For her third album, which brings together both studio and live worship elements, Nigerian gospel singer-songwriter Mercy Chinwo leans into optimism, hope and joy. “For me, it is a joyful theme,” she tells Apple Music. “It depicts victory, it depicts joy, it depicts faith, it depicts hope in our walk with Christ. And I'm really excited about this project because, it's really going to encourage not just Christians, but people who hope to be a part of us, and it will really make them know more about the person of Jesus Christ. And it's really exciting to know that I was heavily pregnant whilst working on this project. It was a bit different for me, because I had to do certain things that I would likely not do if I wasn't pregnant. I had to leave my comfort zone. I had to ensure that I put in the work, the time, energy into making this project a reality. It was a great experience for me.” Over 12 tracks, Chinwo celebrates both the evolution of her own journey, and everything that’s to come. “[Today], Mercy is that girl that has been mindfully helped by God,” she reflects. “Mercy is that girl that is willing to share her journey with the world, to put smiles on the faces of people and to encourage them to trust God and stay aligned with their walk with God.”Here, she talks us through key tracks from Overwhelming Victory. “Only You Satisfy” “Only You Satisfy happens to be one of my favourite songs. You know, sometimes we tend to look for happiness in many places, but ‘Only You Satisfy’ is about realising that all the peace I need, everything I would ever be, everything I need, I find in Jesus. It’s a heart-to-heart song for me, where I admit that nothing else fills me up quite the same. Nothing else matters. Nothing else can actually fill in that empty space, but Jesus. ‘Only You Satisfy’ is a song of assurance that, 'Come with me. My life is rooted in Christ, and I am safe in him’.” “I’m In Awe” (Live) “There was a shared moment with the crowd where we were all just struck by how beautiful this life is, and how amazing God is. It's about that feeling of being part of something bigger, being a part of something amazing and incredible. You know, just staying in awe of the wonders of his hands and the wonders of what he is doing and what is to come. It is only by God's grace that the reality of every song on the project would pass a message to the hearts of men, the hearts of people going through challenges. And you could see the expression [on people’s faces]. It was just priceless and a defining moment for me.” “Amaram Onyewem” (feat. Pastry Jerry Eze) [Live] “I had the great honour to feature Pastor Jerry Eze. And ‘Amaram Onyewem’ is me telling you that I know who I am in Christ. ‘Amaram Onyewem’ simply means, 'I know who owns me.’ Holding onto his promises that I'm never forgotten, no matter the season, no matter what I go through. I know who I am in Christ. And then the ministration of Pastor Jerry made the song a great reminder that even when the road gets rough, we're reminded that we have Christ and he will never let us down.” “You Do This One” “You Do This One is a special song. And I love this song because it depicts my testimony, about the miracle of new life growing inside of me. That's my baby. And the excitement, my dance of joy for the blessings of being pregnant and going through that journey of [growing] a child. And the faith that saw me through the journey. It’s a song of thanksgiving to God for all he has done; taking me through the phase of conceiving, and then my baby is here. I just have to tell the world that, 'See what the Lord has done? See? God has done it again. I am excited.’ And everyone shared in that joy. Everyone connected with the song, because every faithful day, there is no day that God does not show up for us.” “Oke Mmiri” (Live) “When I think of Oke Mmiri, I see the strength and might of God. Like a storm over the ocean. I feel like there's actually nothing you can compare with the mighty hand of God in a man's life. ‘Oke Mmiri’ is a song that depicts the true nature of God. It is a song that shares the glory of God to the world in our everyday life. It's something so powerful, yet so close. You know, the kind of feeling that fills you up and leaves no room for fear—like you are really convinced that it is what it is. God is powerful and nothing can change it. After we released the song, we got lots of testimonies, [and they were] mind-blowing. So I get so blessed listening to the song. And most times I just ask myself questions like, 'Are you really the one God is using with this song?’ And when I get to hear testimonies from people, I just give the glory back to God, because I mean, I wouldn't have done this without him, of course. Everything happening in my life with me is through Christ. I can't brag or boast of anything outside him.” “My Future and Hope” “For me, [this] song is me laying out all my dreams like a map before God. Trusting him as my compass; trusting him as my hope, my future; trusting him as my leader that he is. It’s about stepping forward with confidence, knowing that my tomorrow is in his hands—the hand of the one who created it. I am convinced that whatever is kept in him, whatever I give to him, he's able to keep. It gives me that assurance that I am safe in Christ.” “Too Many Reasons” (feat. Chioma Jesus) “Here, I featured someone that I love so much, Chioma Jesus. ‘Too Many Reasons’ is like sitting down with an old friend and just counting my blessings. It’s me looking back at the mountains moved and rivers crossed, and knowing that I was never alone, not for a second. It reminds me of where I used to be and where I am now. It's a sound of thanksgiving. It's a sound that reminds you of your progress and your process in life. And you are just here to say, 'Lord, I remember how I started and I'm grateful for now. I'm excited about where you're taking me to. I am excited because I know that without you, life would be completely empty.’ It reminds us of the goodness of God.” “From The Rising” “‘From The Rising’ is about finding joy in everything you do. Find a journey, enjoy your everyday journey [of] life. It's like waking up each morning and saying, 'Yes, another beautiful day to get things right.’ And knowing that's enough to bring a smile on someone's face, you know? It's enough to make you excited. It's enough to make you know that the rest of the day is going to be a good one. It's going to be a good day. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you wanting to see the hand of God in your life, wanting to see rather the manifestation of the hand of God in your life. On the day we started working on it, it was so good that everybody started vibing to the song—we had to put the song on repeat.”