Uwem Brown’s Journey Shapes Afrobeats Culture Through Marketing, Curation, and Music Programming

Uwem Brown, a seasoned African music executive, has made significant contributions to the digital music industry with over six years of experience. His expertise in marketing, curation, and driving user adoption across sub-Saharan Africa has been instrumental in growing platforms like Boomplay and Mdundo A/S.

At Boomplay, Brown’s content marketing and curation efforts, including launching editorial playlists like New Kids On The Block, played a pivotal role in increasing user acquisition and establishing curation frameworks. He led efforts that boosted in-app streams, interactions, and user retention, contributing to Boomplay’s user base growth to 76M between 2019 and 2020. Brown also pioneered popular editorial channels like Afrobeats & U, Streets of Lagos, and Lagos Treks.

“I see myself as a music marketing genius, breathing life into music content through trend analysis, data-driven insights, and CMS management,” Brown says. “My goal is to create authentic, relatable, and engaging content for users.”

Now leading Mdundo’s Curation and Product Performance in West Africa, Brown has overseen substantial growth, scaling Mdundo’s active user base from 1.9M in 2019 to 36M by September 2024. His innovative strategies, such as building a community of digital DJs, have enhanced content engagement, streaming, and downloads, positioning Mdundo as a key regional player.

Brown’s dedication to fostering emerging talent, promoting artists, and adopting cutting-edge digital solutions like AI in music programming defines his leadership. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Botany and a postgraduate certificate in Maritime Environment Studies.

Driven by a passion for technology-enabled digital services, Brown is committed to expanding streaming platforms across sub-Saharan Africa. His leadership and vision are vital to the digital music industry’s success and growth in Africa.