Johnny Drille Reveals Struggle to Secure Record Deal Due to Unique Sound

Sensational singer, John Ighodaro, widely known as Johnny Drille, has shed light on the initial challenges he faced in securing a record deal due to his distinctive musical style.

Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativTea podcast, the ‘Wait For Me’ crooner revealed that he was pressured by two other major Nigerian labels interested in signing him to significantly alter his sound, pushing for music that was “faster” or “danceable.”

“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 explained.

Drille, however, chose to remain authentic, a decision that eventually led him to Mavin Records. He credited Mavin Records CEO, Don Jazzy, for taking a massive risk by signing an alternative artist like himself to a label primarily known for Afrobeats.

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

He further emphasized that the decision was driven by genuine appreciation for his craft, not immediate profit projections. “However, 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 noted, highlighting that Don Jazzy signed him primarily because he was a fan of the music.

Johnny Drille, who gained prominence after participating in Project Fame West Africa in 2013, released his debut single ‘Wait For Me’ in 2015. He officially joined Mavin Records in 2017 and released his debut album, Before We Fall Asleep, in 2021.