Why I Dumped Gospel Music For Secular – Producer Ozedikus Opens Up

Music producer Igbinoba Osaze, popularly known as Ozedikus Nwanne, has opened up about his journey in the music industry, explaining how he transitioned from producing gospel music to working in mainstream production.

In an interview with Punch, Ozedikus explained that while his early involvement with gospel music shaped his foundation, it was not financially rewarding enough to sustain him.

Playing piano for church and bands provided some income, but he realised that producing secular music offered more opportunities to grow and earn.

According to him, he often worked without payment and struggled to gain recognition.

For months, he played for a church without compensation, relying on production to keep him afloat.

Around 2017, he fully committed to music production, navigating creative disagreements and handling both business and artistic responsibilities before eventually hiring a manager to organise his work.

He said: “I was more connected to gospel music at the beginning, so I would have had more gospel artistes around me. I probably would have started there. However, most gospel artistes at the time were not recording in studios, and you need money to start those things. So I had to go where the money was first.

“My main income came from playing the piano with bands and in church. At one point, I played for a church for about eight months without being paid, yet I was still surviving. That made me realise that production had actually been sustaining me during that period. Around 2017, I fully transitioned into music production. Before things picked up, it was really hard and exhausting.”