Nigerian singer and songwriter John Ighodaro, popularly known as Johnny Drille, has opened up about the challenges he faced early in his career while trying to secure a recording deal due to his unique musical style.

The ‘Wait For Me’ singer revealed that he was approached by two major record labels that wanted him to alter his sound, but he chose to stay true to his artistry.

Speaking on the CreativTea podcast, he highlighted the bold move by Mavin Records CEO Don Jazzy to sign him, noting that the decision was rooted in passion rather than profit.

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“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,” he said.

He added, “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?’”

Johnny Drille continued, “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.”

Johnny Drille first rose to prominence during the sixth season of Project Fame West Africa in 2013.

He released his debut single, Wait For Me, in 2015 before joining Mavin Records in 2017. His debut album, Before We Fall Asleep, was released in 2012, further cementing his position in the Nigerian music scene.