His gait shone with sincere confidence as he sat mid-stage performing his songs with a Live guitar accompaniment. Recently, Afro-Gospel sensation Kris Grant captivated hearts with his performance during the listening party for his new album, Ablaze. As he showcased the six-track EP, the room pulsed with spirit-lifting melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and an atmosphere charged with divine energy.

A glowing projection of the album’s tracklist illuminated the background, reinforcing the night’s theme—Ablaze. He began with a riveting performance of “Oku”, where his pacing technique steered the performance into a slow-burn groove. He continued with the song “Ablaze”, allowing the guitar’s acoustic feel to drive the performance. A lot of the other songs are stretched, especially around the verses, where he allows the acoustics to shape their new sound on stage. He performed four other tracks: “Eshe”, “Why?”, “TMHR”, and “Salute”, enriching the entire performance with his unique rap and singing cadences.

Apart from his pacing, Grant’s delivery also soared during the concert. His stage presence and dynamic vocal range were in full view, as he served his contemporary Christian gospel fusions on stage. Each song was matched with very vivid facial expressions, and one could feel the emotion travel down south from his voice to their gut. Some of the audience were even visibly moved, with many shedding tears of joy and others swaying with eyes closed, lost in the music. Conceptualized with catharsis in mind, Grant’s charismatic delivery flourishes as one of the hallmarks of that night.

As I left the venue to return home, I heard a fan comment: “This was a revival service wrapped in an album listening party,” and perhaps he was right. Beyond unveiling an album, this event showcased Grant’s profound storytelling skill, and his powerful melodies.

The Ablaze EP is a carefully curated project with a mix of amazing collaborations and top-quality production. Kris Grant teams up with gospel artists Nomso Uduma, Nolly, A’dam, and KP, each adding their unique voice and energy to the songs. The producers—S. Jack Flavours, Corekt Sound, Blaqnots,Mr. Marz, and TYANX—have all played their part in proliferating a sound that combines Afrobeats rhythms with contemporary Christian gospel music.

With his name now echoing in the African Christian Gospel music scene, Kris Grant is poised to create a legacy that inspires, nurtures and spotlight the African Christian gospel music scene on a global scale.