On her second album, South African gospel singer-songwriter Xolly Mncwango celebrates the power of divine intervention in her life—and the personal growth it’s inspired. “In a world where we are constantly navigating change, this album has been a source of solace and inspiration,” she tells Apple Music. “This album was more of me having my voice heard. I made sure that I pushed myself, even if it felt uncomfortable. When the Lord says to me, ‘It is the year of the unusual, and I want you to go out and send that message to everyone that I'm about to do the unusual things in everyone's life’—that motivates me.” “However, you also have to do the unusual things,” the Joyous Celebration alum continues. “Lead yourself with integrity. Stick to the plan. It sounds easy, but it's an unusual thing to lead yourself because no one applauds you. So the album is a story of growth, from how Xolly started the music journey, to who Xolly is today. It's the unusual favour of God that I'm experiencing, the unusual opening of doors that I'm experiencing. The unusual crazy love of God that I see in the little things that I do. Even if we are in an unusual situation, we serve an unusual God.” Here, she breaks down key tracks from the album. “Jesu Ehlezi” “It's a prayer. I thought of a king. I went to Eswatini, and I genuinely liked how they just exalt the king, before getting to the king. And I came back really inspired to say, ‘God deserves all the praises.' It's just exalting, extolling the Lord. Telling him of who he is. Speaking to him directly. So I used to love when [Joyous Celebration] sang ‘Umbhedesho’, And I took that and thought, ‘This is how I want this song to be.’ The song just really speaks to him and about him and also the influence of working around artists. “Consistent God” “Pastor Collen Maluleke—I love how he writes his music. I asked him to write a song for me, and he said, 'Give me time. I need to go pray because I want to write about what I have seen God doing in your life.' And he came back with ‘Consistent God’. It's the story of my life, God just being consistent. The consistent love, the consistent favour, the consistent [message of] ‘I have your back. I'll never leave, nor forsake you.’ I'm not talking about things that people can see. I'm talking about private things where [God is] saying, ‘I'll never leave, nor forsake you’. That consistency, that covenant blood, that knowing that I'm covered, I'm in the blood. He has carried me. I'm a single mom. From when my son was born until today, there's never a day where my son has never been at school because I couldn't. He’s a consistent God.” “Uthando Lukababa” “This is an old hymn; it’s deep. [It describes God’s love] as having no ending. And it's an invitation to say, 'You can also come in and experience this love.' When you speak of God's love, it's just knowing that you're not doing life alone. And nothing beats that, just knowing that I'm never alone. Do I go through challenges? Yeah, like any other person. But the biggest difference is that I'm not alone. I don't go through things alone. So that's the boldness we can walk in, when we speak of God's love.” “Dunyiswa” (feat. Nozipho Phiri) “Nozipho and I went to the same high school. We are from the same hood. We are still good friends this side. Without any doubt that girl is talented—that’s my girl. It's also part of who I am to say let's give hope to the ones coming behind us, to say, it's doable. While I was in the rehearsal, I knew I need to share a song with her to sing. She just jumped in. The song was written by baba Jabu Hlongwane, and It says, 'You'll be glorified, God. You'll be exalted God because you are just God.’” “Umuhle Baba” “This the summary of my journey with God. And also declaring the future that nothing will ever silence my praise. I've made a decision to speak it in the future, to let it be known that nothing will silence my praise. God will always be God in my life. Therefore, any mountain should know that I [will] conquer. I've been going through situations, but I come out a stronger person to say, 'You are good, God.’ There's a scripture that says, 'All things works good for those who love the Lord.' That script seems very simple, but it speaks of your faith. You say it even when things are not good. You say, okay, it's black now, but all I know is, it’ll work out. Whatever is going on, God is good. Therefore, it's going to work out. It's been working out. And that's the story of my life from my background at home. One of the greatest gift God has given me is to have the greatest background that I have been born [into a family of people] who know Christ. My parents gave me the greatest gift ever, one, to see them walking and living for Christ. It's something that the world can never take away from me. It's something that no money can buy. And, two, to just be surrounded by love, starting from home.” “Nkosi Bhek’ Ibandla Lakho” “This is a prayer song to say, collectively as Christians, 'God, we cannot do this thing alone. We desperately need you to continuously lead, guide, remind us.’ Sometimes the self gets on the way. So it was just an honest cry to God. Say, 'Lord, here we are as your people, so not perfect as we are. Hold us by your hand, overwhelm us with your power. We are your church and we can't do it without you.’” “Jabulani Sesingabantwana” “I sometimes wish I could sit down with people who wrote hymns and have them take me through the journey—‘What was happening when you wrote this?’ That hymn is so special. I was one of those favourite grandchildren—my gogo [‘grandmother’] loved me. Back then there was this [gathering], just old ladies, and they come together and pray each week. And they would sing this song, and I would look at my gogo—she would just burst into tears. The song speaks of who you are and whose you are. And there's a part that says, 'Our inheritance will never be touched by the world or the devil. It's hidden in him.’ It means though I go through the value of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for I know my redeemer is alive. And when my gogo would sing that song, I would look at her crying, I did not get it. But I get it now. There's a verse that says, 'I was young, now I'm old and I've never seen the righteous forsaken.’ My hymns remind me of how I grew up. It's also reminding young people to not be afraid of where we coming from.” “Ngiyamazi Umhlengi Wami” “This song feels like a long, tight, warm hug from the Lord. God will see us through. God is our redeemer, we are never alone. You move differently when you know that you are never alone. There's something that brings boldness when you know that you are not alone. One of the things that has kept me grounded is knowing that I know my redeemer lives, he's here with me. I may be confused, but he's not. That song played a big role in my heart. I sing this at church (I also serve at church) and it just grew [from there] And until today, some people think that's my song, and it’s actually a song from Worship House. It gives an assurance about your relationship with God.” “Sophumula Khona” “This is a praise song. I’m not a praise song person. So it was one of those songs where, I thought, ‘Let me challenge myself,’ and it's out of my comfort zone. But guess what? The song didn't want to end. It takes people back to how we used to do things back home.” “Uyeza Masinyane” “It's actually a medley, and it’s also a praise song. It’s a reminder that, after we've done everything else, the main goal is to see Christ. When all is done, when the dust settled, the aim is to go to heaven. Hold tight to [your faith] and what you have now. Because the aim, the end goal, is to go and to see Christ. And [for him to] look down, and say, 'I am proud’.”