By Emmanuel Daraloye
Laolu Gbenjo is known for his Alujo. A dash between Yinka Aiyefele’s tuba and the popping sound of Alujo. It was filled with a lot of backup singers with street lingo flying in and out. Beyond this brand of gospel music, Laolu can also take the solemn route. While he has already made a name for himself in the tuba niche type of gospel, he also has other style patterns that are rarely talked about. It is just a matter of a singer who is too exceptional at a particular style.
Just thirty seconds short of seven minutes, just like the title stated, “Spontaneous Worship” is a brilliant way of showing off artistry. Solemn at the same time worship inviting. Laolu Gbenjo deliberately keeps the lyrics brief, and the production is more pronounced with the singer tagging along.
The opening second, which features a piano spin, already sets the tone for the song; while this is on, the vocals of Laolu Gbenjo come up. He sings in Yoruba language for the first sixty seconds, bouncing from one song to another while the mid-tempo instrumental continues to dazzle the listeners.
As the song progresses, more elements are added to the production: a synth here, a baseline there, a cymbal, and it keeps getting better.
Although Laolu Gbenjo sings in Yoruba, the neat and cozy production of this song makes the language barrier less threatening. Even if the listeners don’t understand the language, the production can serve as an awesome guide. In a nutshell, the singer submits and praises God. It is a praise-filled song couched in a worship tempo.
“Spontaneous Worship” offers Laolu Gbenjo an opportunity to showcase his versatility as an artist, and his skill as one of Nigerian songwriters, and as expected, he grabs it with both hands. He might be known by the fans as an Alujo gospel singer, yet this track puts things in another perspective: Laolu can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. His reach pallet of songs makes the job easier, and his navigation across the records is heartwarming. It’s just an exceptional guy doing what he excels at. Music.
Two decades and counting in the Nigerian gospel industry, Laolu Gbenjo scarcely needs to prove anything to anyone. Right now, he is just having fun, praising God, and, in a way, letting the naysayers know while he has remained on top for many years.