Nathaniel Bassey
{{short description|Nigerian gospel musician (born 1981)}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nathaniel Bassey
| image = Nathaniel Bassey.jpg
| alt = Nathaniel Bassey
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|8|27}}
| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Nigerian
| other_names =
| occupation = Gospel musician
| spouse = {{marriage|Sarah Bassey| 2013}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| website =
}}
Nathaniel Bassey{{Audio|Ig-Nathaniel Bassey.ogg|(Listen)|help=no}} (born 27 August 1981) is a Nigerian singer, pastor, trumpeter and gospel songwriter popularly known for his songs "Imela", "Onise Iyanu", and "Olowogbogboro."{{cite web|date=3 October 2018|title=Nathaniel Bassey: A blessing in our time|url=https://thenationonlineng.net/nathaniel-bassey-a-blessing-in-our-time/|publisher=The Nation}} Over the years, Bassey has established himself as one of the prominent and most listened-to gospel ministers in Nigeria. His music spans across different genres such as jazz, worship, hymns and medley.{{Cite web |last=Abegunde |first=Israel |date=2023-04-03 |title=Best Nathaniel Bassey Songs of All Time — Top 10 |url=https://christiangists.com/nathaniel-bassey-songs/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=Christian Gists |language=en-US}} He attends The Redeemed Christian Church Of God{{Cite web|date=2 February 2020|title=Churches Attended by Nigerian Gospel Ministers|url=https://www.churchlist.ng/churches-attended-by-nigerian-gospel-ministers/|access-date=27 August 2020|website=churchlist.ng|language=en-US|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024114251/https://www.churchlist.ng/churches-attended-by-nigerian-gospel-ministers/|url-status=dead}} and pastors The Oasis Lagos, the youth church of the RCCG Kings Court in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Early life and education
Bassey was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on 27 August 1981. He is originally from Ikot Ofon Ikono, Uyo local government area in Akwa-Ibom state, south-south Nigeria. Mr. E. Joshua Bassey, his father, was a minister in the Apostolic Church Bashua Assembly. He studied international relations and politics at the University of Lagos before moving to London to study politics thereafter. Conversely, he studied music at the Middlesex University Summer School.
Nathaniel Bassey is married to Sarah Bassey. They got married in the year 2013, although they had known each other for 12 years before their marriage.
Music career
Nathaniel started his musical career in the church, where he then joined the Rhodes Orchestra and played the trumpet for two years. He was a trumpeter who composed a song at the visit to Stella Obasanjo, the late wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. in 2004, he featured in the album "[https://open.spotify.com/album/4FCTp4KLgCoTpXwS4OoUbg?si=yCIx26_VShG6W1UCqm43Ew New Jazz Stew Project: Revelation]" alongside top jazz performers like Wole Oni and Yinka Davies. In 2018, Bassey was one of the leading artistes in the Nigerian Christian gathering - The Experience.{{cite web|title=Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, Tope Alabi, others to headline The Experience 2018|date=24 November 2018 |url=https://punchng.com/kirk-franklin-travis-greene-tope-alabi-others-to-headline-the-experience-2018/|publisher=Punch Nigeria}} His debut album, Elohim, was recorded and mixed in Cape Town, South Africa, in the year 2008. It has been described as a spiritual and artistic masterpiece with the hit track, "Someone's knocking at the door," a soft-rock tune currently generating so much interest locally and internationally.{{Cite web|title=Profile|url=https://nathanielbassey.net/profile/|access-date=18 December 2020|website=nathanielbassey.net|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Busari|first=Torera Idowu and Stephanie|date=15 June 2017|title=How Nathaniel Bassey started a praise and worship movement on Instagram|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/15/africa/nathaniel-bassey-praise-challenge/index.html|access-date=31 July 2021|website=CNN|language=en}}
=#HallelujahChallenge=
Nathaniel started the #HallelujahChallenge In June 2017,{{cite web |last1=Busari |first1=Stephanie |last2=Idowu |first2=Torera |title=How Nathaniel Bassey started a praise and worship movement on Instagram |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/15/africa/nathaniel-bassey-praise-challenge/index.html |website=CNN |date=15 June 2017 |access-date=4 May 2021}} where he and other believers worship God for an hour, from 12:00 am to 1:00 am. He streams this event on his Instagram, Facebook and YouTube pages and invites others to join him. In less than a month, the event had over 600,000 views. The #HallelujahChallenge for 2020 was held from 4 to 24 February 2020{{cite web|date=2 February 2019|title=Nathaniel Bassey Announces Date For 2019 #HalleluyahChallenge|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/02/02/nathaniel-bassey-announces-date-for-2019-halleluyahchallenge/|website=P.M. News}}{{cite web|title=Criticisms made Hallelujah Challenge bigger – Nathaniel Bassey|date=23 June 2017 |url=https://punchng.com/criticisms-made-hallelujah-challenge-bigger-nathaniel-bassey/|publisher=Punch Nigeria}} In 2021, the challenge was held from 1 to 21 February.{{cite web|title=Everything about the Hallelujah Challenge by Nathaniel Bassey|url=https://hallelujahchallenge.ng/what-is-hallelujah-challenge/|access-date=4 May 2021|website=Hallelujah Challenge|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506010142/https://hallelujahchallenge.ng/what-is-hallelujah-challenge/|url-status=dead}}
= Performances =
- Performance at The Liberty Church in London{{Cite web|last=BellaNaija.com|date=31 December 2020|title=Get Ready to Step Up with 'The Liberty Church London' Tonight by 9.00 pm {{!}} 31 December|url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2020/12/the-liberty-church/|access-date=31 July 2021|website=BellaNaija|language=en-US}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
- Someone's at the Door (2010)
- The Son of God (& Imela) (2014)
- This God is too Good (2016)
- Revival Flames (2017)
- Jesus: The Resurrection & the Life (2018)
- The King is Coming (2019)
- Hallelujah Again (Revelation 19:3) (2021)
- Names of God (2022)
- Hallelujah Live (2023)
- Jesus Iye (2023)
- Yahweh Sabaoth (2023)
- Iba (2023)
- Bless the Lord (2024)
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Nigerian gospel singers
Category:University of Lagos alumni