Grammy nominee David Adeleke, better known by his stage as Davido, has joined up with UnitedMasters, a US distribution company, to form Nine+ Records, a new record label.
In an interview with Billboard, the head of the DMW label stated that his goal is to take the company beyond Afrobeats in order to attract a worldwide audience.
The relationship was motivated by Davido’s desire to support up-and-coming talent and tackle the issues faced by young musicians in the music business.
“Oh yeah, everything. R&B, trap, etc. Obviously, I am going to start in Africa, but I can see us going all the way,” he said.
“There is one thing that I will always love, which is nurturing new talent…Sometimes, you do not have anybody to advise you on how to move and get good paperwork done.
“I just felt like that was one thing Steve Stoute represents, and that is helping the artistes and making sure they know the best option when it comes to business.”
The news of the partnership was also shared by United Masters via their official Instagram page in what they termed a “groundbreaking collaboration with Davido”.
According to a press statement from United Masters, the collaboration would see one of the most significant individuals on the continent catapult the careers of up-and-coming musicians to previously unheard-of heights, revolutionising the African music industry.
While Nine+ Records has not yet revealed any artists, UnitedMasters CEO Steve Stoute revealed that the label’s idea originated at the 2023 UnitedMasters SelectCon, when he and Davido first connected.
The music executive stressed his dedication to supporting Davido‘s future endeavours as well as those of the company.
“We are here to bring that structure and funding so he can do what he has to do,” he said.
“If I can get him in the room with the producers and the artistes, and I can get it out the room, that is my job. To get in the room and to get out.”
Davido established DMW, his music label, in April 2016.
