Mavo Wins Billboard’s African Rookie of the Month Honor

Mavo narrates his journey as he transforms from a newcomer to one of Afrobeats’ fastest-rising stars. The 22-year-old Nigerian artist was crowned by Billboard as the ‘African Rookie of the Month’ for November 2025.

He told Billboard that he scored two headline collaborations in 2025 with Davido and Wizkid through direct outreach. In the case of the Davido feature on “Shakabulizzy (Remix),” Mavo says Davido messaged him on social media requesting the song — he sent it, and Davido returned a verse the next day. Then Davido reportedly funded the music video too.

This collaboration lifted “Shakabulizzy (Remix)” onto playlists and helped it climb to number six on the Nigeria Spotify Top Songs chart. Meanwhile, the collaboration with Wizkid came via a more structured channel. Mavo received a message from DJ Tunez, asking him to send a chorus for a new song.

Within a month, Mavo got back the beat and laid his part, giving birth to “Money Constant,” a track which went on to chart in Nigeria and cemented Mavo’s rising star status. Interestingly, Mavo manages all this while still enrolled as a full-time optometry student at Afe Babalola University in Ekiti State.

He expects to complete his studies in July 2026. He says he uses school as a grounding force and loves eye care because of personal family inspiration. However, music remains inevitable; he believes the world already knows his voice, and his ability to juggle both worlds gives credence to the idea that he remains serious about academics even as his music career erupts.

Moreover, Mavo says he has more music coming. He confirmed plans for at least three new projects in the near future. He teased that his first major release among them will drop in the first quarter of next year and promised “serious music” that will “blow minds.

In a nutshell, Mavo appears ready to fully embrace the spotlight. As he balances education and artistry, his planned new projects could solidify his status beyond the “rookie” label. If he delivers on his promises, Mavo could become a defining voice for the next generation of Afrobeats.

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