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Shammah John delivered her most-thrilling performance yet on one of Nigeria’s foremost music producer, Mac Roc’s Live Session, with her electrifying vocals the singer performed a rousing cover of Asake’s triumphant single, “Omo Ope.” She reads the lyrics from her phone while wearing a denim jacket, according to her “it’s a song I hadn’t learned but always found myself humming every now and then.” In the video, she can be seen dancing on the spot as she holds her phone with a smile. It’s definitely a bracing listen for us, as we watch Shammah having fun at the peak of her game.
On how the cover has changed her life, Shammah confidently said: “As for how the newfound success has affected my life, I’d say in more good ways than one. I’m a lot more confident about my art now, I intend to make more music, which is something I’ve always been doubtful of since 2020, and then I’m pretty sure that I’m as versatile as I thought I was. I just didn’t have the opportunity to showcase that and Efe MacRoc gave it to me on a platter of gold, lol. Thank you to him, he’s a great person and an amazing friend. More music is coming everyone’s way from me. Originals and covers. With God’s help, I’m here to stay.”
We caught up with Shammah John, talking about her strange challenges, big break, joining Grammy-winning singers – 121 Selah, and what we can expect from the genre-less singer next.
Hey Shammah John! How are you? What have you been up to?
I’m very well, thank you. I’ve been working on being more creative with how I spend my time. Majorly making music and being around music as much as I can. I’ve also been busy with school but honestly, I’ve spent a lot of my time doing music and I am completely enjoying it.
How would you recapitulate your 2021?
2021. It’s funny you ask because that year was undoubtedly my worst year ever asides from 2014 when I lost someone I loved very much. Lol! 2021 has been filled with really strange challenges. Most of which I didn’t even think I’d be faced with and it’s been a learning process. Of course, there are carryovers into the new year but it’s safe to say I’m already having a better year than the last.
However, I can’t downplay the fact that I made some really good decisions in late 2020 that gave me various good moments in 2021, and one of them is joining a team of Grammy-winning singers called 121 Selah. They’re the highlight of my 2021. I know my highlight is supposed to be an achievement of some sort but for me, it’s the people. Those people are one of my most memorable achievements of the past year.
The pandemic has affected a lot of musicians in different ways, did it affect you creatively?
Honestly, all I did during the pandemic was work out. I quit music earlier in the year before the pandemic hit and I wasn’t even moved to make music during the lockdown. Hell, I wasn’t even listening to it if I wasn’t jogging or doing some rigorous exercise. Creatively, the pandemic helped me relax, criminally relax actually, as I wasn’t looking to be creative at the time and it was a felony to my creative nature. I focused on everything else but music. 121 Selah fatefully brought me back into music in late 2020. December, precisely. At first, I had a difficult time adjusting but pikin no dey forget ein mama, so to speak.
How did you first get into music? What sparked the interest?
As a child growing up in an African home, my parents would play all kinds of music we all enjoyed together. My mother figured I was naturally drawn to anything with tunes. From toys to tv shows and people. I was naturally born with an ear for good music and the talent to learn how to make my version of whatever I heard and whatever my mind heard on its own. I started music professionally in 2017 after The Voice Nigeria in 2016. I’ve done live music for a very long time before being featured on a song called BELOVED by an eclectic rapper Real Dope World. His album NOTHING WAS THE SAME was so good, that I couldn’t turn down the offer to be part of it.
You got one of your big breaks with your cover of Asake’s “Omo Ope” on Mac Roc’s Session — what was your reaction when you found out it has gone viral? And did it change your life?
My reaction was actually pretty slow. I’m one of those people who see people getting buzzed about what they create and don’t even know how to act so they just calmly get used to it. I didn’t think much of it until I’d step out and have one or two people recognizing me or playing the cover in a bus or a salon or anywhere, really and with smoke on my face, I’d be like, “This feels really nice“.
I had the same experience when I was on the singing show in 2016 so it isn’t new to me but I felt so appreciated by people and I thought to myself that maybe I really did not have to quit music when I did. Nonetheless, I’m grateful for where all of my choices have led me. I’m grateful for the spiked visibility too. People are actually amazing, I see comments and I respond to them as much as I can. Some of them hit home and I realize that this is why I do what I do. Music is power, the power to make people feel what they need to feel when they need to feel it. I don’t think there is anything more awesome than that.
As for how the newfound success has affected my life, I’d say in more good ways than one. I’m a lot more confident about my art now, I intend to make more music, which is something I’ve always been doubtful of since 2020, and then I’m pretty sure that I’m as versatile as I thought I was. I just didn’t have the opportunity to showcase that and Efe MacRoc gave it to me on a platter of gold, lol. Thank you to him, he’s a great person and an amazing friend. More music is coming everyone’s way from me. Originals and covers. With God’s help, I’m here to stay.
And what made you cover it in the first place? What is your connection to the track?
Again, Efe. He and Mike Age, our friend and Cinematographer, chose the song from the onset and I accepted to do it because it had such a beautiful melody and the African choir feels of it was nostalgic. Most importantly, Asake’s voice is one actually enjoy without getting tired, lol. It was a song I hadn’t learned but always found myself humming every now and then. I couldn’t memorize the words because I have no knowledge of the Yoruba language. It was a spontaneous cover and I had to literally use my phone to see the lyrics, lol! Now, I know it by heart and I have no regrets as it is literally one of my favorite songs now and I can’t hear it without singing along. Shout out to Asake.
What’s next for you?
Music, movies, and success, no long story. I’m going to start working on an Ep very soon but before then, it’s very safe to expect another awesome cover in my opinion. You’ll be the better judge when you hear it and I hope people are excited for my originals as well because I and my team are excited o! That’s a part of me I can’t wait to share. My thought process through music, that is. It’s not vibes and Insha Allah o! I take my time to put things together and my EP will be well put together, take it from me.
Thank you for asking these questions, Lambo, I didn’t realize how much I needed to talk about these things until now! One love.