JONN P INTERVIEW: A frequent collaborator of global superstar Davido, Jonn P has spent years shaping the sound of contemporary Afrobeats from behind the curtains, with his creative fingerprints running across Davido’s Grammy-nominated album Timeless, where he co-wrote and produced standout tracks including ‘In The Garden’, ‘Kante’ and ‘E PAIN ME’. Jonn’s work has gone on to earn him international acclaim, including a Top 10 hit in Spain with Ozuna’s double-platinum record ‘Eva Longoria’ (feat. Davido), alongside collaborations with Chris Brown, Clean Bandit, Crayon, Ozuna, and more.
What five words define your sound?
Spiritual, Rich, Feelings, Romantic, Storytelling.
Tell me something unique about your creative process
My creative process is not complicated, it’s about being open-minded, going to the studio without clouding myself with too much intention regarding the sound. I allow myself to see how the inspiration will hit me. Then I channel the inspiration, and however it comes is how I deliver it.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
I like people to hear ‘Tomorrow’ first. I feel like it expresses much depth about me as a person and where I’m coming from. It gives people an opportunity to connect with my story and my sonic capabilities. It’s a hopeful song that has a lot of positive energy. I want people to have that as their first impression of me, someone who brings light into the world. So definitely ‘Tomorrow’ would be the first song I’d like everyone to hear. As it’s a representation of my true identity.
What inspired you to make that song?
When I made ‘Tomorrow’ I didn’t intend for it to be a song. I was going through a rough patch. After I was let down by a close friend, the situation led me to being alone without a place to call home. I had a studio I could always go to at any time so I went there and I was chilling on the balcony, reflecting. I started to reminisce on my mum singing an old lullaby. The lullaby is in my native language and it says “I know one day one day one day e go better.” The message is simply about believing that tomorrow will be okay. While singing that song for solace, I started attempting new melodies and lyrics. They were sounding so cool I had to run back down into the studio and started cooking around the ideas. It was very much an expression of my circumstance at that time and a reminder to myself that whatever I was going through, tomorrow will be better.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
The most vulnerable i’ve been when making music would be when I was told my music was trash and still needed to show up to make music regardless. Going through the emotions of unacceptance and rejection and still having to make music. Was a very vulnerable time for me.
Wha it t’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
The worst experience on stage would be trying to do an open mic in London. I thought the band actually knew all the songs in the world. They didn’t let me know that they couldn’t perform that song till I got on stage, and then when I got on stage, they didn’t know how to play this. All I was doing was just on stage trying to figure it out with them. It didn’t go well at all.
My best experience on stage would probably be when I was in church on this specific day. I didn’t plan to perform or plan to sing for a long time either. We were just doing a sound check for a concert, so i set up the microphone close to me while I was playing the keys and sang. People started getting to the church and listening to me. They were coming closer to me; some people would lay on the ground, trying to go through all different emotions and enjoy the music as it was coming. As it came close to the time to start the concert. They just told me to keep going, and I just kept singing for another 30 minutes into the concert.
What is your favourite song to perform?
My favourite song to perform would be ‘Bend’ because it feels live show ready. It’s the kind of song that would be easy for a band to improvise and I also see so many different ways I could sing and play. It would have different variations and diversity every time I perform.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
Bailey Zimmerman’s ‘Back Up Plan’ is a Country song that resonates deeply with me as a person and my story. I’ve faced so much resistance throughout my life, and to keep going. Even when the odds were against me, I had to keep showing up when it doesn’t look possible. Additionally, when others’ perspectives are not in alignment with my vision, I convince myself that what I’m seeing is possible to attain. It’s got to a point where it felt like I would lose everything or what I built would be destroyed. The song is about if life pushes you to your limits and you can’t seem to get back up, remember that getting back up is the only backup plan you need.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
When I was in school, we had so many kids in my class. When the teacher would mark attendance, there would be many Johns in the class that it would be too complicated. All the other Johns would answer. So the teacher decided to have a system where they used the initial of our surnames. John Abel would become John A, John Samuel would be John S, and I became Jonn P. When I started thinking about becoming an artist, I didn’t feel the need to change my name as everyone already knew me by that name, and I just took it.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
It’s hard to see myself not doing music, regardless of how spiritually I am connected with myself. The only thing I see doing in this life is music, this is my purpose. It may change in the next decade or twenty years. The only thing I see myself doing is being involved in the music by singing or eventually evolving to be an executive. To be very honest, I don’t see myself doing anything else. It’s music or nothing else for real.
What’s success to you?
My definition of success is not about arriving at the destination. My definition of success is the process of being what you’re meant to be or doing what you’re meant to do. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done it. It’s about staying in the process. That’s my definition of success, waking up every day and committing to that process. The ability to do that means you’re successful.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
I think it would be after I lost my mom. That entire trauma of losing my mom, situations arose that forced me closer to music. Music is the only solace that could comfort me in my life. In the process of me doing music, it caused me to develop my talent. During that period, I started to learn more about myself. I received my spiritual awakening. I was able to know this was my purpose. I started to commit to being a musician.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
