- Acclaimed singer Johnny Drille shares the challenges he faced in getting a record deal early in his career.
- Two major record labels expressed interest in signing him but required changes to his sound.
- He chooses to stay true to his musical style and refuses to compromise his authenticity.
Sensational singer John Ighodaro, better known as Johnny Drille, is opening up about the challenges he faced when trying to get a record deal early in his career.
The “Wait for Me” singer revealed that two major record labels expressed interest in signing him but wanted him to modify his voice. However, he refused to compromise his style, choosing to keep his music authentic.
Johnny Drille says it was a big gamble for Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy to sign him, noting that the decision was motivated by passion rather than profit.
He said on a recent episode of the CreativeTea podcast:
“People never imagined that Mavin Records, owned by Don Jazzy, would sign an alternative artist like me. It was strange to a lot of people.
There were two other major labels in Nigeria who wanted to sign me, but the conversation was always about ‘How do we change your sound? How do we make it faster? How do we make it danceable?
However, when I met Don Jazzy, there was no such conversation. He was just a real fan of music… It was a big risk, but he made it work. “
Johnny Drille shot to fame in 2013 after participating in the sixth season of West Africa Fame. His debut single “Wait For Me” was released in 2015. He joined Mavin Records in 2017 and released his first album “Before We Fall Asleep” in 2021.
