Who Is JohnnyDarling? [Artist Interview]

JohnnyDarling brings a breath of fresh air to today’s music scene. This producer-songwriter duo balances nostalgia and feel-good vibes with a modern sound that resonates deeply. Their music explores different phases of love—including self-love—and blends their R&B and electronic roots seamlessly. The duo, composed of Cedric Ivory (producer) and Ian Rivera (singer/songwriter), are committed to staying true to these influences while mastering their unique sound. In an exclusive interview with Traklife, Ivory and Rivera share insights into their creative process, self-love, and what’s next for their fans.

Where did the name JohnnyDarling come from?

“This all first started from us meeting up to record new music. We had no intention of forming a group when we had initially met. But after those first few sessions, we working knocking out songs each time. Our connections were just back and forth and we got along really well! After putting out a few records, we had talked about us getting together and making a name for ourselves but also a group to write, produce, and record for other artists. We had first came up with the name, “K!NG.” After some time and putting out a few records under our name, we ended up scratching it for it didn’t feel as connected to us and our music. One of those nights when we were recording, we had talked about different potential names. My nickname growing up was always, “Johnny Boy,” and Ced always wanted to include the name “Darling” in the name for he’s always liked the name “Darling Nikki” by Prince. We both instantly thought of combining the Johnny and the Darling, and came up with “JohnnyDarling.” We knew instantly that was the name and it always stuck.”

What I love about your guys’ music is that it has this nostalgic R&B sounds yet sounds so modern. Who are some artists or groups that you both are inspired by?

“We’re inspired by a lot of artists of different genres! Older artists or newer artists, we love listening to all different kinds of music. We feel that’s how we stay open to experimenting with different sounds when working on records. Some artists we’re inspired by are Victoria Monet, Majid Jordan, Lucky Daye, Brandi, and anything produced by D’Mile lol”

Congrats on the release of your latest single “Somebody” What was the creative process behind making the record?

“It started off like our usual sessions. We were jamming to find a tune we like and can work with. Cedric had found this sample on splice that sounded real nice (you can hear it in the chorus!) and we thought it was the perfect vibe to work on. The lines for the chorus came first. We usually like to mumble sing and freestyle our lines first just to get an idea. This idea of being with someone but them not fully reciprocating the same feelings was really coming across. We like our songs to originate from actual experiences in our lives, whether it’s from us or from our family or friends. One of my friends was actually going through this similar situation. I had asked for their blessing to write lyrics based off of their experience and knew how to structure the rest of the song.”

For Cedric, it is known that you are the Quincy Jones when it comes to producing the music. What has been the most challenging record to make in the discography?

“Most challenging record I believe we have is definitely “You”. I knew we wanted to try to find this blend between new jack swing, pop, and EDM music but was having a hard time trying to make it make sense. I mixed that song maybe 30 times trying to find the right balance in the mix and we probably cut vocals for weeks until we finally put it all together lol.”

For Ian, I loved your recent cover of Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather! How long did it take for you to come up with the groovy version of the song?

 “Birds of a feather didn’t take long! We’re used to jamming and mashing different songs together so we messed around with some samples and came up with it on the spot! We love Billie and Finneas.”

One of my favorite songs that you guys have released is “Self-Love” How do both you embrace having self-love?

“That’s a great question. It’s something I personally have to keep reminding myself everyday. That’s one of our most honest songs I’ve written. I try to practice self love by practicing kindness and compliments to myself. I can be very self-negating so being able to understand what’s going on but turn it into a positive has been very helpful. The biggest one would be practicing self-gratitude. By reminding myself of the many blessings in my life, it definitely helps make difficult situations easier.”

Who are some of your dream collaborators?

“We’re down to collaborate with anyone! If yall want to work with us, let us know! Dream collab would be D’Mile though lol”

What can fans expect next for JohnnyDarling? Is a full-length album in the works?

“At this time, we want to keep putting out new music. We have a good amount of records in the vault already, but we want to keep releasing singles and maybe even some EPs. We also want to continue performing live and meeting with other artists to collaborate with!”