“Why Saint Janet Dumped Gospel Music for Explicit Songs”: Backup Singer Opens Up
- Backup singer Suko, who worked with Saint Janet for over 25 years, explained why the late singer changed her musical direction
- Suko said Saint Janet started out performing gospel Juju, even rehearsing at a Celestial Church before her sound shifted dramatically
- According to him, a key moment at a wedding revealed how the new explicit style attracted far more money and bookings than her gospel performances
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A backup singer who spent more than 25 years performing alongside the late Nigerian Juju and Highlife musician Iyun Ajilore, widely known as Saint Janet, has shed light on what drove her shift from gospel-influenced music to songs with explicit themes.
The musician, Sunkanmi, who goes by the stage name Suko, spoke during an interview with Alore TV, published on YouTube on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
Source: Facebook
Suko recalled first crossing paths with Saint Janet when both were working under different artists, and described watching her transition from a backup singer for Nurse Kenge into a bandleader in her own right.
Saint Janet's gospel beginnings
Suko said the early days of Saint Janet's career were rooted firmly in gospel Juju.
The band held rehearsals at a Celestial Church, and her debut studio recording blended gospel with Juju music.
Despite the effort and money invested in that project, it failed to gain traction.
"She spent money on that particular project and the cassette became dusty under her bed," Suko recalled.
According to Suko, even as she performed tirelessly at weddings, bars and beer parlours, the gospel material did not generate the audience response she needed.
Crowd energy remained flat whenever the band played gospel sets, and bookings from nightlife venues were slow to come.
Source: Facebook
The moment everything changed for St Janet
Out of necessity, Saint Janet began experimenting.
Suko described her developing what he called a "pastor style" of entertainment, where she would weave real people and real-time situations at events into her performances, framing them in romantic and sexually suggestive terms suited to a social setting.
"Look at this woman, Aunty Adunni, and her husband, Mr Lagbaja, look at how they are kissing," was the kind of commentary she would spin into song, according to Suko.
The crowd reaction was immediate. Money began flowing in, and club and bar bookings picked up considerably.
Suko stated that one wedding performance proved particularly telling.
Saint Janet was mid-set on gospel songs when the bride's family interrupted and specifically requested her newer material.
The band hesitated, noting that children were present, but the family waved off the concern.
When she launched into the explicit-themed songs, the crowd responded with heavy spraying of money, and the night earned far more than her gospel sets had managed.
Suko stressed, however, that Saint Janet never completely walked away from gospel music.
She continued to draw inspiration from it even as the racier material dominated her bookings.
In a curious twist, he said some churches even requested the adult-rated songs during performances.
Suko also shared a poignant memory of Saint Janet's final performance, during which she turned to acknowledge him publicly, saying he had been with her the longest and had always supported her.
He said the late singer gifted him her wristwatch and sprayed money on him that night.
"Assuming I knew it was a goodbye, I would have just returned it and told her that it seemed you were going," he said.
Watch the full interview video of Saint Janet's backup singer below:
Saint Janet children recall her final moments
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Saint Janet’s children revealed she showed no signs of distress until the evening she died.
They explained she had performed joyfully the night before, visited the market the following day, and only later complained of chest pain while at home.
Her family rushed her to hospital, where she was placed on oxygen, but she passed away shortly after despite immediate medical attention.
Source: Legit.ng
