Tems’ manager Donawon reveals how he built her career without clout, co-signs, or major label deals — just conviction, systems, and spirit.
Afrobeats IntelligencePlay episode
Show notes
In this revealing episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with the elusive strategist behind Tems, one of Afrobeats’ most powerful voices. From spiritual practices to music industry frameworks, Donawon shares how he helped turn a misunderstood talent into a global force. Before the Grammy buzz, the Drake feature, and the Coachella stage, there was just a $500 bet and a belief. “If this fails, I’ll give you everything I have,” he told Tems.And then he built a team. A system. A legacy. Across this unfiltered conversation, Donawon breaks down: Why he walked away from gospel rap — and how that failure gave him purpose Why he built Faceless Management — and stayed in the shadows on purpose The system that scaled Tems’ career beyond algorithms or virality Why he fasts every month and lets faith guide business What’s next for the movement — including artists like Nsikak, Naya Akanji, and a new wave of Nigerian talent How rising stars like Rema, Fireboy DML, and Ayra Starr represent both inspiration and warning signs in today’s industry “Clout is for visibility. But conviction is what makes artists timeless.”“The artist is the fruit. But the tree? That’s where the real work happens.” Whether you’re a fan of Tems’ soulful R&B, an aspiring manager, or someone studying the Afrobeats industry from the inside, this episode is a blueprint for building greatness without shortcuts. Watch this if you’re building a team, launching a label, or dreaming of a music career. It’s long-term thinking for a short-term world. Timecodes: 4:55 - 5:50 {Managing Afrobeats artistes} 7:50 - 8:52 {External influences} 10:30 - 11:25 {Afrobeats as a collective?} 13:18 - 14:32 {Information/educational gap} 17:58 - 18:38 {Ownership and cataloguing} 22:40 - 23:49 {Conversion of the Afrobeats to the world movement} 27:30 - 28:41 {Choosing the artiste} 29:33 - 30:30 {Choosing the artiste 2} 33:46 - 34:54 {Management model vs Company model Nonso Amadi experience} 35:00 - 36:12 {Management model vs Company model 2} 36:25 - 37:30 {Manager - Artiste relationship} 41:41 - 42:43 {Music as a business vs Music as a brand} 58:40 - 59:48 {Managing Omah lay/Clarity of mind} Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
