Who is the original singer of Way Maker?

She Is The First Female To Ever Hold The No. 1 Spot;As The Songwriter Of “Way Maker,” Sinach Makes Global Impact With Poignant Song

5 June 2020 – Brentwood, TN – Integrity Music is proud to announce that Nigerian songwriter/artist Sinach is the industry’s top Christian songwriter. Holding the No. 1 spot for twelve weeks in a row, the news comes according to Billboard‘s weekly charts that name the week’s top songwriters and producers.

Sinach, whose full name is Osinachi Okoro, is the only woman to hold this No. 1 spot. She is the songwriter to over 200 songs, most recently to the world-renowned worship anthem “Way Maker.”

From being sung in churches around the world to numerous versions recorded by many of today’s top artists, “Way Maker” has made a global impact in truly unprecedented ways. More than 60 recording artists have covered the song, such as Leeland, Michael W. Smith – whose version went to No. 1 at radio, Mandisa, Bethel, Passion (feat. Kristian Stanfill, Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes), Miranda Curtis, American Idol contestants Genevieve Linkowski and David Archuletta, and most recently Revere featuring Darlene Zschech and William McDowell.

At press time, Sinach’s ‘Way Maker” music video has more than 151 million views (video below), while Leeland’s version has received more than 67 million streams and the video has more than 27 million views. “Way Maker” also been adopted as a modern worship standard within the global church, climbing to the top four on CCLI’s US Chart.

“Way Maker” has also become an anthem over the past weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous hospitals have been playing the song from their rooftops to the parking lots, taking a few moments to pray for those impacted by the virus as well as to honor those who are tirelessly working the front lines to battle this pandemic. And just this weekend, the song was sung by thousands who took to the streets in Minneapolis, MN during a protest march to honor the life of George Floyd and to fight against racism.

“For years, we have longed to see the songs of other nations meaningfully impact the global church,” shares Jonathan Brown, President, Integrity Music. “‘Way Maker’ has accomplished more than our wildest dreams. It is our great joy to celebrate this powerful artist’s accomplishment. Way to go, Sinach!”

A new version of “Way Maker”  is now available from Revere and fronted by William McDowell and Darlene Zschech. Their live video will make its debut later today on YouTube beginning at 7pm CT.  They’ve recently shared, “We’ve been singing it and we’ve heard it in different versions, but the best-kept secret about ‘Way Maker’ is that it was born in Nigeria. Our hope with the Revere version is to gently help steer the church away from a production culture where the emphasis can, mistakenly, become a love for worship, to a reverential culture where the focus is, clearly and firmly, a love for Christ.”

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Michael W. Smith was supposed to spend his spring revisiting his past. Instead, he finds himself ushering in the future — for now, at least — of live music.

The Christian music mainstay will headline his own "drive-in" concert Saturday night at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park in Franklin.

It's set to be the first large public concert held in the Nashville area since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in Tennessee. It's also one of the first drive-in concerts to be staged in the U.S. — but the format is catching on, and might be the flagging concert industry's best option in the age of social distancing. 

"It is odd and wonderful all at the same time that we're doing something that's very unprecedented, caused by a pandemic," Smith tells The Tennessean. 

"Four (thousand) or 5,000 people in their cars, pulling up. I mean, that's crazy! I just think people are kind of excited about doing something that's never been done before."

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Around this time last year, more than 50 artists shared the stage at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena to celebrate Smith's career. It had been 35 years since he had recorded his breakthrough hit, "Friends." That show led to last fall's "35 Years of Friends" tour, and Smith had a spring leg mapped out earlier this year. After one show, the run was postponed. 

Instead, he's been playing concerts in his house, streaming a weekly service he calls "Worship Around the World."

"I've been hunkered down with family and having a great time, and writing a lot. I've just been really creative, not only with the concerts, but writing songs, and I'm working on some projects. I'm not bored, that's for sure. It's been a good thing. I've learned a lot about myself during all this. I know it's been very difficult for a lot of people, especially people who've lost their jobs. But I do believe there's some good that can come out it."

And there's still been cause for celebration. Aside from holiday songs, Smith hadn't topped the Christian charts since 2004, but that changed with "Waymaker," which has been the No. 1 song on Christian Airplay for the last two weeks.

"Waymaker/ Miracle worker/ Promise keeper/ Light in the darkness," Smith sings in the refrain.

"My God/ That is who you are."

"It's the right song for the time we're living in," he says. "It's a song that people kind of hang on to. I think it encourages them not to give up. It's one of those battle songs that people love."

"Waymaker" was written by Nigerian gospel star Sinach, who released her version in 2015. By the time Smith heard it roughly two years ago, it was already on its way to becoming a standard. His daughter played it for him, calling it her "go-to song."

"I knew it was special when I heard it, but I really knew it was special when I sang it at Bridgestone (Arena). Usually, people don't like to hear new songs (in concert). They want to hear what they know, and it was so well received."

Smith says he was approached by "a couple of radio guys" who suggested he record a studio version.

"I kind of fought against that because I usually don't do that. I've never written anything for radio in my entire life ... but I made an exception because I felt like something in my gut told me that I think this is a very, very important song, and I didn't realize, obviously, with this pandemic, boy am I ever glad I did it. It kind of struck a nerve, and it's been No. 1 for two weeks in a row. It's been a long time since I've had a No. 1."

In March, as Italy went into lockdown, Smith was moved to record a special version of "Waymaker" in Italian — with the help of background vocalist Vanessa Campagna and a dialect coach.

"I was a little scared. I wanted it to be legit. I wanted this thing to sound like I've been speaking Italian my entire life. We worked hard, and we pulled it off, and it's been very well received. I'm getting ready to do it in Spanish and Portuguese in the next couple of weeks."

He's also made contact with Sinach, thanking her for writing "Waymaker."

"She wrote me this beautiful email. She was so gracious and (said she) looked forward to meeting me one day."

Smith says he'll have his full band with him at his drive-in concert, and they anticipate being up on stage for as long as his audience will have them. That might be awhile, especially if Smith's plan to have some "Oh my gosh" special guests comes to fruition. He's expecting a big crowd, but he's not giving himself credit for that.

"I think it could be honestly anybody (performing)," he says. "Everybody's just itching to get out of the house and to go watch some live music, no matter who it is. But I think it'll be a good night, and hopefully the weather will cooperate. We're definitely gonna make some history. ... I hope I can be that voice of calm, that people can pull out of there and go, 'You know what? I'm gonna get through this.' "

If you go

Michael W. Smith will host a "LIVE Drive-In Concert" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park, 4215 Long Lane, Franklin.

Tickets will be $40 per car, "not per person."

To purchase tickets, visit http://MichaelWSmith.com/Worship

Gates open at 5 p.m.

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