireboy — Named by Mayorkun as a potential future guest.