24th November, 2023
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Nigerian afrobeat and Apala hip-pop musician Terry Alexandar Ejeh better known Terry Apala, has revealed why he refused to join Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records and Spaceship, Burna Boy’s record label.
Terry Apala, in a recent interview with the popular media personality Chude Jideonwo, said his mother advised him to be the face of any label he signs to.
He said despite opportunities with Don Jazzy and Burna Boy, he chose Nelson Jack, a record label where he could be the main artiste.
“I was the problem, my mum said something to me, she said ‘your kind of music is different from what your colleagues are doing. If you are gonna be in any record label, you are to be the face,” he said.
“So I met Don Jazzy in 2015, like a week after we met he sent me the contract but I could not sign it because I already knew where I was coming from.
“That same 2015 I got a call from Burna Boy’s mum, like Burna Boy is there already. I cannot be the second face, I have to be the face.
“So that same 2015, I got signed to Nelson Jack because I was the face. I had issues with the record label from the call they said I am not allowed to drop songs I think for like a year or two.
“I was not allowed to do anything, no interviews no shows, like I was not allowed to do anything.”
In 2017, he released a cover of Ed Sheeran’s hit single ‘Shape of You’, a cover that won him the Best Music Cover of the Year award at the City People Music Awards.
Apala is the originator of songs like ‘No Sege’, ‘Lock Up’, ‘Bad Girl’, and ‘Feel Me’.