Osinachi Joseph (née Kalu), known professionally as Sinach, has made history to become the first African to top Billboard USA Christian songwriter chart, the music industry standard record chart for songs published weekly by Billboard magazine. Her song Way Maker, according to the data released in May, has dominated the chart for the past seven weeks. Chart ranking is based on sales, radio play, and online streaming in the United States.
The Proudly Nigerian singer and songwriter has released other gospel hit songs, including “I Know Who I Am”, “Great Are You Lord”, “Rejoice”, “He Did It Again”, ” Precious Jesus”, “The Name of Jesus”, “This Is My Season”, “Awesome God”, “For This”, “I Stand Amazed”, “Simply Devoted” and “Jesus is Alive”.
In March 2019, the visuals for “Way Maker” became the third Nigerian video to garnered 100 million views on YouTube behind Davido’s “Fall” and Yemi Alade’s Johnny”. “Way Maker” has been covered by multiple Christian artists such as Michael W. Smith, Darlene Zschech, Leeland, Bethel Music, and Mandisa. In September 2019, Sinach became the first gospel artist from Africa to tour India, headlining concerts with several thousand in attendance.
Osinachi Kalu, Born30 March 1973 in Afikpo South, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. She started singing for family and friends in 1989 as a hobby while working as a staff and choir member in Christ Embassy Church.
She studied Physics and graduated from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. She considered relocating from Nigeria after her University education but was advised against it by pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
As a child, Sinach stated she had dreams, where she saw herself singing to large crowds, but didn’t actively pursue anything musically as a career besides joining the choir and also working as an administrative staff in the Church. Sinach had written many songs before she released her first album, Chapter One in 2008. Her song ‘This Is Your Season’ won the Song of the Year award in 2008.
Speaking on how she came by her stage name Sinach, she said: “I chose that from my name Osinachi because it is easy to pronounce and catchy”.
In 2016, Sinach was the first recipient of the LIMA Songwriter of the Decade Award, recognizing her contribution to gospel music in the previous decade. Her songs were being sung in many countries, translated to many languages, around the world. That same year, she received the African Achievers’ Award for Global Excellence. Also that same year, for the second time in a row, she won the Western Africa Artist Of The Year by Groove Awards in Kenya and was listed by YNaija alongside Chris Oyakhilome, Enoch Adeboye as one of the Top 100 Influential Christians in Nigeria.
As a songwriter, Sinach has written over 200 songs and won several awards. Her song ‘This Is Your Season’ won the Song of the Year award in 2008. One of her most popular songs is ‘I Know Who I Am’.
Sinach has performed and headlined concerts in over 50 countries including Kenya, Dominica, South Africa, United States, Canada, Antigua & Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Grenada, Uganda, Barbados, The British Virgin Islands, Zambia, Saint Maarten, the United Kingdom, and India