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"Dancing On Water" by Mary Oz: When grief has no power over Hope


(by Jasper Tan) I have always been a huge admirer of Mary Oz's music. Since the moment I discovered her songs, without fail, I've always made it a point to add them to my playlists. If there was one CCM artist from the Philippines who deserves to be heard on a global scale, then my vote belongs to Mary. 

Mary Oz - Dancing On WaterHer latest single, "Dancing On Water" (which is a part of her forthcoming album), is a pure acoustic folk/rock song that talks about breakthroughs from grief. As Mary shares, "Grief can swallow you whole, but it's not a life sentence. The morning will come, and with it, Joy." This is a very empowering statement that seeks to inspire her listeners to take courage, rejoice, leave the sadness behind, and just conquer their fears. 

What I love about Mary's songwriting is her deep metaphorical lyricism that makes her songs stand out among the clutter of songs in this age of digital music. You'll definitely know that her songs are very well thought of, and the artistic input that she puts in every rhyme, tune, and melody builds like a puzzle that, when put together, offers you a majestic listening experience. 

Take, for example, this song. Mary begins the song by offering simple acoustic guitar strums that lulls us to join her with this song. But as the song progresses, we are treated to a full band production, mirroring the slow transition of our emotions of grief that transforms into a joyous celebration of victory and triumph. And when we make it to the bridge part of the song, we are offered an acapella of harmonies that signifies our brave declaration of being freed from the grieving process. And with a groove that draws influences from the Latin beat of salsa along with the harmonious drum beats, we are drawn to dance to the beat, to "Dance On Water." You know how it feels to frolic on the beach? Mary's song just brought that feeling back, even if we are in the process of weathering the storms. 

Let's not forget that HOPE will always remain when we put our complete trust and faith in Christ. Just as he triumphed over death, we too shall be redeemed by his promise of grace and redemption.

(Related scripture: Psalm 30:5; Psalm 30:11; Matthew 14:29)

Connect with Mary Oz

Would you like to hear more CCM music? Then check out our Christian playlists on: https://www.christiandance.eu/playlists

PS: Did you know that the posts we have on Christian Music Today also contain the backstories that artists have shared with us? Check it out on: https://medium.com/christian-music-today/

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