Secular music is renowned for being worldly, with lyrics about girls, asses, drugs, parties, and foul language. Gospel music is recognized for having lyrics and melodies that spiritually nurture the body and soul.
Most of our secular musicians began singing while in the choir. Some went into secular music because people enjoy listening to them, and some because it pays well.
Being a gospel singer means you have to be in Christ, be born again, and make use of your voice and songs to win people for Christ. Some Nigerian secular singers have either rethought their lives and careers or responded to a spiritual call.
The olowogbogboro singer started as a church singer but he became interested in jazz music. He went on to play in jazz performances, such as those featuring Louis Armstrong’s songs. Later, Nathaniel Bassey joined “Spectrum 4,” a jazz trio in Lagos.
Despite being a performer, Nathaniel Bassey still used to sing in the church. When Nathaniel Bassey was requested to write a song on a day Stella Obasanjo was scheduled to attend worship and pray at his church, everything changed for him; that was the turning point in his life. He understood that this is what he should be doing with his life after hearing the composition played. When asked if he quit jazz completely, he said this.
Chidinma Ekile, popular Nigerian musician known for her playful songs. She gained massive fame when she released her award-winning Afropop song “Kedike,”. Chidinma debuted her new career as a gospel singer on her 30th birthday, switching from secular music.
Chidinma rose to popularity in 2010 as a 19-year-old after winning Project Fame West Africa. She followed up with the release of her debut single, ‘Jankoliko,’ which featured veteran artist Sound Sultan.
TY Bello started as a photographer. She gained popularity when she became the photographer to former President Goodluck Jonathan. TY Bello showed her inner self when she published three albums, Greenland in 2008, The Future in 2011, and The Morning Songbook in 2014.
TY Bello started experimenting with impromptu worship sessions. The spontaneous worship session established a platform for fresh album releases. Spontaneous worship is a live recording session, where TY Bello features alongside another gospel singer. This spontaneous worship series has birthed some of the most spirit-filled songs for the gospel community.
This might seem surprising to some, but the spirit-filled singer some time ago performed secular songs.
Mercy Chinwo was known by her fans as Mecindo when she performed on the Nigerian idols, 2012 edition. The singer went on to win that edition after performing a couple of secular songs. Though Mercy Chinwo did not go on to release any secular singles, she appeared in a movie.
Years later, Mercy Chinwo came back with many gospel singles.
Chief Ebenezer Obey is one of the frontrunners in Nigerian music, especially in the juju genre. Chief Ebenezer Obey started out by experimenting with Yoruba percussion styles. Later growing the band by adding more drum sets, guitars, and talking drums. Obey’s musical prowess is in incorporating complex Yoruba concepts into dance-floor tunes.
The band excelled at praise-singing for affluent Nigerian socialites and business tycoons, as is typical of Nigerian Yoruba social-circle music. Chief Ebenezer Obey, is known for Christian spiritual themes in his songs. He became involved in Nigerian gospel music ministry in the early 1990s. He is now known as Evangelist Ebenezer Obey.
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