By Emmanuel Daraloye

In a world where Afrobeats is the mainstay of Nigerian music, Gospel music still stands its ground as one of the most widely consumed genres in the Nigerian music space. Nigeria is a country whose trajectory has been greatly influenced by religion and continues to see the influence of religious leaders in the country’s landscape.

By extension, Gospel music has quietly been established as the mode of worship in churches and at home, becoming an essential part of our soundscape as a whole. We can’t speak on the growth of Nigerian music without involving the gospel sound.

Gospel artists on the scene continue to evolve past the conventional gospel sound while retaining its essence. One of such artists who expertly navigates the waters of the gospel genre is none other than female singer Ultimate, who continues to carve a unique path for herself in her career so far. Her discography speaks of her consistency and talent, which she shows once again on her new record “Mighty God”. For this song, she teams up with Dave and producer Raystudio, combining to create a captivating worship song filled with emotion.

On “Mighty God”, the singer puts up a moving performance. The texture of her voice carries the intangible emotion that the words she sings can not express. What she does to good effect on this song is to deliver simple lyrics with intensity. Listening to her sing feels cathartic, as there is an outpouring of emotions that seems to go beyond the surface of her being. The beauty that her performance provides sets the tone for the rest of the song.

Although her verse is one of the standout features of “Mighty God”, Ultimate’s decision to feature Dave on the record gives it an added layer of intensity. He uses his raspy voice to create a contrast to her sultry vocals, giving the record a balanced feel throughout its 4:22 minutes. He sings in Yoruba to good effect, which sprinkles an indigenous feel to the song. The pair bounce off each other’s energies well and the synergy they create makes “Mighty God” the uplifting record that it is.

There are other elements in the song that elevate its level. Most of them are found in the production. “Mighty God” is drum-heavy like many Gospel songs, but it is spiced up by the occasional electric guitar riffs that lace the drums together. It can be heard at the start of the song and occasionally as the song progresses. Raystudio crafted this instrumental for an intense background which Ultimate and Dave comfortably revel in. “Mighty God” turns out to be a wonderful rendition through the influence of Ultimate and the help of her guest collaborators.

“Mighty God” showcases Ultimate’s talent in the best possible way. Her performance on this song shows why she is poised to make a new impact within the Gospel music space. Together with her collaborators Dave and Raystudio, they create an experience that touches the heart as well as the ears.