Johnny Drille speaks on the Don Jazzy connection, and career success

Johnny Drille paid a visit to Pulse studio where he got to talk about his career success, Jon Bellion and how he sold himself to Don Jazzy.

From the city popularly known for its red sands and ancient history, Benin, came the young and talented music star, John Vincent Ighodalo also known as Johnny Drille whose vocal talent has remained a mystery to many.

From his voice to his simple character, Johnny Drille's presence at our studio on Monday, September 16, 2019, for the first time gave him away as the everyday 'nice guy' you'd love to have as your buddy.

We sat down to talk about his music from the scratch, meeting Don Jazzy, how the success story of his career and his recent meeting with Jon Bellion - a video from that meeting fans have watched a million and one times. Drille also revealed how Bellion sent him his private phone number so they can be in touch with each other. Though he could hardly stare at the camera all through the interview, Johnny was relaxed enough to even make us laugh all through the interview.

r Johnny, 2019 has been a really great year for him following some super moves like dropping not one, not two but five songs! This has also come with an increased fan base. 

Being a first caller at the Pulse studio we wanted to find out how Drille met Don Jazzy and was able to ink a record deal at one of Africa's biggest record labels, Mavin.

"Well, the first Johnny Drille song Jazzy ever heard or the first time Jazzy ever heard music from Johnny Drille was a cover of D'ja's song, I'm guessing, he has never really told me. I guess that should be the question I should ask him 'How did you hear about my music?...it could have been 'Love Don't Lie' because the day after I dropped the cover for D'ja's song was the day I got a message from Jazzy and he was like' i love what you did with that music, how old are you? Are you based in Lagos? Are you in school?' and all that, that was February 2015. That was the first time he contacted me about anything music. 

"I was really excited and about that time I probably had like 1300 followers and Jazzy was messaging me...the real Don Jazzy verified and it was awesome. Anyways we got talking...initially I was like hey he is about to sign me because at that time I think he just signed Korede, Reekado, and D'ja in 2014 and I was like OMG he is about to sign me too but that didn't happen until years on," he said.

Not hearing from Don Jazzy for months didn't deter Johnny as he kept on sending the music mogul messages, some of which he replied and others he didn't. Luck finally came his way in 2016 when Jazzy hit him up again and requested to meet him.

Experimenting and dabbling into the popular Nigerian music for Johnny Drille is something he would love to do even though he doesn't plan to go wild and too experimental about it.

One thing Johnny Drille has become famous for, is his ability to take an amazing song, tweak it, and give a different feel. Every time he has done a cover for an original song, lovers and critics of music do not only applaud his courage and versatility but his ability to own such song.

Covers have always been a thing I love to do... I know a lot of people will be like 'hey why are you always doing covers?' The first song that got me into the limelight was a cover song. It just beautiful when you can interpret an already existing song your own way. I guess that's what buys people, that's what draws people to my songs. It's like an interpretation, you've heard it before, you already love it but it's just another perspective," he said.

We couldn't wait to ask the Mavin star how he met and became friends with American musician, Jon Bellion.

"This is how I like to look at it in my head. I'm the only Nigerian Jon Bellion...I'm just kidding. Jon Bellion loves Nigerians and he knows that he has a lot of fans. I have been a fan since 2015. I have forgotten how I found his music, I think I was on youtube all through that day...in 2017, I did a cover for 'All Time Low' one of my favourite Jon Bellion songs and I uploaded it on my Instagram and I didn't even tag him and I guess some people in the comments tagged him," he revealed. 

Jon Bellion following Johnny Drille on Instagram was the beginning of an amazing friendship as they started chatting back and forth until a few months after when he got a surprise response from Bellion himself.

"I tweeted at him asking him when he was going to bring his concert to Nigeria and he said not until I open for him at his concert."

The two finally met in the United States of America in 2019 when he (Johnny Drille) showed up for an event and it happened that Jon Bellion was touring at that time. 

"I texted him and had my passes at the gate...got there, went backstage and met Jon Bellion," he said. Johnny Drille also revealed that he would be opening for Jon Bellion at some of the international music star's concert but refused to let the cat out of the bag.

Despite being a pop artist, this didn't stop Drille from selling out his concerts back in December 2018 in Abuja where he had over 1500 fans in attendance and another one in Lagos with fans numbering 3000 in attendance. This year Johnny plans to have a repeat but this time round he would be adding a third city - Benin City.

Before rounding off his interview session, Johnny Drille revealed that he would have ended up as a teacher if he hadn't become a musician!

Niger Delta Youths Occupy AGIP, Shutdown Flow Station

Youths of Abuetor, Agbere, Osekwenike and Osifo communities in Sagbama local government area of Bayelsa State has occupied the premises of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, (NAOC) Samabri flow station, and shut it down over alleged neglect, marginalization, and community development

.The youths under the aegis of the Samabri Agip Host Communities Youth Federation, who took over the flow station in the early hours of today, locked up Agip’s well-head.

The protest which entered its second day led by the group's leaders, Perfect Ikpekri, Hilari Orusomu, Micheal Lewis and Omoro Akpoeyiemi Secretary, vowed to continued to occupy the flow station until their demands were met.

Ikpekri said, "Despite our peaceful disposition to peaceful oil exploration activities for over 20 years in our communities, the company has failed to fulfil their promise of youth employment, contracts to our people and community development."

An official of the company, who gave his name as Clifford, told SaharaReporters: "I cannot talk to the press on this issue."

Champions League: Real Madrid announces squad to face PSG [Full list]

Real Madrid have announced their squad that will take on Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League group-stage fixture on Wednesday night at Parc des Princes.

Real Madrid coach, Zinedine Zidane named a 19-man squad to face PSG on Tuesday through the club’s official website.

Real Madrid head to the game following a 3-2 victory against Levante in the La Liga over the weekend.

Below is Real Madrid’s squad against PSG:

Goalkeepers: Courtois, Areola and Altube.

Defenders: Carvajal, Militão, Varane, Odriozola, Mendy and De la Fuente.

Midfielders: Kroos, Casemiro and James.

Forwards: Hazard, Benzema, Bale, Lucas V, Jović, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo.

The kick-off time for the match is 8pm.

Benue man loses wife, three children in accident

A man from Benue state, Tarvershima Jebe, on Sunday lost his wife and three children in an auto-accident which happened at Unguwan Ciyawa in Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa state while on their way to Makurdi from Abuja. Jebe’s loss consisted of his wife, a son and two daughters among the 13 people reported to have died in the accident involving a vehicle owned by the Benue state transport company in which the deceased were travelling in.

A close relative of the family told our correspondent in Makurdi that the grief for the man in the eye of the storm was indescribable because he had nothing more left.

The relative said the man lost everything – his wife and all his children, adding that the deceased would be buried on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has commiserated with families of those who died in the accident. Ortom described the incident as painful, stressing that the tragedy was a sad moment for the entire state. He also directed the State Ministry of Works and Transport to liaise with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited whose bus was involved in the unfortunate accident to ensure that the survivors are given urgent attention while the bodies of those who died are properly deposited in the mortuary. The governor further assured that the state government will support the treatment of the survivors and assist the bereaved families to bury their loved ones just as he prayed God to grant the victims eternal rest.

Neymar’s European suspension reduced to two games

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has reduced Paris St Germain striker Neymar’s suspension from three to two UEFA games for insulting match officials, CAS said on Tuesday.

PSG and the Brazilian had appealed against the three-game ban imposed by European governing body UEFA in June, and CAS partially upheld the appeal.

Neymar labelled the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system “a disgrace” after PSG were eliminated from the Champions League last 16 by Manchester United after the Premier League side were awarded a decisive last-gasp penalty in a 3-1 win at the Parc des Princes.

Neymar will be eligible to play in the Champions League in the third round of matches, when PSG travel to Club Brugge on Oct. 22.

The 27-year-old made his PSG season debut last Saturday after his failed transfer to Barcelona, scoring the only goal in stoppage time against Racing Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

He is suspended for PSG’s Champions League start against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

police speaks out about Nnamdi kanu"s father arrest

The Abia State Police Command has debunked claims by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that its personnel were planning to arrest the father of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

IPOB had at the weekend raised alarm about the presence of policemen and other security personnel around the home of their leader. This is even as they (IPOB) claimed that the target of the security agencies was to arrest Kanu’s father who reportedly arrived his compound almost two years after his compound was invaded by soldiers.

In a telephone interview with our reporter on Monday, the State Police Commissioner, CP Ene Okon said “What IPOB has given to you people is completely false.

“As a matter of fact, we received intelligence report that IPOB is going to have a meeting in Nnamdi Kanu’s house.

“They prepared also for a protest over the alleged killing of their members during the operation Python Dance and as an organization that is charged with maintenance of law and order and to ensure peace, based on the intelligence that we gathered, we have to fortify the already existing police points within the area which has been there for the past two years.

“All that we did is to put in more number of police in that area to ensure that there is peace in that area. No policeman entered Nnamdi Kanu’s house or his father’s house.

“IPOB is pushing out propaganda to blackmail the police. The police didn’t even know whether Nnandi Kanu’s father is at home or not. Under what offence will the police go to arrest Nnamdi Kanu’s father; a 90-years-old man?

“If police have anyone to arrest, it is Nnamdi Kanu that the police will arrest because he has been declared wanted and not the father.

“It is mere propaganda or blackmail to win the sympathy of the Igbos by the IPOB. Remember that IPOB has been proscribed by law and they remain proscribed.

“Any of their activities and gathering is illegal. If we get intelligence of their gathering which will disrupt the peace of the area, I don’t think that we should sit back and look at them disturbing the peace of the area,” Okon stated

Nightclub brawl: Boys stabbed provoked our man to fight —Ondo police

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Undie Adie has ordered for an investigation into the brawl that ensued between a police officer, Taiwo Orisade and some boys at a popular night club in Alagbaka area of Akure, the state capital.

Orisade, who was alleged to have been drunk, allegedly stabbed nine persons in the club during a brawl. The policeman and the victims were said to have been injured during the fight and had been taken to hospitals for treatment.

The state police command’s Public Relations Officer Mr Femi Joseph, in a statement on Monday, said the CP had ordered for a full investigation into the matter.

He, however, explained that from the preliminary investigation conducted by the command, Orisade was provoked by the boys which led to the free for all.

According to the PPRO, the preliminary investigation also revealed that three boys were involved in the brawl, not nine and the police officer did not stab any of them.

He said, “There was a social gathering organised by a friend to one of our policemen, Sergeant Taiwo Orishalade at a popular eatery in Akure to celebrate the birthday of his girlfriend. The police officer who was not on official duty and also not in uniform sat with some other guests at the party.

“At a point, some boys who apparently identified the police officer even though he was in mufti, approached him to buy drinks for them. The policeman humbly told them that he was just invited by a friend to the party and besides, he did not have enough money on him to accede to their request.

“The boys who were apparently drunk and appeared like miscreants insisted that the officer must buy them drinks or leave the scene, or in the alternative be ready to be killed just like they did to his colleague inspector sometime ago. The officer pleaded with them to take things calmly, but in a twinkle of an eye, one of the boys slapped him while the other one took a bottle, smashed it and stabbed the Sergeant with it.

“Naturally, he had to fight back which resulted in injuries to the three of them. The three of them involved in the incident including the policeman were taken to the hospital, treated and discharged. ”
He said all the boys involved in the fight had refused to report at the police station.