“Wonderfully made, prayerfully made, formed in the image of God.” This is how I often describe myself. As a Nigerian-born gospel artiste, now living in the Unites States, I have been on a remarkable journey from worshiping at the church to becoming a spirit filled gospel artiste committed to inspiring hearts through praising and worshiping my creator. More than anything, I love to tell the world that I am a mother and devoted wife.”
– Sandra Nkenchor
Discovering and Nursing the Beat
Sandra’s gift for music was discovered at an early age. It was obvious that her voice was made for singing as a child, and in her primary school, Sandra would lead the praise and worship section of the morning assembly, delighting her teachers and fellow pupils with her beautiful voice. By the age of 13, Sandra had become a member of her church choir in Egbeda, Lagos. At 14, she was handed the huge responsibility of leading the congregation in praise and worship every Sunday, and since then, Sandra has not skipped a beat in nurturing her gift.
Sandra’s love for singing has only grown through the years, and it’s this love for her gift that has pushed her to not stop honing her skills no matter the challenge. That and her desire to sing in God’s appreciate, for bestowing the talent up on her. Nonetheless, like many gospel artistes, Sandra’s musical prowess today is a result of consistent choir and band practices and Sunday service performances. While combining singing with schooling and other activities was not a walk in the park, she made it work regardless, never missing choir practice despite living in Mushin, Sandra and worshiping at her church in Egbeda.
On gaining admission to Lagos State University, she continued to adhere to her routine, going from school to Egbeda for practice. Father Charles, a priest at the Regina Moody Catholic Church, introduced her to the church band. She joined the band at his request and subsequently had to devote more time to her singing– having to leave school to attend band practice and perform on Sundays during church service. Father Charles was a big encouragement, assisting Sandra with stipends to cover her transport expenses to and from band practices and performances. By devoting herself to her passion through consistent practice, the love of God, and sufficient encouragement from people around her, Sandra was able to nurture her talent.
Family and Support
Sandra’s parents had always shown nothing but support to their talented daughter, ever since she showed interest in music. They let her spend nights at her uncle’s, whose house was closer to the church than theirs, so that she might conveniently and unfailingly attend choir practice. They also consented to her attending band practice while in school. Their acceptance of her talent was also much grounded in the fact that the church was a medium of transformation for their daughter. This support has transcended beyond parental love and in itself, has given Sandra much more reason to envelope her own kids in musical worship and the gospel itself.
Why Gospel Music?
Sandra’s talent was discovered during worship. Although, in her formative years and even as a teenager, she had been exposed to secular music and participated in singing songs by popular artists like Celine Dion and Westlife, she always found her way back to singing for God, at the church. Also, being a church girl and joining the choir at a young age meant that she listened to more gospel music and enjoyed singing it, which helped her to connect to God heavily. This well-nurtured love for God doubles her passion for gospel music. Since her love for God has not waned, neither has her love for gospel music.
More so, this is very apparent in all of her music; her lyrics describe how good God is, how his ways are perfect, and how he is unique in his ways. This desire is what inspires her songs and lyrics. In her words, “It’s just the love of God. That is my motivation. Through worshipping him with the help of the Holy Spirit, songs come to my mind, and that speaks of God’s goodness.”
Striking a Balance
Sandra’s priorities are family, nursing school, and music. It takes a lot of effort to juggle these three priorities, but she has made it work with a lot of determination, more so, with the help of her very supportive and loving husband, who does not hesitate to lend a hand to assist her whenever she needs it, whether it’s school work, driving her to band practice, or preparing the kids for school. With her husband by her side, everything becomes easier. In her words, “His support has made it not too challenging for me, because when you have someone helping you out, it reduces the workload and makes everything easier.”
She believes her gift is one she has to give appreciation to her creator for. Always keeping the words of Luke 19:40 at heart, Sandra tells anyone who’d like to hear that she won’t let stones take her place in giving praise to God. So she remains steadfast in praise and worship through her music. Her love and passion are also other driving factors that push her to make it work.
The Big Move
As a growing Nigerian gospel artist changing location to the USA, finding somewhere to fit comfortably was her biggest challenge. She took series of breaks on her arrival to be able to find the right fit. She had enough experience from her time singing in choirs in Nigeria to be familiar with the dynamics of a church choir, the politics, and how older members might perceive her as an upstart because of her talent and presence. However, Sandra’s love for singing would not let her stay too far from the church, and so she found herself trying out several options before finally deciding on a home at the Winners Chapel International in Massachusetts. Also, she had to adapt to a new style of singing. Coming from a Catholic band in Nigeria, the vocals and style of praise are particularly different from those of Pentecostal churches. Nonetheless, it did not take long to successfully adapt.
Looking Ahead…
Sandra’s biggest goals are to be able to praise God, communicate with him, and have a relationship with him through her songs. She also hopes that her music reaches the world and becomes a medium of praise and connection for those who seek a relationship with God. Sandra has released a series of songs available on official streaming platforms– Your Ways, Nobody Else and Unending Love. Her latest album, ‘Perfect God’ features equally spirit lifting and soul piquing songs that promises not just to captivate her audience who burns for the Lord, but also encompasses melodies that deeply resonates with profound messages calling people into the path of God.
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Get on board with Sandra’s musical adventure and let her uplifting lyrics and beautiful vocals move you. Feel the immense influence of her music as it uplifts and inspires people all across the globe.