Nigerian singer and songwriter Johnny Drille has expressed disappointment over the backlash he receives from the Christian community whenever he performs in churches.

Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativiTEA Podcast, the Mavin Records artist revealed that although he loves God and remains active in church, his music has often been misunderstood by religious audiences.

“I love God and I’m very much involved in church, but I never really felt my music was for church,” he said. “Sometimes I get invited to perform in church, which is quite interesting. I’ve gotten some backlash from the Christian community whenever I perform in churches. But the truth is my music spreads positivity. It touches the issues the church tries to avoid.”

Johnny Drille, whose real name is John Ighodaro, is known for his soulful songs that explore themes of love, faith, and emotional honesty. However, he believes that the church has become reluctant to address love — a topic he describes as both important and spiritual.

“The church shies away from talking about love,” he added. “You go to Christian weddings, and you hear Davido and Wizkid songs. What if the church decides to start doing their own Christian love songs?”

His comments have sparked a broader conversation among fans and faith communities about the role of love and modern music in church spaces, and whether gospel and secular creativity can coexist without judgment.