Victony's SLICK has passed 130 million streams worldwide, giving the Nigerian Afrobeats artist a major hit. His label, Encore Recordings, says the song's reach proves that artists can find fans abroad without changing their music for each market.
The US accounts for 32 million plays, while UK listeners have added 18 million. Spotify alone has logged over 55 million, and TikTok users have made more than 5.5 million posts with the track.
Chart results back up the hype. SLICK held the top spot on Britain's official Afrobeats ranking for 13 straight weeks. Across the Atlantic, it reached No. 2 on the US Afrobeats Songs chart.
Behind the release is Los Angeles indie label Encore, which Joie Manda set up after his stint as an executive at Interscope Geffen A&M. Ned Monahan, a former Spotify global hits chief, joined as general manager and later became president.
Victony was one of Encore's first major bets. The firm signed him in 2022, when Soweto from his Outlaw EP helped bring his music to a wider crowd. His sound has since mixed Afrobeats, rap, and R&B with personal lyrics.
Manda's approach is fairly clear. Rather than chase every trend, he wants a small group of distinct acts with strong teams. He sees those close to the artists as key partners, since they tend to know their music and fans best.
And the team has been busy across Africa. Encore has added acts from Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, with a focus on music that can travel without losing its local roots.
SLICK also features on STARLIFE, Victony's album that has reached 178 million global streams, with 20 million from the US. Managers Shay Royale and Elochukwu Ububa served as executive producers.
Royale says the record grew through long studio sessions and real-life events. What began as an EP became a mixtape, then a full album. The goal was to make music that fit Victony's life while building a close fan community.
There's another link in his career path. Avex USA Publishing and Coup D'Etat Music brought Victony into their joint publishing venture after his early success with Encore.
The SLICK remix added Summer Walker and Don Toliver. Walker came aboard after a freestyle of hers gained traction online, while Toliver had already worked with Victony, Rema, and Tempoe on a remix of Soweto.
That earlier version has nearly 300 million Spotify plays. The new team-up also led to a live gig opportunity, with Toliver inviting Victony onto the European stretch of his NITROUS tour.
Paris hosted the opening show, while London's O2 is set to host the last stop. Royale sees the run as a way for Victony to meet new fans and reconnect with people who already follow his music.
Meanwhile, Encore has other acts making gains. Ghana's KiDi, Nigeria's Llona, and DJ Uncle Waffles, who was born in Eswatini and works in South Africa, are part of its lineup.
Uncle Waffles has drawn over 3.3 million TikTok posts with ZENZELE, while her debut track Tanzania holds a 7x Platinum award in South Africa. KiDi's Signature with Lasmid has passed 2.2 million TikTok posts and reached No. 30 on the US Afrobeats chart.
The wider African music market has been growing as well. Recorded music sales in sub-Saharan Africa rose 15.2% to $120 million in 2025, compared with global growth of 6.4%, per IFPI data.
South Africa made up 78.1% of that regional total. Still, Encore says it does not treat African music as one style or one type of audience.
Monahan sees long-term career potential in each act, even when their sounds have little in common. He plans to give them funds and support while letting them shape their music and public image.
For Victony's camp, the focus stays on working with trusted people and making music that reflects his roots. The global numbers are strong, but the team wants the artist's identity to remain at the heart of what comes next.
The US accounts for 32 million plays, while UK listeners have added 18 million. Spotify alone has logged over 55 million, and TikTok users have made more than 5.5 million posts with the track.
Chart results back up the hype. SLICK held the top spot on Britain's official Afrobeats ranking for 13 straight weeks. Across the Atlantic, it reached No. 2 on the US Afrobeats Songs chart.
Behind the release is Los Angeles indie label Encore, which Joie Manda set up after his stint as an executive at Interscope Geffen A&M. Ned Monahan, a former Spotify global hits chief, joined as general manager and later became president.
Victony was one of Encore's first major bets. The firm signed him in 2022, when Soweto from his Outlaw EP helped bring his music to a wider crowd. His sound has since mixed Afrobeats, rap, and R&B with personal lyrics.
Manda's approach is fairly clear. Rather than chase every trend, he wants a small group of distinct acts with strong teams. He sees those close to the artists as key partners, since they tend to know their music and fans best.
And the team has been busy across Africa. Encore has added acts from Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, with a focus on music that can travel without losing its local roots.
SLICK also features on STARLIFE, Victony's album that has reached 178 million global streams, with 20 million from the US. Managers Shay Royale and Elochukwu Ububa served as executive producers.
Royale says the record grew through long studio sessions and real-life events. What began as an EP became a mixtape, then a full album. The goal was to make music that fit Victony's life while building a close fan community.
There's another link in his career path. Avex USA Publishing and Coup D'Etat Music brought Victony into their joint publishing venture after his early success with Encore.
The SLICK remix added Summer Walker and Don Toliver. Walker came aboard after a freestyle of hers gained traction online, while Toliver had already worked with Victony, Rema, and Tempoe on a remix of Soweto.
That earlier version has nearly 300 million Spotify plays. The new team-up also led to a live gig opportunity, with Toliver inviting Victony onto the European stretch of his NITROUS tour.
Paris hosted the opening show, while London's O2 is set to host the last stop. Royale sees the run as a way for Victony to meet new fans and reconnect with people who already follow his music.
Meanwhile, Encore has other acts making gains. Ghana's KiDi, Nigeria's Llona, and DJ Uncle Waffles, who was born in Eswatini and works in South Africa, are part of its lineup.
Uncle Waffles has drawn over 3.3 million TikTok posts with ZENZELE, while her debut track Tanzania holds a 7x Platinum award in South Africa. KiDi's Signature with Lasmid has passed 2.2 million TikTok posts and reached No. 30 on the US Afrobeats chart.
The wider African music market has been growing as well. Recorded music sales in sub-Saharan Africa rose 15.2% to $120 million in 2025, compared with global growth of 6.4%, per IFPI data.
South Africa made up 78.1% of that regional total. Still, Encore says it does not treat African music as one style or one type of audience.
Monahan sees long-term career potential in each act, even when their sounds have little in common. He plans to give them funds and support while letting them shape their music and public image.
For Victony's camp, the focus stays on working with trusted people and making music that reflects his roots. The global numbers are strong, but the team wants the artist's identity to remain at the heart of what comes next.
