Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave‘s “God Is in This Story” ascends to No. 1 on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart (dated Oct. 15).
The coronation marks the second for the 22-year-old Nichole from the start of her career and the third for Big Daddy Weave, and its first in nearly a decade.
The song, which Nichole co-wrote with Ethan Hulse and Jeff Pardo and is from her forthcoming first full-length, gained by 13% to 6.8 million airplay impressions, according to Luminate, and holds at its No. 3 high on Christian Airplay. It also drew 1.2 million official streams and sold 1,000 downloads in the U.S. in the tracking week.
“It’s been one of the greatest blessings to see God using this song to impact so many,” Nichole tells Billboard. “To say I’m grateful would be an understatement to express what I’m feeling. I am so honored to carry this message. When I wrote the song, I knew it wasn’t just my story, it was everyone’s story.”
“We are so grateful for how ‘Story’ has been received, and equally grateful for how it has spoken to us during one of the hardest times of our lives,” says Mike Weaver, frontman of Big Daddy Weave. “Through Katy inviting us to record this song together, not long after my brother Jay passed away at the beginning of this year, God has used it to remind us that he’s with us through the hurt, and how valuable that is.”
Jay Weaver, who served as the group’s bassist, died in January from health complications due to COVID-19. He was 42.
For Nichole, who records for Centricity Music, “Story” marks her second Hot Christian Songs No. 1 in as many tries. “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” led for 20 weeks starting in March, the longest reign so far this decade.
Nichole is the second woman to top Hot Christian Songs with her first two appearances since the chart began in 2003. Brooke Simpson first achieved the feat in 2017-18 when “Amazing Grace” debuted at the apex and led for a week, followed by “O Holy Night,” which did the same two weeks later, sparked by her run on the 13th season of NBC’s The Voice, as she finished in third place.
Big Daddy Weave tops Hot Christian Songs for the first time since “Redeemed” dominated for seven frames beginning in November 2012. The act’s first No. 1, among 18 top 10s, “Every Time I Breathe,” ruled for four weeks beginning in June 2007.
