SUMMARY

• Benon says Zafaran’s departure from Swangz Avenue was purely a business decision.
• He denied claims that the label stopped her from using her name or YouTube channel.
• The singer, now rebranding as Zafar, is set to begin a new chapter independently.

Benon Mugumbya, a co-founder of Swangz Avenue, has come out to clarify the recent statements made by one of the label’s former artists, Zafaran, regarding her departure from the record label.

It should be noted that the singer recently announced she had left the Makindye-based music label. She also revealed that she was rebranding from Zafaran to Zafar and launching a new YouTube channel, leading many fans to believe that Swangz Avenue had copyrighted her stage name and taken over her original channel.

However, according to Benon, that was never the case. He explained that Zafaran’s exit was purely a business decision reached after both parties evaluated the partnership and concluded it was no longer commercially sustainable.

“It was a purely business decision, nothing dramatic. In this business, you constantly evaluate whether a partnership still makes sense and whether the investment is adding up.”

Benon further revealed that the label had intended to issue a public statement earlier but delayed doing so because of ongoing contractual obligations with a European promoter and out of respect for the artist’s request for more time.

He also dismissed claims that Swangz Avenue had prevented the singer from using her stage name or withheld her YouTube channel, saying the handover process is already underway and that both parties remain on good terms.

“We’re in the process of handing over everything. We’ll continue supporting her in any way possible because we still believe in her talent. There’s absolutely no drama.”

It should be noted that Swangz Avenue signed Zafaran in 2022 with high expectations. Although she quickly became a fan favorite thanks to her vocal ability and unique sound, her music never achieved the commercial success the label had hoped for. According to Benon, this ultimately informed the difficult decision to end the partnership, with the label concluding that the project was no longer commercially viable.