A few months after Singapore artiste Derrick Hoh broke into the top position on the country’s iTunes chart with his first English single Forever, he followed it up with the track Show Me What I’ve Been Looking For in September 2013. The mid-tempo banger did not chart but it was indeed a solid effort considering the soaring vocals and catchy chorus. The track impacted radio airplay on Singapore radio stations but only for a short time.
That was in September 2013. Fast-forward one year later to when American artiste Austin Mahone released his second EP, The Secret in June 2014. Flip through the tracks and one will find a bonus track titled The One I’ve Waited For. This track sounds a little bit too familiar.
Oh wait, it sounds almost exactly like Derrick Hoh’s song.
We were tipped off from a YouTube comment on Derrick Hoh’s video, where an Amy Cheng highlighted the similarities in melody, lyrics and hook. Both songs were produced by Jacob “Jakke” Erixson, a Swedish songwriter who is under the Lionheart Music Group. On the group’s website, they publicised Erixson’s involvement in Austin Mahone’s song but made no mention of his turn in Derrick Hoh’s song.
The One I’ve Waited For is credited to RedOne (Nadir Khayat), AJ Junior (Achraf Janussi), Erixson and Mahone. Erixson has signed a co-publishing deal with RedOne Production. No mention was made as to whether the sale of Show Me What I’ve Been Looking For to Derrick Hoh was an exclusive sale.
Popspoken has reached out to Lionheart, Derrick’s management at Mode Entertainment and RedOne Production for comment.
