Foysol Choudhury MSP Celebrates Scotland’s Most Promising Culturally Innovative Music Start-Up
On Friday, April 25, Mamba Sounds, a creative-tech company based in Edinburgh, celebrated the launch of its groundbreaking music streaming platform and company at the RBS building in St Andrews Square, Edinburgh.
The event marked a significant milestone for the company, which has already achieved remarkable success in the music industry, spearheading collaboration with top African talent.
With over 2 billion cumulative streams driven through its playlisting network, Mamba Sounds has proven the commercial viability and global reach of its platform model. Artists promoted via Mamba Sounds, including artists such as ‘BoyBreed’, ‘Kokoë’, and ‘Eugy’, have reached audiences in more than 190 countries, including key streaming markets such as the UK, US, Nigeria, France, and Brazil.
They are driven by their work in building infrastructure for the future of African and global music and supporting artists through tech-enabled tools, curation, and fair growth strategies.
To date, the collective has generated over 10 million streams, secured 335+ major playlist placements, and reached 9.66 million+ listeners. Campaigns have delivered 115 chart placements, 14.6K+ Shazams, and over 1.48 million video views across key platforms.
The company has curated and supported the careers of over 300 artists across genres and geographies through its platforms like Afrolister and internal campaigns. Notably, 70% of the talent supported identifies as Black or multicultural, reflecting Mamba Sounds’ core mission to amplify underrepresented voices in music.
Mamba Sounds is backed by Innovate UK’s Creative Catalyst Grant and the RBS Entrepreneur Accelerator, positioning it as one of Scotland’s most promising creative startups. At the launch event, the company unveiled two scalable tools designed to empower artists with development resources, music distribution insights, and analytics to grow their careers independently.
Looking ahead, Mamba Sounds has been invited to showcase its work at the Scottish Parliament on 19 June, 2025, further highlighting its cultural relevance and policy-aligned innovation, sponsored by Foysol Choudhury MSP.
This recognition underscores the company’s impact not only within the music industry but also in shaping conversations around creative entrepreneurship and representation. Founder Leo Fakhrul is also set to speak at the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) at the African Union in Addis Ababa on May 13, further spotlighting Scottish creative innovation on the global stage.
The launch event was a celebration of Mamba Sounds’ achievements and its commitment to driving change in the music industry. With its innovative platform, global influence, and dedication to supporting diverse talent, Mamba Sounds is set to redefine the landscape of artist development and music distribution.
This is the type of work that should be supported and championed. Congratulations to the whole team, especially Leo Fakhrul and Ziyad Alrasbi for their leadership and dedication to their craft.
Commenting, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I am proud to offer my support to this dedicated group of young entrepreneurs, who truly are paving the way for this new wave of Scottish innovation and creative-tech companies to thrive with inclusivity at the forefront of their mission.”