Nigeria is, without doubt, doing tremendously well in its entertainment industry producing popular music talents who are gaining recognition both locally and internationally.
One of the fast-growing talents in the industry is Johnson O Grace who goes by the stage name “La Grace”, an Afro Pop singer and songwriter who developed a penchant for music and has taken the bold step to build a career out of it.
The Ukraine-based talent spoke on the benefits of being a music talent outside Nigeria as a chance to get some basic amenities and infrastructural facilities lacking in Nigeria and how a person’s place of residence can play a key role in career development.
“Being a talent outside Nigeria is a chance anyone would like to have but that’s being outside Nigeria nothing is special apart from the fact that you get the missing amenities and infrastructures that are missing in Nigeria. As a talent, your base I mean your residence country has a lot to play in growing your talent,” he said
La Grace also shared the challenges that are faced by Nigerian music talents based abroad. “The major challenge involved includes not being in Nigeria and residing in a country where Afrobeats is not allowed even into their radio station. Producers here are way not into Afrobeats,” he revealed.
“The sound engineers are not into it, and video production in Afro way is so wack, I had almost given up to the extent that I almost became a rapper just to fit into the system here but God saved me. Now, I am glad I didn’t switch ways or gave up my dream,” he added.
La Grace realizes the need to team up with other talents in the industry especially those that have made groundbreaking records for themselves. He hopes someday to work with musical icons like Olamide, Wizkid, and Burna boy
“Collaboration is a great deal. Well, we have seen OLAMIDE blow-breath life into the dead artists’ careers and they not only come to life but remain in life. We have seen Wizkid do the same, Burnaboy so if I’d have a collaboration I would be glad to have a chance with these world music heavyweights,” La Grace opined.
Above all, La Grace sees what is in store for the Nigerian music industry if only the industry keeps improving on the already existing progress it has made over time. To him, Nigerian music is already in its future.
“There’s no other future for the Nigerian music industry other than growing better in the style of the Afrobeats sound, and new artists fast rising. What other future? Afrobeats has already taken its rightful place in the world. Nigeria music is already in the future,” he added.
He recently dropped a single titled “Shaye” with a good harmony of the lyrics, beat, tempo and rhythm.
