“Holy Spirit, you are welcome in this place,” Takit sings in Holy Spirit, the lead in his newly released EP, Worship Szn. The song, like the EP’s other 7, pays homage to God. On hearing Takit’s soul-stirring vocals, it becomes glaring that Gospel music runs deeper than just lyrics and melodies.
Greatman Ademola Takit was born in Lagos, and grew up in Abuja, in a family of five. His father is a pastor and his mother a church minister. It is tempting to link his Christian origins to the Gospel artist that he is today, but that is not entirely the case. Takit was raised on radio music: “My uncle often played Tupac,” he tells me. Takit’s career took off professionally in 2011, but he had had years of informal training as an artist. “I was choir director in JSS1, and when the senior director left the position, I became both the choir director of the junior and senior school,” he says. At the Federal University of Technology, Minna, he joined a rap group which he claims was crucial to developing his music skills.
Takit released his first single in 2011, Ain’t Nobody, a song which, relying on rhythmic rap, flaunts his kinship with God. Ain’t Nobody features in his debut EP, Wildfire (2016), a blend of Rap and Afropop. He followed it with two more EPs, Commando (2021) and Energy (2022), both of which see Takit substitute the fast-paced tempo of Rap for more mellowed vibes.
True to its name, Worship Szn, his fourth EP, is a call to prayer. Takit’s textured vocals, backed by rousing instrumentation, manifest his simple yet powerful worship style, one widely beloved among Nigerian Gospel artists. “What will I do without your love,” Look What You’ve Done’s soulful intro, sets the tone of gratitude as Takit talks about God’s blessings in his life. Chant, on the other hand, opens with Takit speaking in tongues, backed by background chants. With its atmospheric reverence, Chant calls to mind Eyes of the Spirit, a similar anthem by Nigerian artist Praiz Singz. Amen Amen seamlessly fuses Igbo lyrics in revered praise to God, featuring Grace Nelson, who sings an Igbo eulogy. On the whole, the EP weaves praise, worship, and adoration into a cohesive unit.
When asked about the inspiration for Worship Szn, Takit says that the songs are personal to him, and “carried me through episodes in my life.” Truly, his benevolence and sincerity is contained in the love message to God that is Worship Szn. Across the EP, Takit proves he is authentically grounded in scripture. He comes across as an artist who never loses sight of the message behind his music. This conviction shines through even in the jovial sign-off track, Laughter.
“I want the EP to take people on a spiritual journey, and I want people to pray with the songs,” says Takit. “I also want people to listen to the EP and leave with the opinion that it is possible to do Afrobeats and Rap, and still do this kind of music.”