Prepare the master
Export the final mix as an uncompressed WAV file — the standard is 24-bit / 48kHz. Listen to the file all the way through, from beginning to end, on headphones and on a phone speaker. Check the start and the end for clicks, and don't leave extra silence at either end.
Cover art that passes review
Your cover art travels with the release to every store. The spec is 3000×3000 pixels, RGB. Keep text minimal and readable at thumbnail size, and avoid platform logos, account handles, prices and links — stores reject cover art that carries them.
Metadata and codes
Metadata is how the world finds you: an artist name spelled the same way on every release, the real title with no decoration, and the correct language and genre tags. The codes — ISRC for the recording and UPC for the release — are assigned during preparation; you don't need to buy them anywhere.
Choose the release date
Give yourself room. A date several weeks out leaves space for review, delivery and pitching before day one. Line the date up with anything you control — a video, a show, a run of posts — so the release lands with support behind it rather than alone.
Request your invite
Mazufa works by invitation only. Completed applications enter a human review queue as capacity allows. Submitting does not create an account; those accepted may receive a dedicated preparation invite.
After acceptance
After preparation, your release is packaged to spec and delivered to every platform, and its data is pitched to the appropriate editorial and algorithmic surfaces. From there, watch your dashboard: streams, saves and playlist adds, per platform and per country.
The fingerprint code every recording carries — it tracks streams and earnings worldwide.
Your release barcode — one per single, EP or album.
Digital service provider — Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami and every store on earth.
The problem nobody talks about
Plenty of musicians suddenly discover that the amount that reached their account is less than they expected. Not because streams fell, but because the distributor changed the reference currency or the payout country in the account settings, sometimes without prior notice. That change can eat into a share of your earnings in complete silence.
How does a currency change affect the actual amount?
When your earnings are collected from platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music, the figures arrive in several currencies (dollars, euros, pounds sterling). The distributor converts these amounts into the payout currency set on your account. The problem shows up at three levels:
- The internal exchange rate: Most distributors do not use the official central bank rate; they add a margin of their own.
- Timing: If the currency changes in the middle of an earnings period, the new rate is applied to amounts that accumulated over months.
- Withholding tax: Changing the payout country may place you in a different tax regime, and a withholding tax you were unaware of may be deducted from your earnings.
A worked example
Suppose your monthly earnings came to 500 dollars, and the distributor converts them at an exchange rate 4% below the official one. That means losing 20 dollars a month, or 240 dollars a year, without any notice.
The warning signs to watch for
- Amounts arriving suddenly lower even though the stream count held steady or rose.
- A currency appearing on the earnings statement other than the one you are used to.
- An email in the notifications section mentioning a "payment settings update".
- A change in the payment due date with no clear explanation.
Practical steps to protect your earnings
- After reviewing the data, the offer sets out the available destinations and the revenue share, services, rights and deductions before the contract. Check the currency and payout country recorded on your account; don't assume they stay fixed.
- Keep an exchange rate reference: Keep the official exchange rate for the day the earnings arrived and compare it with what actually reached you.
- Read the terms of service carefully: Look for the clauses on "currency conversion" and "payment country"; many distributors commit only to notifying you, not to obtaining your consent.
- Turn on email notifications: Make sure the distributor's messages are not going to your spam folder.
- Document everything: Keep copies of the monthly earnings statements so you can compare the figures when needed.
- Contact support immediately: If you notice an unexplained change, send a written enquiry and keep the replies to build an official record.
What sets a trustworthy distributor apart?
A good distributor notifies you in advance of any change that affects how you are paid, states the exchange rate used on every statement, and gives you full control over the choice of currency and payout country. At Mazufa, payment settings and any changes to them remain dependent on the account, the provider and the terms in force, and any change requires your explicit confirmation.
Summary
A change of currency or payout country without notice can amount to a real financial loss that builds up over time. What is required of you as a musician is regular monitoring, consistent documentation, and working with a distributor that puts payment transparency at the heart of what it does.