Nigerian singer Johnny Drille, whose real name is John Ighodaro, has revealed that he was pressured by major record labels to change his musical style, but he refused to compromise his sound.
According to the ‘Wait For Me’ crooner, two major labels wanted to sign him but insisted that he make his music more upbeat and danceable. However, he chose to stay true to his unique style.
Speaking on the CreativTea podcast, Johnny Drille said that Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy took a big risk by signing him without asking him to change.
“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.
“There were two other major labels 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?’
“But when I met Don Jazzy, there were no conversations like that. He was just a fan of the music. That was a big risk to take, but he pulled it off.”
Johnny Drille gained fame after participating in the sixth season of Project Fame West Africa in 2013. He released his breakout single ‘Wait For Me’ in 2015 and later joined Mavin Records in 2017. His debut album, Before We Fall Asleep, was released in 2021.
