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Michael w. Smith Waymaker his Cover of Nigerian Gospel Singer
Michael w. Smith Waymaker: For the previous three weeks, his cover of Nigerian gospel singer/songwriter Sinach’s song
“Waymaker” has held the top spot on Billboard’s Christian Airplay Chart.
More than 19 million people have watched Michael W. Smith sing the song on YouTube, and admirers from all over the world have thanked him for recording it.
Smith adds, “Here we are in this crazy, unprecedented time, and I simply think it’s become people’s go-to song.” It instils optimism in people.”
Much of the international response has come through Facebook during the live concerts he’s been doing every weekend for the past nine weeks from his studio in Tennessee.
He continues, “I’m getting the majority of the response from these concerts.” “It’s incredible.
I feel like I’m performing in front of 100,000 people from all over the world.
And as I read the comments, I’m struck by how many there are regarding ‘Waymaker.’
People are reciting songs and saying things like, “You have no idea how much I need this music right now,” and “You have no clue how much I need this song right now.”
I mean literally all over the world, whether it’s in Italy, Zimbabwe, or South Korea.
Smith decided to record the song in additional languages as a result of the overwhelming global response. He began by learning Italian.
“Obviously, we were watching what was going on in Italy, and I woke up one night wondering, ‘What if we did this in Italian?’ Because Vanessa’s entire family is Italian, I immediately thought of her.
(On ‘Waymaker,’ he is accompanied by Vanessa Campagna, his back-up singer.) So we hired a coach and got to work. It was a great deal of fun.”
The song is currently being written in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Smith could tell there was something remarkable about ‘Waymaker’ right away.
He claims, “I didn’t write the song.” “I learned about it via my daughter, Anna, who was going through a difficult time in her life.
She asked if I’d heard the song “Waymaker,” to which I replied that I hadn’t. So she performed it for me, and I recorded it.”
(The song was written, recorded, and popularised by Sinach, a Nigerian singer who released it as a single in advance of her 2016 album Way Maker) (Live).
Her YouTube song video, which she launched four years ago, currently has over 150 million views. Since then, the song has been covered by a variety of performers.
Smith’s rendition was recently at the top of Billboard’s Christian Airplay Chart.)
When he sang it live for the first time almost two years ago at a gig at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, he recalls being taken aback by the audience’s reaction.
“Most people want to hear what they’re familiar with, so if you play a new song, they’ll usually say, ‘Whatever.’
But this time, there was a gasp from the audience, and people were saying things like, “Wow, I’ve never heard this song before.”
The live version has been available for some time, but Smith was subsequently invited to record a radio version, which receives greater airtime.
Instead of enlisting the help of another well-known musician, he requested Vanessa Campagna to perform it, giving her the chance to show off her “wonderful” voice.
That radio version is currently No. 1 on the charts.
This is Smith’s 36th No. 1 hit, making him one of the most accomplished musicians in Contemporary Christian music.
He’s won three GRAMMYs and 45 Dove Awards, and his albums have sold over 15 million copies. Last year, he was recognised for his contributions with a star-studded tribute.
Even while sheltering in place at his farm and studio in Tennessee for the past two and a half months, he’s been active.
He did fly to New York in April to join Reverend Franklin Graham for a special Easter Sunday service in Central Park with Reverend Franklin Graham.
Graham is the director of Samaritan Purse, a Christian organisation that established and ran a coronavirus hospital in the park.
Given that New York was a COVID-19 hotspot, Smith’s family was hesitant to accompany him, but he believed it was necessary.
“To be honest, it felt a bit strange. When I wasn’t singing, I wore a mask, but you’re actually in Central Park with no one around but Samaritan’s Purse Hospital, which was fantastic.
I knew there were a lot of people with the virus within those tents, yet I was never afraid. I felt confident in my decision to travel. Thankfully, I did not become ill.”
After returning home, he led a virtual performance of “Waymaker” with 100 members of a local choir and worship team.
Smith, like so many other musicians, is eager to get back on the road and perform live gigs.
On Saturday, May 30th, he will headline a drive-in event at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin, Tennessee.
(Tickets are $40 per vehicle, with a portion of the proceeds going to his Rocketown youth outreach centre, as well as tornado and COVID-19 relief efforts.)
He expects that additional drive-in concerts will be available in the near future.
In the meanwhile, he’ll keep broadcasting live Saturday shows on Facebook and YouTube.
(The show starts at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT.) People, Smith says, need music and the hope it provides more than ever before in these terrible times.
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