A soothing burst of “uuuhhs” opens Enkay Chuks’ latest record, “I Will Go” with scat singing that makes one stop for a minute. Over suspenseful drum rolls and airy piano chords, the Nigerian gospel chanteuse unlocks a sombre tune that rings off as a heartfelt worship song. “Unto you my Lord/ Have your way/ I will follow you; because you never leave me/ Anytime you call me, Lord, I will answer,” she sings with a relaxing tenor, charging the listener to completely surrender to God’s divine providence.
Enkay Chuks’ delivery in “I Will Go” indicates a vocal mastery that reflects strongly in the record. With a slow-burn groove, she maintains a linear pace that switches at key points with rousing melismas and scat singing. Just around the end of the song, she spazzes with crescendos and backing vocals, creating a dynamic tonal synergy between her voice and the intricate instrumentation. Her falsettos and melismas, most especially during the song’s pre-climax, further immerse her delivery with extra pleasure points. From a slow-burn groove to an ovation-worthy ministration, it’s easy to see how the record shifts with her delivery as she switches pace.
If you are familiar with the melodies from Nigerian gospel powerhouse TY Bello, it’s clearer to see the parallel in “I Will Go”; essentially, it’s a cathartic spin that draws strength from its heightened emotive vocalisation and complementary instrumentation. The song ranks as one of the most interesting use cases of sombre percussion in worship music, with the drums adding and subtracting dramatic intensity from the record with a professional feel.
Another highlight in “I Will Go” is Enkay Chuks’ profound lyricism. Woven completely in English, albeit sung with pockets of Igbo tonal phrasing, the song emphasises total trust and reliance in God’s grace. She repeats certain phrases like “I will go anywhere you lead me”, and she crescendos the name of Jesus several times, stimulating easy recall of the song’s overall message. The lyrics arrive as strong declarations, curated to inspire hope and faith in the listener. With loud cries and simple phrasing, she immerses the message in the listener with the same level of catharsis that’s felt from the melodies themselves.
Save for the song’s mid-point, which contains some unnecessary pauses that create the illusion of a pre-climax, the song’s composition unfurls as cohesive, dramatic, intense and suspenseful. It packs a well-synchronised mix of percussion and chords that keep the momentum alive till the end. And its linear outro — a cocktail of falsetto and scat singing — equally shines through, thanks to the charismatic delivery in its pre-climax.
Overall, “I Will Go” connects as a soothing worship song, with a delicate composition and arrangement that spotlights its emotional duality as a prayerful and introspective record. It plays back as a very sombre yet groovy spin that reminds one of Nigerian worship classics like Judikay’s “More Than Gold”, among others. It’s perfectly suited for private listens while being potentially useful for concert-level ministries. As a debut offering, it’s a very stealthy start for the songstress, ranking her musical prowess across popular maestros in the industry. It sits elegantly at 8/10.
Born Nkechi Chukwuma, Enkay Chuks is a versatile Nigerian singer, songwriter, music leader, creative performer, and recording artist with over a decade of experience shaping sound and developing talent across Nigeria, Ghana, and the United Kingdom. She began her music journey at the tender age of 10 as a member of the Living Water Band, performing on local Nigerian television stations and at public events.
An active community leader, Enkay served as National Music Director for TREM International Youth, where she built and directed a 200-member youth choir. She also founded Livestones, a 17-member professional band comprising vocalists and instrumentalists. She is the founder of Enkay_Sings, through which she has delivered high-quality performances across Africa and the UK, and works as a recording and session vocalist and artist on studio and songwriting projects. Now based in the UK, she continues to contribute through music direction, vocal training, live performance, and community outreach, mentoring singers of all ages, many of whom now lead music teams and creative initiatives internationally.
