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By Henry Akubuiro
Doris Dumah has been around in the Nigerian gospel music industry in a glowing career that has seen her perform alongside some of the best the world has to offer in the genre, including Ron Kenoly, Don Moen, Midnight Crew, Sinach, among others. Her single, Only You Are God, exemplifies the maturity of a contemporary gospel crooner.
Elsewhere in the Western contemporary gospel district, there is a mesh of the classic gospel sound with euro classical jazz ingredients and bouncy tunes. In Africa, it’s more of an eclectic fusion.
Until recently, Nigerian gospel music was characterised by the heavy drumming of makossa and highlife blend. Today, gospel artistes like Doris Dumah lean towards the American gospel tradition, which meshes traditional gospel with blues and rock.
Her impassioned lyrics in this single aim to string the listeners’ emotions towards the love of God and Jesus with repetitive, rhythmic patterns, organic harmonies and with slow-paced mediations, without losing sight of cross-cultural pollination, evidenced in Igbo, lyrical appropriation: Chukwu na achi Eze (God the King).
The artiste equates God, as a mountain mover capable of turning the tides, and a mighty ocean, a great God nobody should conceal anything from, with a declaration that she will always worship Him.
Sonically, Only You Are God is a mid-temp gospel that deploys impulsive percussions, alternating with quick fire delivery and soft couches.
To the ear, it resonates simple, pleasant harmonies, inventive warmth, and a high pitch delivery typical of a minister she is, a soothing choral rendition and an encore that leaves the listener with a triumphant whoop.
It is noteworthy to say that Doris Dumah, who was trained at the Muson Music School, Lagos, is on her way to becoming a touchstone with this single.
