Record labels wanted to kill my sound — Johnny Drille opens up

Nigerian singer and songwriter, John Ighodaro, popularly known as Johnny Drille, has opened up about the early struggles he faced in his music career before securing a record deal with Mavin Records.

The “Wait For Me” crooner revealed that two major Nigerian record labels had shown interest in signing him but wanted to change his unique alternative sound to something more commercial and danceable.

Speaking on the CreativTea Podcast, Johnny Drille said he chose to stay true to his art, even when it meant losing potential record deals.

“There were two other major labels in Nigeria that wanted to sign me, but the conversation was always around, ‘How do we change your sound? How do we make it faster? How do we make it danceable?’” he recalled.

He noted that Mavin Records CEO, Don Jazzy, was the only one who believed in his sound without trying to alter it.

“When I met Don Jazzy, there were no conversations like that. He was just really a fan of the music… that was a big risk to take, but he pulled it off,” Drille said.

The singer added that many people were surprised that a mainstream record label like Mavin, known for Afrobeats and pop stars, would sign an alternative artist like him.

“People could never have imagined that a Mavin Records under Don Jazzy would sign an alternative artist like myself. It was weird for a lot of people,” he said.

Johnny Drille rose to fame after participating in the sixth season of Project Fame West Africa in 2013. His breakout single “Wait For Me” was released in 2015, and he officially joined Mavin Records in 2017.

He released his debut album, “Before We Fall Asleep,” in 2021.