It was hard convincing myself I could transition into performing music — Young John

Foremost Nigerian music producer-turned singer and performer, Young John, has confessed that the hardest part of transitioning from a producer to a full-blown performing artiste was convincing himself that he could do it.

Per Second News monitored a recent YouTube engagement where the singer answered a series of questions following his performance in Canada.

Young John was asked, “What has been the hardest part of transitioning from a producer to a full-blown performing artiste?” After some thought, he responded, “The hardest part was self-conviction—actually convincing myself that I could do it.

“That was the hardest part, where I was on stage asking myself if I really wanted to do this or not. It was really hard for me to convince myself that I got this.”

When asked, “When was the last time you cried?” he responded, “The last time I cried was when I lost my mum. I don’t think I have cried since then.”

This revelation offered a glimpse into a personal and painful chapter of his life.

The conversation continued, with the host probing further into the singer’s psyche.

“Are you lying to yourself about anything?” they asked. The singer, reflecting on the complexity of human emotions and self-deception, responded thoughtfully.

“I think everyone lies to themselves about one thing or the other just to make themselves feel better,” he said, acknowledging a universal truth.

This candid admission set the tone for the rest of the interview, as the host explored the singer’s views on authenticity and personal integrity.

Their next question, “What is your biggest turn-off in humans?” prompted the singer to express his disdain, saying, “I don’t like people who are not true to themselves. I detest them.”

However, he quickly reconsidered his choice of words. “Let me not say ‘detest’ because it’s probably not that serious,” he clarified.

The singer elaborated on his perspective, emphasising the importance of self-honesty.

“I feel like when you are true to yourself, that’s when you can be true to anybody else,” he explained.

This belief underscores his commitment to authenticity, both in his personal life and in his public persona.

As the interview progressed, it became clear that the singer valued genuine connections.

His desire for honest relationships underlies his aversion to inauthenticity.

“If you’re not true to yourself, you’re living a lie,” he stated, summarizing his philosophy on personal integrity.