With music a proven border-crossing phenomenon, musicians are the world's ambassadors, setting the stage for sonic and social mutual respect, collaborations, and partnerships. One such story is that of the song "Way Maker" and the artist who created it, Nigerian vocalist and songwriter Sinach. The song, originally made popular in the United States by Leeland, has crisscrossed the globe repeatedly, becoming a Christian worship music standard for many cultures. Our guests discuss how a song reaches such ubiquity and what it takes to steward a song that loves to wander into hearts and voices anywhere and everywhere.

The conversation (recorded at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios) begins with a song by Nigerian musician King Sunny Ade, one of Charlie's West African musical influences. In turn, Sinach reveals some of her American music influences. Throughout the episode, Charlie weaves the story of border-crossing and neighbor-love as a way of being, revealing the musical and spiritual interplay between people, the places they call home, and Jesus—the Way Maker of the Christian faith. Integrity Music executives, Vice President Mark Nicholas and Director of A&R Gilbert Nanlohy figure in prominently, including a discussion of Gilbert's Indonesian musical heritage, and Mark's perspective on the community-partnership focus of Integrity Music's global mission.

The episode wraps with Charlie checking off an item on his bucket list—sitting down to his Fender Rhodes electric piano for an impromptu jam on one of Sinach's new songs, "Victory Is My Name." Nashville meets Nigeria, indeed!

In closing, a reminder that our show theme, "Sound of the Room," performed by Charlie and bassist John Patitucci, is now available in its full-length version, everywhere music is streamed. Here are two options for you: Apple+ Spotify.

Presave Sinach's new music

Follow Sinach on Instagram to learn more about her new music

"Music and Meaning" is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens

Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper

Associate Produced by McKenzie Hill

Edited by Leslie Thompson

Original Music by Charlie Peacock

Mixed by Mark Owens

Show theme, "Sound of the Room," composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci

Sinach's music used by permission, courtesy of Integrity Music

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