BET brought together the hottest names in gospel music for an unforgettable night of dynamic performances and soul-stirring tributes at the annual celebration, the “Stellar Gospel Music Awards.”

The “Stellar Awards” was the #1 program for the night on all TV for Black viewers P2+ excluding sports with, 867 K Total Viewers during premiere night (Live+3, simulcast across BET and BET Her on 8/1/21). On BET alone the “Stellar Awards” scored a .243 P18-49 rating, and 798 K total viewers P2+, up 104% year-over-year.** The telecast grew +18% in Live + 3 (Adults 18-49, BET Alone). BET now has the Top 3 Cable award shows of 2021 for Black viewers: “BET Awards” (#1), “NAACP Image Awards” (#2), and “Stellar Awards” (#3) excluding sports.*

Hosted by gospel chart-toppers Jekalyn Carr and Tye Tribbett, this year’s ceremony showcased an eclectic mix of gospel legends and industry standard-bearers along with the unstoppable force of young, contemporary artists who are spreading the good news in new ways. A new generation of gospel artists showed up and showed out during the celebration as a testament to the genre’s staying power.

Big winners at the 36th Stellar Gospel Music Awards include Pastor Mike Jr., who was named Artist of the Year and won Rap/Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year.

Kierra Sheard was feted during the ceremony with Song of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year, and Maverick City Music won both New Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. Other multiple Stellar Awards winners include Jonathan McReynolds, who was named Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, and as part of a group that won Producer of the Year; and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, whose wins included Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year, Praise and Worship Album of the Year, and Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year.

Among many highlights from “The Greatest Night in Gospel Music,” Yolanda Adams, Tamela Mann, and Avery Sunshine joined together to deliver a powerful tribute to Lady Tramaine Hawkins, who was honored with the Aretha Franklin Icon Award presented by Toyota. The trio performed a medley including widely-known Hawkins’ songs such as “Holy One,” “Changed,” and “Going Up Yonder.” The Clark Sisters, who received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award presented by AT&T, also performed rousing renditions of “Is My Living In Vain,” “Blessed & Highly Favored,” “You Brought The Sunshine,” and “His Love.”

The legendary group received three nominations for this year’s Stellar Awards. Kierra Sheard, Sheléa, Christina Bell, Jonathan McReynolds, Mali Music, CeCe Winans Pastor Mike Jr., Jekalyn Carr, Maverick City Music, Jokia, Terrian, and Nia Allen also delivered soul-stirring performances.

Social media lit up during the event, generating more than two million impressions with posts featuring performances, winners, and other notable moments. The audience and performers were pleased to return to an in-person ceremony after the Stellar Awards went virtual last year due to pandemic lockdowns. COVID-19 safety protocols were enacted as part of the in-person event.

The ceremony, held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN, on Saturday, July 10, will also be carried in various markets for national broadcast syndication from August 7 through September 5.
The Stellar Awards not only recognizes the year’s best performances in the genre, but also honors gospel music icons and those who have been instrumental in advocating for the gospel industry.

AT&T is proud to be this year’s presenting sponsor. With support from additional sponsors, including State Farm (Song of the Year presenter), Toyota, P&G (Traditional Female Vocalist presenter), and McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour, the 2021 Stellar Gospel Music Awards is set to be the gospel event of 2021.

For additional updates, follow The Stellar Awards on social media and check their  website.

For more information about the “Stellar Awards” visit, STELLARAWARDS.COM and BET.COM. Follow the “Stellar Awards” on social media for updates and more @TheStellars
*Source: Nielsen | Award Programs of 2021 ranked on Blk P18-49 average imps (home network only)
**Source: Nielsen | 8/1/21 premiere of Stellar Awards (vs. YAGO premiere as noted)

GRAMMY-nominated and multi-Dove Award Winning worship leader Kari Jobe has announced the return of The Blessing Tour to the US this fall. “I’m so excited to announce that we are taking The Blessing Tour on the road again THIS FALL! You guys this tour is so powerful and I just can’t wait to come to your city and worship with you all,” Jobe shared during the announcement.

The Blessing Tour will feature Cody Carnes and kick off on October 8th in Chattanooga, TN.  A pre-sale opportunity for the tour launches on August 17th. For more information, click here.

Written and released the week before the COVID pandemic hit the globe, Jobe co-wrote the “The Blessing” with her husband and songwriter Cody Carnes and Elevation Worship’s Steven Furtick and Chris Brown.

To say the message behind the song was timely and resonated with thousands is no understatement, as it was the most consumed new CCM song of the year in 2020 and also won for Worship Song of the Year at last year’s GMA Dove Awards. Likewise, the track received a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “The Blessing (Live),” the video for which now has more than 41 million views and was included on Spotify’s US Viral 50, Global Viral 50 playlists and Top 50 Most thumbed-up songs on Pandora.

GRAMMY® Award winning producer, recording artist, and composer, Donald Lawrence, contributes music to a 45-minute preview performance of a new concept musical, GOSHEN, as a part of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater‘s 25^th anniversary season, on August 25 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park.

GOSHEN, is based on the Biblical story of the Exodus. It’s a collaborative fusion of historical narrative, dance theater, and spiritually inspired music that explores the trials and triumphs of the human spirit. Lawrence first introduced some of the music in the Donald Lawrence Presents the Tri-City Singers‘ best-selling 2019 album, GOSHEN. It featured Le’Andria Johnson leading the heart-wrenching ballad, “Deliver Me,” which spent five weeks in the No. 1 spot on the prestigious Billboard Gospel Airplay chart. Johnson joins the principal soloists of The Tri-City Singers; cutting edge gospel act,  Zeke Locke & The NuXperience; and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, to bring GOSHEN to life.

The full-length production of GOSHEN was initially scheduled to open for a two-week run at  Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse in spring 2020. “Then COVID hit,” Lawrence recalls. “That canceled everything. I envisioned this as a live touring event. I hope for it to eventually become an international touring vehicle as dance theater meets a choir. I would love to see a short run on Broadway too.”

Meanwhile, The Tri-City Singers will begin rehearsals in October to record the GOSHEN Deluxe soundtrack that will release in 2022. It which will include the current songbook and new songs. “The additional songs are to further tell the story,” Lawrence adds. “We are also having two of the songs re-done in Portuguese as bonus tracks. The Brazilian group, Kemuel, will do `Jehovah Sabaoth,’ and the choir, One Service Project, will do the song `Goshen‘ under the direction of Brazilian choir master, Lucas Augusto. They have studied the Tri-City Singers’ sound and finesse for years. We hope to eventually take GOSHEN to South America too.”

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater reimagines and diversifies the aesthetics of contemporary dance by uniting modern, classical, American, and African American traditions in dance and storytelling. Deeply Rooted collaborates with nationally renowned choreographers, across the spectrum of modern, ballet, and African dance, to reflect contemporary voices.

RCA Inspiration celebrates over ten nominations for song and album releases at the upcoming 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. The nominations span artist releases in eight categories, with hit artists Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA), Marvin Sapp, Travis Greene, Koryn Hawthorne, Mali Music, Kelontae Gavin, DOE, Melvin Crispell, III, and All Nations Music garnering nods in artist, song, and album categories. Top categories include Song of the Year nominations for two songs performed by Koryn Hawthorne and Marvin Sapp, and two Gospel Artist of the Year nominations, for Kirk Franklin and Travis Greene. The remaining nominations span the genres of Contemporary Gospel, Traditional Gospel, and Gospel Worship.

Separately, Kirk Franklin also garnered a Song of the Year nomination and a Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year nomination as a writer on the track he recorded with for King & Country, “Together” (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly), as well as a Songwriter of the Year (Artist) nomination.

Phil Thornton, SVP and General Manager of RCA Inspiration says: “Congratulations to Kirk, Marvin, Travis, Koryn, Mali, Kelontae, DOE, Melvin, and All Nations Music! Thank you to the GMA for the multiple nominations honoring their music and artistry. It’s a thrill to be able to celebrate the inspiring songs and strength that Gospel and Christian music continue to deliver, and we look forward to an amazing night!” 

The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held on Tuesday October 19th, 2021 at Allen Arena in Nashville, TN, and air on Friday October 22nd, 2021 on TBN. Recognizing the range of Christian and Gospel music and entertainment, the Gospel Music Association’s (GMA) Dove Awards honor Contemporary Christian and Gospel to Rap/Hip Hop, Rock, Pop/Contemporary, Inspirational, Spanish Language, Worship, Film and more.

The full list of RCA Inspiration’s GMA Dove Awards nominations is below.

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Speak To Me”-Koryn Hawthorne (Writers: Donnie McClurkin, Jeremy Hicks, Johnta Austin, Troy Taylor)

“Thank You For It All”-Marvin Sapp (Writers: Aaron Lindsey, Christopher Thomas Leach, Jamone Davis, Marvin Sapp)

GOSPEL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA)

Travis Greene

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR

Koryn Hawthorne, “Speak To Me”

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR

Melvin Crispell, III, “Wonderful Is Your Name”

GOSPEL WORSHIP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR

Travis Greene, “ Good & Loved” (feat. Steffany Gretzinger)

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

DOE, DOE-EP (Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration)

Koryn Hawthorne, I Am

Mali Music, The Book of Mali (K Approved Enterprises/RCA Inspiration)

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Marvin Sapp, Chosen Vessel (Verity Records)

GOSPEL WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

All Nations Music, Come Alive (Deluxe) (All Nations Music/RCA Inspiration)

Kelontae Gavin, The N.O.W. Experience (Marquis Boone/RCA Inspiration)

GRAMMY nominated, internationally renowned artist collective Bethel Music has garnered 16 GMA DOVE Award nominations, breaking their previous record of most nominations in a single year. The nominations span 12 categories, including the coveted New Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The 52^nd GMA DOVE Awards will take place on October 19, 2021, and will air October 22^nd on TBN.

Joe Taylor, CEO & Co-Founder of Bethel Music shares: “It has been both humbling and thrilling to see how God has taken the music we’ve been privileged to create and breathed on it in ways we could never have imagined. We are so proud of our artists, our writers, our producers, and our entire label team. Bethel Music has the hardest working team members in the industry, so to see their efforts recognized in this way is so exciting. Our heartbeat is worship . . . period . . . but seeing how our music is impacting the Church and the world fuels us to keep pressing in and stewarding well the songs the Lord continues to give us.”

Leading the nominations is Brandon Lake with seven nominations: Songwriter of the Year (artist), New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for “I Need a Ghost,’ and Long Form Video for House of Miracles (Live) as well as Song of the Year and Worship Recorded Song of the Year for his participation in Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens.” Lake is also nominated for Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year for “Tumbas A Jardines” with Elevation Worship.

Following is Dante Bowe with three nominations: New Artist of the Year, Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for ‘joyful,’ and Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for “Voice of God.” He is also nominated as part of Maverick City Music for Worship Recorded Song of the Year with “Jireh,” a collaboration with Elevation Worship.

Cory Asbury earned two nominations: Song of the Year for “The Father’s House” and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for To Love A Fool and Brian Johnson is nominated for Worship Recorded Song of the Year for “Battle Belongs,” which was co-written with Phil Wickham.  Bethel Music’s Revival’s In The Air is also nominated for Worship Album of the Year and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year.

Pinnacle Peak Pictures, formerly Pure Flix Entertainment, a leading independent faith and family film studio announces the release date for God’s Not Dead: We The People premiering in theaters as a Fathom Events film release October 4-6, 2021. The trailer and tickets are now available at www.GodsNotDead.com.

God’s Not Dead: We The People is the next chapter in the popular franchise that started with God’s Not Dead in 2014. That film became one of the most profitable faith films with a $1.5M budget and grossed over $65M at the box office.

The inspirational drama parallels current news headlines regarding the challenge against the freedom of speech and religious liberties as the fundamental right to educate children.

Cast includes: Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy), David A.R. White (God’s Not Dead, Evening Shade), William Forsythe (Dick Tracy), Antonio Sabato. Jr, (General Hospital, The Big Hit), Jeanine Pirro (FOX News Justice with Judge Jeanine), and GRAMMY Award-winning CCM artist Francesca Battistelli.

FILM SYNOPSIS:
The God’s Not Dead franchise continues in God’s Not Dead: We The People as Reverend Dave (White) is called to defend a group of Christian homeschooling families.

He finds himself taken aback by the interference of the government, and believing that their right to educate their own children is a freedom worth fighting for. Reverend Dave is called to Washington DC to testify in a landmark congressional hearing that will determine the future of religious freedom in our country for years to come.

In an era marked by “followers” and wanting to be “liked” has come a time when Christ followers are unfollowing their faith. Acknowledging the fear of rejection and division may be a root cause for the reservations of thought leaders, Christian rock artist Jodi Essex is fed up with rising fear-based excuses. Bearing witness to public denouncements of faith and the watered-down messages of mainstream culture, Essex implores, “Would you offend for the Gospel?” Out September 10th, 2021 with a music video, “Offend” is ready to shatter the silence through what some may call “unpopular opinion.”

“When you have something to say,” Essex declares, “it should transcend your fear of speaking up.”

Written by Jodi Essex and Josiah Prince of Disciple, “Offend” is the first song in a series of songs to mark their new collaboration. Similar to her experience with Sean Hill (Jamie Grace, Clay Crosse, Landry Cantrell) for her 10-song debut album, Irreverent, Essex has described the process of writing with Josiah as amazing and positive, backed by “RADICALLY EPIC” songs that have emerged. Citing a vast array of musical influences like 80s and 90s rock legends like Def Leppard, Guns N Roses and Sevendust, Jodi’s music is never too far from her roots. With a sound that could be compared to Skillet, Fireflight and Alice in Chains, “Offend” forges a new path for Jodi that is a cross between classic and hard-hitting modern rock.

By challenging listeners through “Offend,” Jodi hopes its message will ring loud and clear for both church leadership and congregants, alike. Upon listening, Jodi wants them to feel empowered, emboldened and PUMPED. In Jodi’s words, “I want them to feel energized and re-energized as they traverse their journeys.”

There’s absolute no doubt that this is CeCe Winans’ year to shine and share the Gospel like never before. The 2021 nominations for the 52nd GMA Dove Awards were recently announced and the celebrated singer landed a total of five Dove nominations:

Gospel Artist of the Year
CeCe Winans

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
“Great is Thy Faithfulness” Carrie Underwood (featuring CeCe Winans)

Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the year
“Never Lost”

Gospel Album of the Year
Believe For It

Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year
“Believe For It”

The Gospel Music Association has announced that the 52nd Annual Dove Awards will be broadcast worldwide on Friday, Oct. 22 through TBN. The live taping of the show will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville.

“I’m grateful, overwhelmed and humbled by the five Dove nominations. To God be the Glory!” says, Winans.

After breaking Top 30 this week on both the Mediabase Gospel Chart(#22) and the Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart at (#23) earning this week’s titles for highest debut and most increased airplay. The single, “Believe For It” holds on to the coveted #1 spot on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs Chart for the 9th Week, confirms Winans’ solid radio presence and non-stop trajectory up the music charts.

Visit: www.cecewinans.com

The Provident Entertainment family of artists, labels, songwriters, and publishers are pleased to announce multiple nominations in 23 categories for the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. All of the nominees were virtually announced earlier today for the show, which will be held Tuesday, October 19 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena and air Friday, Oct. 22 on Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN). The theme for this year’s awards is Stronger Together.

The nominations are across several Provident Entertainment entities – Provident Label Group, RCA Inspiration, Distribution, and Essential Music Publishing. Top nominations include Steven Furtick with ten nominations, Chris Brown with nine, seven nominations for Elevation Worship, and five nods for Zach Williams.

“On behalf of the entire team of Provident Entertainment, we could not be more proud of the recognitions received today for the upcoming GMA Dove Awards,” says Terry Hemmings, CEO, Provident Entertainment. “From the celebrated songs, artists, writers, and publishers, we’re so honored to walk beside this community of prodigious talent that calls Provident Entertainment their home.”

Voted on by the GMA Professional Membership, this year’s nominees were chosen from over 4,600 submitted entries and include a wide range of creativity and artistic integrity in both artist and non-artist categories.

The indefatigable gospel singer Marvin Sapp is up for two 2021 Dove Awards. His 13^th album, Chosen Vessel, is nominated for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year, while the album’s lead single – “Thank You For It All” – received a Song of the Year nod.

Written by Sapp, with Aaron Lindsey, Christopher Thomas Leach and Jamone Davis, “Thank You For It All” marked the fourth time Sapp had a #1 position on the Hot Gospel Songs chart, a trend that began with his seminal “Never Would Have Made It” in 2007. “Thank You For It All” also ascended to #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Songs and Gospel National Airplay charts.

“I’m grateful to the Gospel Music Association and everyone involved with the Dove Award nominations this year. It is a blessing to have my music ministry acknowledged alongside so many great Christian creators,” says Sapp. “We do this because we are called to, but a little celebrating is okay too! Congratulations to all of the nominees. I’m looking forward to the big night!”

Marvin Sapp is a three-time Dove Award winner.