Gospel Spotlight: Gospel Song winner explores ‘Excess Love’

E xcess Love, a song by Nigerian gospel artiste Mercy Chinwo, has found favour with both Christians and non-Christians alike and has been flooding the airwaves since last year. Joanna Walker, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) 2019 Jamaica Gospel Song winner, recently did a reggae cover, which is also making a huge impact.

"The message in the song is very relevant," Walker told THE WEEKEND STAR. "Additionally, we released it around the time of Jesus' death and resurrection,which speak to his excess love for us. And it is also the time of year when we celebrate mothers, the persons whose love is similar to that of Jesus," Walker stated, while explaining her reason for choosing Excess Love.

Her first official single, it is produced by Heartcour Production and Action Entertainment, and according to Walker, it is a song that she would normally sing at events. So for her team, it was a no-brainer.

She expressed her joy at the positive feedback that she has been receiving and also at how good she actually sounds when she hears herself on radio.

"First of all, you have to understand that most singers don't really love their own voices. So when I heard it being played, I was, like, 'Wow! Mi sound good, ma'," she said. "I expected my friends to like it, but what is really great is that strangers have embraced the song and are even asking the deejays to play it again. I kinda expected to get, 'Aww, not another reggae cover', but that is not the case, and I am really very happy about that."

Her focus is a five-track EP, which she is readying for release, hopefully, by the end of the summer. It will be multigenre, gospel fusion, which will include Afrobeats, jazz, and reggae.