David Awoseso’s melodic might in “Ire”, his recent folklorish Christian praise jam shines with a musical resplendence that signals the beauty of fine compositions. The music spins off with an alluring, soothing and cinematic mesh of the Gan-Gan (Yoruba talking drum) and piano chords.
His lithe vocals stewed in breezy falsettos, “Mo rire gba/ Mo renu gba,” open the verse before continuing with the hook, “Mo rire gba, Ayo mi wole,” creating a preamble for the therapeutic and introspective folk record. This front-loading approach, using the hook, is an evergreen style that continues to uplift powerful compositions, irrespective of their vocal pitches or textures. Another recent Christian Gospel music example that uses this front-loading approach is Lawrence Oyor’s hit, “Favour”.
Awoseso continues with a charismatic tenor, employing Yoruba lyricism throughout the entire song as he yearns for joy and expresses Godly optimism in the song. The lyricism, with its brief and pontificative function, showcases his vocal strengths; as they feel like the proverbial palm oil with which the Yam (melodies) of the record is eaten. His tender inflections, as well as his use of parlando (spoken interludes), help bolster his delivery and, overall, reveal the complexity and wit in his lyricism.
Also, Awoseso’s widened use of stylistic devices within the approximately. 4-min spin such as use of backing melodies, and trumpeteed interludes, also increase the song’s dramatic tension. For a gentle record, with mostly melodic monotones, Awoseso’s vocal and instrumental inflections help extend the record’s vibrance till the end, further boosting its catharsis function. The song echoes with a very spirited and relaxing timbre, one vocalised to encourage and inspire.
With a rich composition that thrives in a grand simplicity, Awoseso unveils a rich experience of Christian praise music on “Ire”. His use of indigenous instrumentation, vocalisation, as well as his witty, profound and thematic songwriting, all colour the record with a solemn and Africanist hue. Overall, his delivery and lyrical depth stand out, increasing his replay value.
Save for a lack of code-switching which could have expanded the listenership and easy recall for English-speaking listeners — which, should be seen as a clarion call for the ‘universalisation’ or ‘mass communication’ of indigenous-fused music (a topic for another day) — Awoseso’s “Ire” is a fine example of thriving contemporary folklorish Nigerian Christian gospel music. His work on “Ire”, spotlights his riveting and spirited music-focused ministry.
David Awoseso is a respected Nigerian music producer, mixing and mastering engineer, songwriter, performing artiste, keyboard player and studio acoustic specialist with a growing international footprint. He is the founder and CEO of Dave Music House Production, a purpose-driven music production company focused on delivering world-class faith and inspirational music while raising new voices in the global soundscape.
A native of Ogun State, Nigeria, David’s creative journey began in the church, where his early exposure to gospel harmonies and live instrumentation laid the foundation for his sonic excellence. Over the years, he has evolved into a multi-disciplinary creative with core expertise in music production, vocal direction, sound engineering, artist development, and studio design.
With a background in Mass Communication, David brings a unique blend of storytelling, technical skill, and branding strategy into his work—offering artists a complete, forward-thinking creative experience. His company, Dave Music House, currently serves a diverse roster of clients across Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, delivering high-quality productions rooted in both African identity and global standards.
