Hazel Mak, Vwaza Multimedia unveil partnership
Musician Hazel Mak has signed an exclusive agreement with locally developed entertainment platform Vwaza Multimedia for the release of her upcoming album No Water No Flowers.
Under the agreement, the Afrima-winning artist will release the album and its singles exclusively on Vwaza Music, while her previous music will remain available on the platforms where it is currently distributed.
The new arrangement means listeners will buy the new music rather than stream it, with Vwaza saying the artist will receive payment directly from sales.
According to Vwaza Multimedia founder Joel Fickson Ngozo it is encouraging to see artists choose a local platform to distribute their music.
“An artist of Hazel’s standing has options to choose a different platform, but she chose an African platform. That is the argument we have been making for more than four years.” he said.
The deal also comes with a separate one-year memorandum of understanding appointing Mak as Vwaza’s United Kingdom brand ambassador.
Her role will initially cover Manchester and London, with planned events in France from June 2027.
“The role focuses on an intimate live series for African music in which artists are invited by uploading their work to the platform. Tickets for events under the MoU are sold through the Vwaza app,”
The appointment places no restriction on Hazel Mak’s own releases, performances or other partnerships.
In an interview, Hazel Mak said the pact is part of a broader effort to have control over how her music is distributed and the value generated from it.
“Releasing my music directly through Vwaza Multimedia is a statement about ownership, control and believing in the power of African platforms to tell our own stories,” she said.
The artist added that she wants to contribute to an ecosystem where African artists have greater control over their music and how it reaches audiences.
“For me, this is bigger than releasing a song. It is about choosing to build with an African platform, on our own terms, while still taking our music to the world. I believe the future of African music is not just about being heard globally, but about having ownership of the systems that help us get there,” she said.
Vwaza Multimedia is a Malawian-built entertainment platform that offers music, film and television, podcasts and a creator store and allows artists to retain their rights and receive direct payments.
