A band but also husband and wife. Filip and Ivana.

Paul Johnson is a British singer-songwriter and veteran of the UK music scene, with over 40 years’ experience across gospel, soul, and club music. Born in the UK but raised partly in 1970s New York, Johnson began his musical journey singing in school and church. A formative moment came in 1979, performing Andraé Crouch’s The Blood in his local church — never imagining it would lead to a career spanning international tours, major label releases, and collaborations with musical legends. He was heavily inspired by the soulful, contemporary gospel of Andraé Crouch & the Disciples and the Hawkins Family.

He first gained recognition singing with Paradise, one of the UK’s pioneering contemporary Black gospel bands. Influenced by artists like the Crusaders, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Herbie Hancock, Paradise fused jazz, funk, reggae and faith to groundbreaking effect. Their hit One Mind Two Hearts introduced Johnson’s smooth, expressive voice to a wider audience. He later sang with the London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC) and toured as a guest of Junior Giscombe on the influential Red Wedge tour, where he shared stages with Billy Bragg, Paul Weller, The Smiths, and The Communards.

Johnson’s talent as a vocalist and songwriter led to a deal with CBS Records in the late '80s, signed by Julian Palmer and Muff Winwood. His debut self-titled album, produced by Junior Giscombe, featured the single When Love Comes Calling. The follow-up, Personal, included Half a World Away, a favourite in Jamaica, his parents’ homeland.

Over the years, Johnson worked with Bryan Ferry, Stevie Wonder, Soul II Soul, Mica Paris, Juliet Roberts and many more. He toured extensively across the UK and Europe, performing at venues including Ronnie Scott’s and Sadler’s Wells, and appearing on various UK and European television programmes. He also featured on high-profile remixes with producer Danny D, including Salt-N-Pepa’s Shoop.

Introduced by Juliet Roberts, he joined M-People on tour, performing with Heather Small, Lynieve Austin, and Sarah Brown over a successful four-year period. Johnson also acted as a production coordinator, providing top-tier session singers for the UK and international markets.

With producer/DJ Roger Drakes (aka Dodge) and IG Culture, Johnson scored the underground club hit If We Lose Our Way. His track Better Than This was remixed by the late house music legend Frankie Knuckles, followed by a run of releases on Area Boy Music with Daz-I-Kue of Bugz In The Attic — bridging his gospel roots with polished UK soul and club culture. Though an album project with Dodge was never fully released, unreleased demos including Gotta Move On (featuring jazz trumpeter Byron Wallen) have found a second life online.

One of his proudest achievements was managing and signing soul vocalist Shaun Escoffery through his production company, to Oyster records, helping to launch a career now marked by standout tracks like Days Like These and Space Rider.

While Johnson has since stepped back from full-time performance, he reflects proudly on a dynamic and genre-spanning career: “All of my experiences in the music industry have made me who I am today.”

DON SETZER is following