The richness of gospel music lies in its versatile form. Able to contort emotions and render praise from several angles, it’s a genre that opens up beautifully to inspiration. In “Possible,” the latest record from Ify Folorunsho, there’s a bouncy energy that keeps the listener on their feet. Where sombre sound works for reflective worship, in Ify’s record celebration is the central focus.
Crafted with drums and notes which are reminiscent of reggae music, the backing vocals further colour its exciting mood. Life’s ability to spring up surprises is quite recognised, a nod to the trials that comes with existence, but still it is possible, the singer tells us. It is possible to win amidst the struggles.
Full, embodied with the effervescence of God’s assurance, Folorunsho’s vocals exude warmth throughout the song’s five minutes runtime.
The sound amplifies the message, with Folorunsho facing the audience but also the choir, which she leads in a metaphorical and literal sense. Bubbling voices in-sync capture the communal energy the church is supposed to exude, and when an interlude breaks towards the end of the song, she renders the message in French, a masterclass of inclusivity.
She utilises a storytelling pattern, referring to God’s love in prosaic lines which colour the first verse. “When it looks like there’s no way / Remember Jehovah has the final say,” she sings before the chorus, after which she runs into the joyful sounding refrain: “Oh na na na”. Love in the presence of God becomes an exercise of glee. And pain is just another part of the journey towards God proving his love towards us, only if we open our hearts up to him.
Ultimately, it’s a song which teaches patience in the things one cannot see. That is faith after all, a grasp in the dark, a reaching for God’s hand. And if the outcome is certain and positive, why not dance through the pain? It’s possible that there we might find the strength to go on. This, I think, is the implicit message of Ify Folorunsho’s revelatory song.
