What I Fear Will Happen to Nigerian Music - Johnny Drille

It is not news to anybody right now that Nigerian music and Afrobeats in general is having its moment right now in the international space. Our artistes are now internationally renowned. Collaborating with global superstars, working with global celebrities, performing and having their music played all over the world. Afrobeats right now is the rave of the moment and it is exciting. But amidst the excitement, there is still some holdings of breaths happening.

One artiste who is talking about his fear about the way Afrobeats music is going is MAVIN singer, Johnny Drille. When Johnny Drille sat down with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu on Rubbin' Minds, he opened up about the fears he has right now with the way Afrobeats is going. Here is what Johnny Drille had to say.

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During the interview, Ebuka asked Johnny Drille: "Are you at a point now where you feel like you have to tweak your sound because it looks like there's a certain sound that has crossed over internationally now. Is that enticing you more?" Johnny Drille said:

So interestingly, I think that the crossover effect itself happened when the fusion happened. The Afrobeats that crossed over had to be fused in with some kind of thing that they understand. Some kind of RnB or pop in there. When I think of "Essence", I don't really think - "Essence" at its core, it sounds very RnB but of course it has African elements in there. So the fusion had to happen that is why it was so easy for Burna Boy to cross over. Because there's so much fusion going on in his music. So Afrobeats, I think it's amazing to see the recognition that Afrobeats is getting right now and I believe that it's a great amazing time for African music. And of course, I've been open to fusion and there's a lot there happening in my music right now. So yes, Afrobeats is a big sound right now and it's a good thing that the attention is on Africa.

"Does it worry you that it might just be Afrobeats' time for now?"

I'll tell you my fear. My fear is: cuz the world is very good at that, they find this new sound, they jump on it, they milk it. Sometimes they even make it their own, you don't even know where it came from. So I would have that reservation. But I think with the way we're going about it with people like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and the rest of them who are already making a name out of it and putting that Nigerian stamp of this is our music, this is our sound, I don't think it's something that would be easily taken away from us. But I do fear that the world at some point would start to look for what's that next thing if we don't keep it as African as we could.

What do you think about what Johnny Drille said? Do you agree with the fears that he has? Is it something that worries you as well? Or do you think it's no big deal? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

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