NEED TO KNOW

• Segun Johnson is a Nigerian singer and live-band performer known for his energetic, audience-led shows.
• He began as a church drummer and studied Mass Communication at Osun State Polytechnic, Iree. He also studied music theory at MUSON and production and presentation at FRCN.
• His hype songs include Sho Fine Gan and Sho Ta Lenu, built around call-and-response and audience participation.
• He won Live Band of the Year at the 2021 Cool Wealth Awards and APPOEMN’s Best Entertainer award in the Live Band category in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
• His live sets combine popular songs with his own original and customised songs for events.
  

At Nigerian parties, Segun Johnson can turn a guest’s name into a chorus. He calls people to the floor, builds a chant around them and draws the crowd into the response. Songs such as Sho Fine Gan and Sho Ta Lenu carry that call-and-response style. 

Johnson began as a church drummer before building a career as a singer and live-band performer. APPOEMN named him Best Entertainer in the Live Band category for three consecutive years, from 2023 to 2025. 

In an interview with Guardian Life, Johnson talks about growing up in Okeira, creating his performance style and choosing music over his childhood dream of becoming a footballer. He also discusses composing music at home and expanding his real estate business.

What kind of childhood did you have, and what did it teach you about people?

I grew up in Okeira, under Ojodu Local Government in Lagos, and my upbringing revolved around being responsible for myself at a tender age… I remember that none of my friends had parents who were rich, so we all practically grew up with the options of either going to school or learning what we popularly call ‘handwork’. This was the foundation I had towards self-discovery and responsibility.

What drew you to praise-singing, and when did you decide to earn a living from it?

From a lifestyle of being responsible for myself, I improved my musical talents as a drummer, and that metamorphosed into singing… while playing drums, I played for several music bands that performed at events, and I saw how most live bands relate to guests. The conventional style was prevalent, and that was what inspired me to create a new style of entertainment and audience engagement. So, when I started as an artiste, I capitalised on creating something different from the norm. 

If performing were not an option, what would you have become?

If performing wasn’t an option, I would have been a footballer, although it was so obvious that excelling as a footballer might be tough because of the structure of our sport back then.

What career did your parents want for you, and how did they react to your choice?

My mum wasn’t quite open to whatever I chose to do. She was so busy making sure we had food, shelter and a good upbringing. Our choices of career weren’t her major areas of concern, she just did her best in giving us a good moral upbringing, which is the best thing we have to date.

What happened the first time a stranger recognised you, and when did that recognition start bringing you bookings?

The first time I got recognition was at a wedding sometime in 2014. The musician that was called for the event disappointed the client, but he sent me as a cover-up. I went with 3 of my friends like a one-man band, and I gave my all, a woman saw me and admired how I was able to perform and sing a lot of foreign repertoire songs of Cool & Gang, Michael Jackson and the Beatles, she introduced me to Ikeja Golf Club and from there I got connected to Ikoyi Golf Club…this woman’s name is Mrs Helen Acher

How did you turn Yoruba praise-singing and street slang into your own performance style? Tell us how one of your best-known lines came about.

From the beginning, I decided on creating a style that will revolve around audience engagement through catchy lines that will serve as sing-alongs. One of these lines—SHO MA NOWO YEN TAN— was created on stage when the mother of the bride was trying to appreciate us financially, and her younger sister was frowning and cautioning her to stop giving us the money

Take us through how you work a room. What tells you who will respond to praise and who would rather be left alone? 

The ability to read the room and understand the mood at a party is more important than the songs or hype itself. Timing is everything; even the most amazing performers might not move the crowd if the timing of his/her performance is wrong. I relate my hype and songs around the mood and vibe of the guest in respect to the attention they giving per time. That is what breaks the wall of conservatism in party guests

Do you practice what to say before going on stage?

I don’t usually practice what to say before going on stage because the audience reaction isn’t predictable. I once planned to start a performance with a catchy sound from my DJ, not knowing that the previous performer had dropped the vibe of the show, the expected reaction didn’t come, and I had to cut off the sound and start my performance at a slower tempo with different engagement techniques

How do you respond to people who see your performances as a way of getting guests to spray money rather than a musical craft?

When I get such messages from clients, I always play along. I think it’s easier for me to achieve this with them because they usually end up getting all that they want during my performance.

What has running a band taught you about money, loyalty and leadership that performing alone could not?

I function in two offices presently; I perform alone as an artiste, and I perform with a band when it is required. One thing I have learnt from running a band is that having a structure is important. Decisions on members of the band shouldn’t be taken based on the emotions of the leader but based on the functioning structure.

What part of your musical ability have audiences yet to hear, and what are you doing to change that?

The alternative soul style of music is the part of my ability that everyone doesn’t know about yet. I remember a couple of alternative soul songs I composed back in the day.

What are your future goals?

My major plan is to expand my real estate portfolio. We presently have a couple of properties in Lagos, and we are looking forward to creating affordable homes and apartments for logicians.

When you’re not performing, what does a typical day look like, and what else keeps you busy outside music?

Most of the time, when I’m not performing, I’m indoors creating and composing music.