It’s late March in New York, and the city buzzes with anticipation as Young Jonn prepares to unveil his debut album, “Jiggy Forever” at an exclusive listening party. Inside a packed, dimly lit Brooklyn lounge with an intimate 100-person capacity, the atmosphere is electric. Guests hardly contain their excitement, phone cameras poised to capture the moment Jonn, the acclaimed Afro-pop artist, walks through the blacked-out glass doors.

He enters donning a vibrant yellow sweatshirt with hefty silver chains around his neck, exuding urban flair. Black sunglasses rest atop his head, ready to shield his eyes from the barrage of camera flashes. Stepping onto the DJ platform, Jonn grabs the mic and exclaims, "Let's run through this real quick!"

As the beats of his new album pulse through the venue, the crowd revels in the music. Hands are raised, heads bob in sync with the tunes, and guests sing with karaoke enthusiasm. The evening is a blend of sound, style, and palpable energy.

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria and now a global sensation, Jonn is set to embark on his first North American tour. The journey begins with three stops: Canada on September 6th, Rhode Island on September 7th, and a triumphant return to Brooklyn, New York, on September 8th.

A Global Sensation

At 29, Jonn, fondly known as “the Wicked Producer,” has already made an indelible mark on the Afro-pop scene. Since 2014, he's helped shape the sound of popular artists, crafting hits like Olamide's "Story For The Gods" and "Bobo," Lil Kesh's "Gbese" and "Efejoku," and Davido's "Biggest Backside." Yet, his transition from a celebrated producer to a prominent solo artist was not something he initially planned. Despite early resistance to the idea, circumstances led Jonn to embrace the new role, particularly the loss of his mother in 2018.

“It was a challenging time because we were really close,” Jonn tells AfroVibes. “She was my friend, my psychologist, even before she was my mom. I lost my zeal to create. I wasn’t showing up for studio sessions so a lot of artists I used to work with began working with new producers. But as time passed, I tried to get myself back into the zone and just go out there. That's what made me evolve into a solo artist. It just happened as a result of spending so much time with myself. I don't like to always call it a switch; I like to call it an evolution. I wasn’t so into producing anymore, but music was all I had.”

Jonn credits his supportive circle of friends during that time, who encouraged him to release his music.

"There were not a lot of them, but a few of them and they were a great support system,” Jonn says. “I was just there making a bunch of unreleased music on my laptop. And eventually, my friends were like, ‘Bro, put this thing out. You can't keep this thing going on. Just release them.’ And I released it.”

With the release of his 2022 EPs, "Love Is Not Enough,” Jonn stepped into the solo artist spotlight and the wave of support he received surpassed his expectations.

"I like to believe everything I do will be blessed, but regardless, this particular time I was humbled by the reception, the acceptance, the comments," Jonn says. "It gave me the urge to embrace this artistic part of myself. Because evolving from a producer to an artist, there's a lot of mixed opinions. Seeing this happen made me realize that, yeah, I can take it further."

“Dada,” from Jonn’s debut EP, quickly went viral. He then collaborated with Afrobeats superstar, Davido for a remix, which reached wider audiences, peaking at #17 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats 50 Songs Chart. Jonn then released the full EP in April 2022 and within two weeks, his single “Xtra Cool” topped charts on Apple Music, Deezer, and Shazam. By October, he had released his second EP, “Love Is Not Enough (Vol. 2).”

This year, Jonn’s debut album, “Jiggy Forever,” saw seven of its 14 songs make it to the Billboard charts. Unlike his earlier EPs, which centered on a "lover boy" narrative, "Jiggy Forever" delves deeper into his personal experiences. "It has more of the tales of a hustler," he says. "I put my backstory more into this project. My experience as a young guy trying to navigate life, trying to get rich."

Photo by: Chocolate City Music, 2024

The album merges the essence of Jonn’s roots with the refined allure of global Afro-pop — a combination that has earned him collaborations with some of the biggest names in the industry. "It felt really good," he says of working with the likes of Don Jazzy and Sean Paul. "All the collaborations happened seamlessly. I wasn’t about to do the ‘I want to feature this person, I want to feature that person’ thing. I just wanted to make music."

Following the album's success, with hits like "Aquafina,” “Bahamas," and "Big Big Things," Jonn performed at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York alongside Davido in April. While it wasn't his first time performing in New York, it was his debut at the iconic MSG. “It's always a big vibe with Davido and I appreciate the love he shows me,” Jonn says. “African music—Afrobeats, Amapiano—is at an all-time high. I feel like it's only going to get better and bigger. We just keep going.”

Road to the Solo Spotlight

Born John Saviours Udomboso in Ibadan, Nigeria, Jonn loved music since he was a child. His parents were pastors and his mother also sang in the choir, played the guitar, keyboard, violin, and flute. He inherited his passion for music from her.

“I took an interest in the keyboard because that's what I saw the most in church,” Jonn says. “After church, I would play the keys and drums because it was there and developed my skills personally. While everyone watched this popular TV show in Nigeria called “Super Story” that used to show after church, I would take the keyboard and practice for the entire one hour.”

In 2012, Jonn was signed to Hit Factory as a producer. Two years later, in 2014, he moved to Lagos, Nigeria, where he spent the next decade establishing himself as a prominent producer. Then, in 2022, he became a solo artist by signing with Chocolate City, one of Nigeria's leading record labels. Jonn says he was initially hesitant, fearing the solo spotlight, but ultimately embraced the shift.

"I was willing to give it a try,” he says. “If people want to push you to be your best, there's no need to run away from it. That decision pushed me to give it my all and I don't regret it."

Photo by: Chidera D.O., 2022

When Jonn evolved from a producer to solo artist, his sound did too. As a producer, the beats he made embodied a “Yo, let's go straight to the club" theme. Now, he says most of his songs pertain to his personality.

“As an artist, what's in my head is very different in terms of lyrics and my thoughts,” he says. “If you know me personally, you know that today, I could be like ooo (hype), tomorrow I could be like, I just want dey (to relax). So this reflects in my music a lot. I don’t have a particular direction or sound texture. I just feed off my mood and vibe.”

Though his music shifts with his vibe, one thing that is constant is Jonn's commitment to incorporating culture into his work. He is of Akwa Ibom ethnicity, an ethnic group from the southeastern region of Nigeria, but growing up in Ibadan (a Yoruba ethnic region in Nigeria), he infuses the Yoruba language into his music.

“I use Yoruba in my songs because it takes me back. It gives me that feeling of growing up, the life I lived with Yoruba people all around,” he says. “Music is crossing boundaries so fast that the only way you can identify it with a particular culture is by the language and intonation. Our culture is a big part of our identity and I can't turn my back on it.”

Jonn’s sound also reflects his upbringing. “I grew up in the streets, but I grew up under parents who made sure we were very exposed and aware of everything and made sure we had the right education,” he says. “This exposed me to people who were aware of a lot of things regardless of where we were coming from which also reflects in my music."

"Jiggy Forever" features collaborations with artists like Kizz Daniel, Seyi Vibez, Zlatan, Ya Levis, and Blaqbonez. Jonn also collaborated with several producers including Blaisebeatz, TeeMode, P.Prime, Yung Willis, Jhay2unes, Majicsticks, and Ragee. “ I love to collaborate because I like to know what's going on here, know what's going on there, just mix it all up together. If I meet an artist and we vibe, don't worry, it's good.”

Today, Jonn's tracks like the "Dada" remix has 23 million streams on Spotify and "Xtra Cool" has surged to 61 million streams. As his music continues to help globally advance the Afro-pop genre, he insists it is a “collective effort” by several artists.

“It feels good to hear I've play a role in all of that,” he says. “It feels good because I remember as a producer, 10 years ago, we used to fight for all of these things. Even in the movie industry, we're doing some dope movies these days. There's a lot of Nigerians at the forefront. So I feel like all of this is interwoven. It's not a one-man thing. We rub off on each other and keep pushing. As Africans, we're at an amazing place and we just have to keep going. Let's not drop the energy because, omo, the energy we drop last otilo (my people, the energy we dropped last has already passed).“

In Brooklyn, Jonn makes it a point to connect with guests, warmly greeting many and posing for photos before leaving the venue. It's a testament to his humility and quiet confidence. "My first mainstream hit record as a producer was around 2014,” he says. “Being here 10 years later doing things at this level makes me feel blessed, like I can keep this going for as long as I want to and for as long as God will use me.”