Imade iN Truth

Joy Ike is not a name you may have heard but she is a fully polished artist who fills the gulf between Christian contemporary and soulful pop-folk.  As the child of Nigerian immigrants, Joy seemed destined to become a cultural bridge since her days listening to DC Talk and Steven Curtis Chapman as a teenager.  

Joy’s new third album, All Or Nothing, reflects her eclectic background and sincere thoughts of the world around her.  With the help of producer Saul Simon MacWilliams, Joy’s music employs lush, staccato arrangements that pay homage to the overlapping African rhythms of her Nigerian childhood.

All Or Nothing is an album with pop-accessible Christian messages (“Everything You Have”), brooding, jazz-influenced self-help (“Go”), and transparent love songs delicately delivered (“Don’t Ever Die”).  The gentle, airy quality of Joy’s voice sounds like an inner-dialogue that we are privileged to hear.

“Promised Land” is no exception.  Joy uses her storytelling skills to share the dark tale of loving someone that her family rejects.  It can be assumed that this interracial relationship becomes mistaken as a symbol of Joy’s cultural abandonment.  The song builds to a frenetic cadence as Joy commits to “hop a train, fly a plane, and walk all day” to the “Promised Land” of her heritage.  ”Promised Land” is so exquisitely cinematic, it begs to be in a feature film.   

Few artists can exude introspective depth and lightheartedness, but Joy masterfully achieves both.  All Or Nothing is a reflection of Joy shedding who she is for who she should be.  And the journey is as beautiful as the destination.  Twitter  Website  Sample On Amazon  Buy On iTunes