There’s something quite cathartic about Kayode Akinyemi’s artistry.
At the Wonders of Worship concert held in Cardiff, back in March, Akinyemi’s “Nobody Greater” ballad raised the spectacle beyond the esoteric-facing lyricism to actual stellar vocalisation. The singer, who’s left this impression on audiences throughout his career, crowns the record with a slow-burn refrain that points to the prowess of his vocal control.
Across Christian Gospel music libraries, it’s far common to find vocalists composing without the allure of pitch control. It is important to let the music play out, revealing its intricacies in its arrangements, mood, and overall harmony.
Akinyemi’s strengths might just be in understanding what exactly works for every song.
Last November, in Portsmouth, UK, at the Music, Mentorship, Motivation concert, the Nigerian maestro and member of the Kudos Gospel Choir (BBC’s best-rated Gospel Choir of 2024), performed “Biggie God”. The song is cocktailed as an Christian African Pop, with the lingo, animated cadences, and a catchy call-and-response revving its relatability to its audience. It’s a percussionist’s delight and another mood-lifting arrangement from Akinyemi, proving his mettle as an audience-centric composer.
The flutes, cymbals and piano chords in Akinyemi’s “Worship My King”, released last year, gives another layer of melancholia to the music. Akinyemi, a Nigerian Kirk Franklin of sorts, manages to manoeuvre the catharsis on the song, with a softer intro before switching tempos with an energetic hook. The song’s singular message of worship and reverence for God is easily conveyed, without drifting too much into the complexity of the melody. It’s a minimalist-leaning engineer meets a clairvoyant lyricist type of situation. And the results are euphonic, improving its replay value.
The coloratura of Akinyemi’s arrangement in his song, “Pentecost”, puts his singing techniques on full display. It’s a sturdy flight from the ‘Holy spirit, can’t do nothing without you-uuu-uuu-uuu’ chant-esque opener to the climaxing invocations, ‘We need your fire-eeee-eee-, We need your power-rrr-rrr’, filling the record with introspective cues. It’s hard to distinguish intention with Christian composers, because there’s usually a certain respect for spontaneity and frantic chorus bursts. But Akinyemi puts his cards on the table, with the music sounding like tender harmonies that want to jump-hug the listener at any given play.
Akinyemi rose through the ranks at the Latter Rain Assembly, where he’s attended since teenage hood. He’s been around, with ministries including House On The Rock, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mountain of Fire Ministry, while also pushing his music career as a back-up vocalist and recording artiste. He won the award for Best Contemporary Vocalist at MFM. His catalogue is available across YouTube and other streaming platforms.
