Why I left church music – Johnny Drille

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Nigerian singer and songwriter, Johnny Drille, has opened up about his struggles with acceptance within the church community despite starting his musical journey there.

Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, the Mavin Records artist revealed that although he once served as a music director in church, he never truly felt that his unique sound belonged there.

“I didn’t feel like my music was predominantly in church. Every now and then, I get invited to churches to sing, which is kind of interesting,” he said.

Johnny Drille also shared that his transition from gospel to mainstream music attracted backlash from some members of the Christian community, who questioned his new musical direction.

“I’ve gotten a bit of backlash from my Christian community every now and then when they invite me to churches. But at the end of the day, the music is positive. It speaks to good things that sometimes the church doesn’t want to talk about,” he explained.

The “How Are You (My Friend)” crooner further criticised how some churches avoid singing about love, despite it being a core part of human relationships and faith.

“The church shies away from talking about love. A lot of times you go for some Christian weddings and you hear Davido and Wizkid. What if the church decides that we want to start doing our own Christian love songs?” he added.

Reflecting on his early years, Drille said his time as a choir director shaped his skills as a musician, even though he rarely performed before congregations.

“There’s a place for worship music, right? But there’s also music about so much more that the church could be singing about. I was a music director, directing the choir, but I never really sang in front of the church. I think it helped me become the musician I am today in terms of my musicianship and performances,” he said.

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