Nigerian gospel singer TY Bello returns with “What a joy to follow,” a collaborative worship tune lifted from her double-album project. The song sits on I Speak Lamb, the companion release to I Speak Lion, and it carries the communal praise sound that has defined her recent work.
“What a joy to follow” features Nosa, Folabi Nuel and Chingtok Ishaku, and the four voices trade lines across a slow-building arrangement. The track lands at number eleven on a 20-song album built almost entirely around guest features. While the record leans on restraint, the harmonies give it weight. It follows “What a Joy to Follow You,” an earlier version credited to TY Bello, Nosa, Pastor Chingtok Ishaku and Folabi Nuel.
TY Bello, born Toyin Sokefun in Ogun State, first came up with the gospel group Kush before going solo. She studied economics at the University of Lagos, yet music and photography became her life’s work. Her catalog includes “Greenland,” “We Are Fire” and “The Spirit of Light.”
The new cut keeps its focus on surrender rather than spectacle. Have you listened to “What a joy to follow” yet? Drop your thoughts in the comment section.
