MERCY CHINWO: THE “MERCY” OF AFRICAN GOSPEL

Mercy Nnenda Chinwo popularly referred to as Mercy Chinwo is a Nigerian gospel musician, singer, songwriter, actress, and comedian. She started singing at the age of 6 in her church children’s choir.

She began her music career by joining the music ministry of her church, where she served as a backup vocalist. Her powerful and soulful voice quickly gained attention, and she started receiving invitations to perform at various gospel events and concerts.

Chinwo was into acting before she swerved full time into music. She rose to prominence after winning the Nigerian Idol Season 2 in 2012. Her victory on the show brought her into the spotlight and opened doors for her in the music industry. In 2013, she landed her first film role in Yvonne Nelson’s movie titled; “House of Gold”.

She proceeded in her musical career by voicing to musical projects by top Nigerian gospel music artists such as Sammie Okposo, Joe Praize, Buchi, Chris Morgan and Preye whom she featured in a single “Eze”, and a host of others.

In 2015, Mercy Chinwo released her debut single titled “Testimony”, which received positive reviews and further established her as a rising gospel artist. She followed it up with several other successful singles, including “Igwe” (2016) “Excess Love” (2018), “Chinedum” (2018), “Äkamdinelu” (2019), “Obinasom” (2020), “Kosi” (2020), “Onememma” (2020), “You Do This One” (2023) and many more soul captivating singles.

Her debut album, “The Cross: My Gaze”, was released in 2018 and received critical acclaim. The album features a blend of contemporary gospel, worship, and traditional African sounds. It has been widely accepted and has earned her numerous awards and nominations. She has released other albums like; “Satisfied” (2020), “Overwhelming Victory” (2023) and many others, with an EP “Elevated” (2023).

Mercy Chinwo is known for her powerful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and energetic performances. Her music often focuses on themes of faith, hope, and praise. She has become one of the leading voices in the Nigerian gospel music scene and continues to inspire and impact lives through her music.

The said artist was born on September 5, 1990, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. She is the first child and the first daughter of six children. She got her first school leaving certificate at the Goodwill International School and her secondary school education at Paradise International School.  She is an alumna of the International Business Management Institute (IBMI) where she bagged a degree in Human Resources Management.

She has bagged various awards, including the 2019 Africa’s Gospel Female Artist of the Year in Africa Gospel Awards Festival (AGAFEST), she has also gotten awards from AFRIMMA Awards, Climax Awards, CLIMA Africa Awards and many more. She was recently nominated at the Kingdom Achievers Awards 2023.

The beautiful artist is happily married to Pastor Blessed Uzochikwa and she awaits a bouncing baby boy in which she recently announced the baby’s sex in her latest song “YOU DO THIS ONE”.

In addition to her music career, Chinwo has also ventured into acting. She made her acting debut in the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) in 2013 with a lead role in the film “House of Gold”.  She has also built an NGO “Mercy is Blessed Foundation”, with the help of her husband. The NGO is focused on donations to the less privileged as well as youth development.

Mercy Chinwo’s talent and dedication to her craft have earned her a loyal fan base both within Nigeria and internationally. She continues to release new music and is considered one of the most influential gospel artists in Africa.

Delia Nyadi