Review: How Sola Soetan’s “Miracle Working God” Conjures Hope In Worship Harmony

 
By Emmanuel Daraloye
 
A rousing monologue of prayers from Pastor Bolaji Idowu opens the record with a scatty approach. Sola Soetan’s soft tenor segues immediately, hovering above a soulful piano progression. “You are the Miracle working God,” he declares, setting the tone for his 7-min spin, “Miracle Working God”. The song soars with a distinct moody overwhelm that sticks it out as an evergreen Nigerian Christian gospel worship track.
 
Across Nigerian gospeldom, certain prominent players including Frank Edwards, Tim Godfrey, An Endless Ocean, among others, have hacked the ability to deeply emote within their deliveries. This powerful catharsis function, which has defined Christian music for ages, seems to be a recipe for success, one which Soetan explores expertly in “Miracle Working God”. While he flows with a soft pace from the intro till the first hook, the song switches up dramatically from the mid-point with swelling crescendos, instrumental breaks, and chants. You can hear him scat singing heartily around the 4th minute, before breaking into gripping melismas. It sounds like a mix of laughter and cries, when he stretches his vocals, “You are a miracle working father/ There is nothing you cannot do.”
 
Apart from the song’s deep catharsis, Soetan’s intricate arrangement on the song also unlocks easy recall and lyrical emphasis throughout the song.  He refrains the core messaging: “There is nothing you cannot do, Miracle working God!” severally in every melodic section of the record. Punctuating his delivery with intentional pauses, slow chants, crescendoes and backing vocals, his cadence soars on the track with a very slippery ease that boosts recall. His simple but profound lyricism also shines throughout the track, as he enjoins listeners to commune with God and trust in his perpetual graces upon their lives. It’s the kind of messaging that sticks, despite the groovy overall that keeps it catchy.
 
Tag teaming fellow gospel maestro Uwana Etuk, Soetan elevates his artistry in “Miracle Working God” to reflect his singing and composition prowess. It’s not surprising that he flips the soulful worship tune into a warm, airy and charismatic jam that combines smooth jazz horns, sombre percussion, and soothing piano chords. The song’s clear production and mixing equally helps improve easy listening, striking a slightly addictive tonal structure. Retaining most of its wordiness in the verses, he keeps the song’s grooviest moments in the hook, unlocking its dual utility of an introspective and dancey groove.
 
Soetan’s high-pitched countertenor wears its brightest colours in the song’s pre-climax and outro, which are, arguably, the song’s second brightest moment after the hook. Stretching his falsettos for several seconds, he stirs suspense in the song’s closing moments, rousing the listener into a goosebump spree. He slowly rolls the outro with the song’s hook: ‘There is nothing You cannot do, You are the miracle working God’, ushering its last seconds out with the same prayers that began the record. It’s a cinematic, or rather melodramatic approach that just colours Soetan’s music with originality and a bubbly groove.
 
Overall, Soetan’s “Miracle Working God” surfaces as a hidden gem; a glaringly exciting Christian gospel worship spin that combines both powerful messaging with clever compositions. Its sticky tune, chant-driven verses and prayer monologues elevate its appeal for both shock and replay value. The song feels like a very soulful and slightly uplifting groove, and it ranks as one of Soetan’s best records across his growing discography.
 
Sola Soetan is a talented singer, vocal coach, music producer/director, and music-technology enthusiast with over a decade of experience performing and mentoring singers across Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, with extensive virtual collaborations with music organizations in Canada and beyond.
 
He also won the 2014 MTN Football Fans’ Talent Competition Award, which elevated his popularity.  In 2020, he emerged winner of the Ilera Eko (Lagos State Health Management Scheme) Songwriting Competition, eventually bagging an appointment as the city’s ambassador for the Lagos State Health Management Scheme (LASHMA).
 
Soetan has trained and led choirs, worship teams, and independent artists, helping them develop strong vocal technique, musical intelligence, confidence, and purpose-driven artistry. Also, as a music producer, he has created songs for artists worldwide. He is also the creator of Sing Like A Pro, a forthcoming vocal coaching and training app.