A Journey of Love captures the delicate tension between vulnerability and resolve, creating moments that feel deeply personal.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
The staggering success of Afrobeats has been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it has propelled Nigerian music to stratospheric heights, earning global acclaim and reconfiguring the musical landscape. On the other, it has overshadowed other genres, often nudging artistes who began their journeys outside its framework to pivot for commercial viability.
Yet, in this genre-blurring and sonic experimentation tide, Gemma Ofili remains steadfast, crafting a niche with her Afro-Soul and R&B sound.
R&B and Soul Music, particularly, hasn’t always been granted the reverence it deserves within Nigerian music circles. It has had to compete in a culture that thrives on the glitz of rhythmic pomp.
Still, Gemma Ofili has forged her path, captivating those who appreciate the depth of her soulful vocal texture. Her debut project, Through the Skin, arrived in 2020—a year when the pandemic confined us indoors and imposed a global stillness.
Despite the challenges, the 5-track EP resonated with a growing audience, drawn to her evocative lyrics and tender vocal deliveries.
By 2021, the modest yet loyal community Ofili had nurtured transformed into a more tactile experience. She hosted her first intimate concert, themed after her debut EP, which signalled the birth of a bond between artiste and fan that has been essential to her journey.
Four years on from her debut, Gemma Ofili returns with her sophomore project, A Journey of Love. Spanning seven tracks, the project builds on the foundation of her debut, offering a matured soundscape that stays true to her roots while exploring the multifaceted nature of love.
Everything about A Journey of Love—the title and the artwork—aligns to convey a single idea: love is a journey. The cover art brings this to life—a striking painting of a woman walking hand-in-hand with love itself, traversing a long, winding road that feels solitary and endless.
A Journey of Love opens with an invitation to do exactly what its first track suggests: “Open Up Your Mind”. The track begins with a soft hum soon intertwined with the tone of a saxophone, setting the tone for an intimate exploration. The bass guitar threads through the arrangement, lending the song a fluid rhythm—a foundation over which Ofili’s vocals unfurl with ease .
The lyrics—“Are you heartbroken? There is love outside”—carry a profound invitation to embrace possibility, even amid heartbreak. Gemma Ofili’s delivery is striking, her voice carrying a conversational warmth that feels as if it’s addressing each listener personally.
The transition into A Journey of Love’s second track, “Backstory”, sharpens that sense of purpose. It begins with a sharp stinger sound—a dramatic entry point that heightens anticipation. Where “Open Up Your Mind” felt like a hand gently extended, “Backstory” is a more direct push—urging listeners to confront their fears and reclaim their narrative. Ofili’s voice takes on a different texture here, less of a caress and more of a rallying call. The core message shines through: “People know your backstory, but that shouldn’t keep you from the change you need today”.
A Journey of Love moves into a new emotional space with “Nakupenda” — a mid-tempo ballad that takes its name from the Swahili phrase for “I love you”. It’s a turning point in the narrative, where the introspection of the earlier tracks gives way to the raw vulnerability that comes with matters of the heart.
The lyrics are simple—almost minimalistic—but they’re not where the heart of the song lies. Instead, it’s in the naked emotion of her delivery, especially in the moments where her voice cracks into a scream.
On “Love Dey Carry Me Go”, Gemma Ofili surrenders to the consuming force of love, her voice floating effortlessly over a groovy, slow Highlife beat. The arrangement is lush and textured, with guitar strums, saxophone flourishes, and the occasional flute melody weaving together to create a soundscape that’s hypnotic. It’s the kind of production that beckons you to the dancefloor with an irresistible sway.
On “Taboo Love”, Gemma Ofili dips into Caribbean dancehall textures, crafting a breezy sound with an undercurrent of emotion. The rhythm moves with ease, its syncopation almost coaxing you into forgetting the ache buried in the song’s core. “We feel so good together, but I’m no way not forever”, she sings, with her voice carrying the quiet weight of inevitability that love’s fragility often forces upon us.
The hook strikes like a bittersweet confession: “Tell me why taboo love dey sweet?” letting the question linger as if the answer could unravel everything. But as the track winds down, one can feel the increasing desperation with the repeated refrain, “I don’t wanna be broken on my knees”.
On “Love’s Gone”, a tender cascade of piano chords that set the stage for Gemma Ofili’s voice. The minimalist instrumentation draws all attention to her vocal ability, which here carries a textured richness that evokes shades of Asa—one of the most emotive voices in contemporary African music—at her most emotive.
She closes the project with “You Should Be Here”, a mournful tribute to a lover lost to death but whose memory refuses to fade. It’s a song about grief and the unspoken ache of someone who should still be here, even though everyone else has moved on. Ofili’s voice—soft yet piercing—captures that ache of absence.
At its best, Gemma Ofili’s music captures the delicate tension between vulnerability and resolve, creating moments that feel deeply personal. Her sophomore project, A Journey of Love, leans fully into this space. Across its seven tracks, Gemma Ofili lets you live through it, stitching together lyrics and melodies that feel like fragments of lived experience.
Gemma Ofili’s gift lies in her ability to translate raw, intimate moments into music that envelops you. In a time when the music scene often prioritises fleeting trends over substance, A Journey of Love stands apart, timeless in its authenticity and stands as a proof that the most powerful stories are often the ones told quietly, with no pretenses.
This is the kind of project that finds its way into your life, soundtracking your own journey of love, heartbreak, and, ultimately, healing.
Lyricism – 1.5
Tracklisting – 1.0
Sound Engineering – 1.0
Vocalisation – 1.5
Listening Experience – 1.4
Rating – 6.4/10
Abioye Damilare is a music journalist and culture writer focused on the African entertainment Industry. Reading new publications and listening to music are two of his favourite pastimes when he is not writing. Connect with him on Twitter and IG: @Dreyschronicle