Rising pop and faith-based singer-songwriter Mary-Clair is set to perform on WSMV-TV’s Today in Nashville August 11th, following the release of her debut album Enough on Friday, July 18th via Nashville’s Vere Music, marking a major milestone in her fast-rising career.

Enough arrived following the momentum of her latest single “Red Eye,” which quickly landed on multiple playlists, and popular single “Your Love,” currently featured on Pandora’s Christian Hits and previously topping Spotify and Amazon’s Christian Music playlists. Since its May 2 drop, “Your Love” has become a standout hit across streaming platforms. With nearly 6 million combined streams from her pre-album singles—including the Tedashii-assisted “Never Be The Same”—Mary-Clair’s path to Enough has already made a significant impact in the world of contemporary Christian pop. 

The Nashville-based musician has added an additional nearly 1 million streams in a two-week period since Enough’s release. The collection of songs released to date, alongside single Your Love, offers an emotional preview of her much-anticipated debut album, “Enough,” which arrived this past Friday via Nashville’s Vere Music.  The track Falling has emerged as a streaming favorite and is being eyed as the next single.

Mary-Clair’s skill for creating moving and worshipful songs shows the preternaturally gifted young star forging her own distinctive vision of contemporary Christian pop, marked by her irresistible vocal charm, creative drive and matchless conviction. Working with two-time GRAMMY winner producer Tedd T (Dolly Parton, MercyMe, For King & Country, etc.), she can’t wait to bring the album to the world.

Vere Music label manager commented, “I’m thrilled to share the support secured for Mary-Clair’s debut album. The Apple Music Hero, features and playlist support are all at top tier level in the genre! I love seeing Mary-Clair placed on the premier Christian lists on Apple Music (Today’s Christian), Spotify (Top Christian & Gospel) and Pandora (Today’s Christian Hits).”

The collection of new songs on the upcoming Enough fuse deeply intimate storytelling with incandescent melodies and modern-yet-timeless pop arrangements, an undeniably universal approach certain to inspire fervent emotion and personal action while showcasing the artist’s vocal power and narrative songcraft. Driven by themes of faith and healing, Enough is a deeply personal collection that includes singles Heaven In The Way, Still,  and There’s A God. The album features rich acoustic textures with Mary-Clair’s compelling vocals, all telling stories that are as spiritual as they are relatable.

“These songs are written for people who are searching—for God, for love, for meaning,” says Mary-Clair. “I wanted to create something that felt real and raw but also hopeful.

A Nashville native Mary-Clair began songwriting in her early teens with the help of acclaimed producer Tedd T, who quickly recognized her raw talent. Inspired by both faith-based and secular influences—ranging from CeCe Winans and DC Talk to Queen and Aerosmith—Mary-Clair has developed a unique sound.  Moved to perform at an early age, Mary-Clair has always been aware of the remarkable power that music can have on people’s lives.

Enough releases just as Mary-Clair finds her footing in live performance, from Nashville writers’ rounds to National Anthem appearances at local and national sporting events. With her much-anticipated debut album out now, she’s offering a musical space for others to feel seen, heard, and understood but especially keeping that young girl who listens to radio in mind.

“I want her to know that it’s possible to listen to fun music and not have to give up certain values.” Mary-Clair shares, “these are songs that I poured my heart out into and I just think that they are so timely in our world today, both musically and lyrically. Sometimes I listen to it and think, I can’t believe this is me. This is too good to be true.”

Dove Award winning breakout artist Forrest Frank has debuted in the number 5 position on Billboard‘s Hot Christian Songs chart with his hit song, “God’s Got My Back”.

Several weeks ago, Frank suffered multiple back fractures in a skateboarding accident.  Taking inspiration from this, he released “God’s Got My Back” on July 25, 2025. 

The song quickly gained popular attention, garnering over two million US streams in its first week.  The number 5 chart debut marks his second highest chart debut ever—following “Nothing Else”, which debuted at number 4 in March of this year.  On the Christian Digital Song Sales, the song ranks at number 1, and on the all-genre Digital Song Sales, number 16.  It also appeared at number 31 on the Recorded Music New Zealand Hot 40 Singles, making itself Frank’s first solo entry on the chart.

Grammy winning gospel musician Tasha Cobbs Leonard has marked her sixth number 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums with her debut studio album, Tasha.

Acclaimed by Billboard as having “an eclectic mix of pop, hip-hop and ‘80s R&B”, Tasha was released on July 25, 2025, through Motown Gospel, TeeLee Gospel, and Capitol CMG. 

It features collaborations from hitmakers such as Lecrae on “I Needed God”, John Legend on “Church”, Chandler Moore on “I Want More”, and Kirk Franklin on “I Still Choose You”, with her song “Church” debuting at number 5 on the Top Gospel Songs.  In addition to topping the Top Gospel Albums, Tasha also ranks at number 41 on the Top Album Sales and number 28 on the Top Current Album Sales

Decorated Recording Artist Tamela Mann’s award-winning album Live Breathe Fight continues garnering accolades with two GMA Dove Awards nominations, including Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year for Live Breathe Fight and Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for her No. 1 hit “Deserve To Win.”

“I’m thankful and honored to be nominated by the GMA for two Dove Awards this year,” said Tamela. “I’m happy for this opportunity to further spread the Gospel of Jesus because that’s what it’s all about. And I hope people know that they too ‘deserve to win’ no matter what season they may be in in life.”

Tamela’s NAACP Image Award-winning album Live Breathe Fight is produced by Tamela, David Mann, Phillip Bryant, and Jevon Hill.

It is a collection of many of the most compelling and deeply vulnerable songs of Tamela’s career. Penned by Tamela, Bryant and Tameka Mintze aka “Tia Sharee,” the single “Working for Me” dominated gospel radio as her fastest climbing single to date and earned Tamela a place in Billboard history with her 11^th No. 1 hit, more than any other gospel artist. “Deserve To Win” surpassed that record, marking 12 No. 1 hits, solidifying Tamela’s historical accomplishment on the Billboard Gospel Radio chart.

Voted on by the GMA Professional Membership, final round voting for the 56^th Annual GMA Dove Awards will run August 7 through August 14, 2025.

The GMA Dove Awards presentation will be held October 7, 2025 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The broadcast will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN+ App Friday, October 10, 2025 at 7:30pm and 10pm ET and will be simulcast on SiriusXM The Message.

PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter Anne Wilson has a lot to celebrate. On the heels of her four-song EP release,God Story, the Kentucky native was surprised by her team with not one but two new career plaques: one commemorating two billion streams across DSPs and social platforms, and another celebrating her RIAA Gold certification for fan-favorite single “Sunday Sermons.”  The career milestone came during her final weekend on the road opening stadiums for Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem Tour. 

Wilson reached one billion total global career streams surrounding the release of her sophomore album REBEL in April 2024 and went on to double that number the following year, making her the fastest artist in Capitol CMG history to hit the two billion mark. Meanwhile, “Sunday Sermons” off her GRAMMY-nominated debut record, My Jesus, becomes her second track to earn RIAA certification, following a six-week run in the Top 5 on both major Christian radio charts.

“I’m just in awe… two billion streams and ‘Sunday Sermons’ is now RIAA Certified Gold. All glory to Jesus,” shares Wilson. “When I started this journey, I never imagined the songs that He gave me would reach that many people. There are songs that have deeply impacted my life and who I am today, and it just blows my mind that God has used some of my music to do the same for others. This is only a story that HE could’ve written. Thank you, Jesus.”

Adding to the celebration, Anne Wilson recently received a 2025 GMA Dove Award nomination for Long Form Music Video of the Year for her 2024 project, REBEL (Live From Lexington), further underscoring her rising impact across both the Christian and country landscapes.

The recent achievements cap off an exciting season for Anne Wilson, whose God Story EP is already making waves. The four-track collection includes the powerful “’Til The Road Runs Out,” which Holler tapped as “a feel-good track that fans will adore,” the fiery and faith-filled “Devil Is Too,” described by Billboard as “the EP’s standout jangly, country-rocker,” title track, “God Story” – an inspirational anthem rooted in personal testimony – and the heart-wrenching closer, “Twenty Three,” a tribute to her late brother Jacob.

Co-written by Wilson, God Story marks her first project release since her critically acclaimed sophomore album REBEL, which earned praise from Billboard for “fully fusing the two genres” and was hailed by People as a “trailblazing album​​.”

The record cemented Wilson’s reputation as “​​one of contemporary music’s freshest new voices” (People), blending country and Christian influences with a bold, authentic voice that resonated with fans across both genres. Now, God Story builds on that foundation – weaving together country grit with Christian conviction to deliver songs that are both authentically her and universally uplifting.

Up next, Anne Wilson returns to her home state of Kentucky on August 11 for a special benefit concert presented by Rural King at Corbin Arena to help raise funds for families and communities impacted by the deadly tornado that struck Eastern Kentucky this May. 

Central City Productions announces the premiere date for the “40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards”. Hosted by Stellar and GRAMMY Award-winning duo, BeBe & CeCe Winans, the 40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards will premiere Saturday, August 30th at 8PM ET/7PM CT on the Stellar Network; Additionally, the ceremony will air Sunday, August 31st at 8PM ET/7PM CT on BET. Gospel Music’s Greatest Night tapes August 16th, 2025 at the historic Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN.

Under the show theme, OUR MUSIC, OUR VOICE, OUR CULTURE, newly announced performers include: Jamal Roberts, Jonathan McReynolds, Nathan Davis Jr., Todd Dulaney, New Direction Gospel Choir of Tennessee State University, and Lisa Knowles-Smith. Previously announced performers include: Adia, Donnie McClurkin, Dottie Peoples, Jekalyn Carr, Jason Nelson, Lisa Page Brooks, MAJOR., Melvin Crispell III, Pastor Mike Jr., Pastor Mike Todd & Transformation Worship, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Tramaine Hawkins, and William Murphy.

The 40th ceremony will include special guest presenters Lil Rel Howery, Dominique Perry, Dante Bowe, Isaac Carree, Trina Braxton, and more to be announced.

Additionally, Central City Productions founder Don Jackson will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Jackson is the Executive Producer of the Stellar Awards and the founder of the all-new Stellar Network.

This year, the STELLAR PLUS experience will return with two days of immersive industry and fan-focused events from Thursday, August 14, 2025, through Friday, August 15, 2025, ahead of the 40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Special guests participating in the STELLAR PLUSexperience include Adam Blackstone, Dana Sorey, Avery Sunshine, Miles Minnick, Joyce Sheffield, Karri Bryant, Rochelle Johnson, Alexis Daniels, Jayda Ellis, Lashoundra Young, Griff, Damon Williams, Just Nesh, Kasaun Wilson, Rhyeem Johnson, and more. The Stellar Unplugged Music Experience is presented by Amazon Music and in partnership with the Recording Academy.

This year’s Stellar Awards are presented by P&G (Procter & Gamble) with additional sponsorship provided by: Mielle, Olay Body, Tide, Chevy, Walmart, Aflac, AT&T, AARP, State Farm, McDonalds, Kenvue, Johnson & Johnson, and St. Jude.

The “40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards” show is Executive Produced by Don Jackson with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as Producer and Executive in Charge of Production; Michael A. Johnson as Producer and Director, Erin Johnson as Talent Producer, and Daniel Moore as Music Director.

The Greatest Night in Gospel Music,” the 40th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will premiere on the Stellar Network on Saturday, August 30th at 8PM and 11PM EST; on BET Sunday, August 31st at 8PM ET/7PM CT; on Bounce TV September 28th at 1PM EST/12PM CT; and in broadcast syndication from September 6, 2025 – September 28, 2025. The show will also stream on Vizio and Xumo Play beginning September 29th, 2025.

A full list of the 40th annual nominees can be found on the official Stellar Awards website.

Award-winning, GOLD-selling artist COLTON DIXON has announced his fall tour plans and will be joining Danny Gokey, Mac Powell and Ryan Ellis on the IGNITE tour hitting 20 cities this October and November.

Last week, Dixon released his brand new single and lyric video for “The Love I Have For You,”  which is getting early traction and support ahead of its August 22 impact date from multiple stations adding including K-LOVE, WayFM, WONU/Chicago,  YesFM/Toledo, OH, WJTL/Lancaster, PA, WBHY/ Mobile, AL, CurrentFM (WJLZ)/Norfolk, VA, 88.3 Life FM (KAXL)/Bakersfield, CA and Pulse FM (WHPZ)/South Bend, IN.

In addition to new music, Dixon has also debuted his first foray into the luxury fragrance world.  Desert Rain is now available from Day Three Fragrances.

The company collaborated with Dixon to capture the sensation of rain in the desert, inspired by his hit song, “Build a Boat”.  Trial after trial, they layered cactus blossom, papyrus and nutmeg over a sage‑washed petrichor accord until the moment felt real enough to touch. The base features a very special mysore sandalwood and leather combination to give the fragrance a unique depth and complexity.”

The Masterful Earnest Pugh is gearing up for the 40th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards next week in Nashville, TN. Pugh is nominated for two Stellar Awards in the Best Traditional Male Artist of the Year and Traditional Artist of the Year categories. This year’s nominations give Pugh his 10th Stellar nod. He is also featured on Lasha’ Knox’s song “Right There,” which garnered her a nomination for Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year. Pugh is slated to appear and perform new music at three pre-show events scheduled August 13-15.

Pugh’s Stellar Awards performance itinerary kicks off midweek at the following events.

Wednesday, August 13 – 7 PM

Location:  Soul Restaurant Nashville

6317 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN

Host: Destiny Diggs

Thursday, August 14 – 7 PM

Location:  Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church

1004 Dickerson Road, Nashville, TN

Host: Brian Dunlap & 1Purpose
Friday, August 15 – 7 PM

Location: National Museum of African American Music

510 Broadway, Nashville, TN

Hosts: This is the official Stellar Awards nominee reception and pre-show event hosted by Dorinda Clark-Cole and Vincent Bohanan.
It will be a full week of activities, celebration, fellowship, and catching up with industry friends and peers. The sold-out show celebrating Gospel Music’s Greatest Night will be taped live at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Saturday, August 16. Check your local listing for air dates and times.

Pugh said, “I am very elated about my latest single, “Your Glory” because it’s my return to my first love…releasing worship ballads. Many of the written reviews have touted it as Rain On Us 2.0.”

“Your Glory 2 C U” is Pugh’s 17th radio single. It is the lead single from his latest offering, We Wanna See You, released May 30. The record is currently impacting radio and is one of the most added radio singles on Media Base. This song comes on the heels of Pugh topping the Billboard Gospel Airplay Charts with his 5th No. 1 single, “Don’t Give Up” earlier this year, which appeared on his Worthy Is The LambEP.

Both songs were recorded last summer at Pugh’s highly acclaimed and sold-out Live Recording, in San Antonio, at Resurrection Baptist Church, Redland Campus. The music video for “Your Glory 2 C U” is now playing on BET Gospel.

Newly relaunched CCM Magazine is proud to announce the first new cover story in years, featuring Christian music icon Steven Curtis Chapman. CCM Magazine, the preeminent voice of the Christian music scene, is back and reimagined under new ownership and the cover story kicks off a brand-new era for the storied music brand.

CCM Magazine co-editor Logan Sekulow sat down with Chapman for a heartfelt trip through memory lane, as Steven opens up about the role the magazine has played in his journey, and reflects on the legacy of his music, faith, and fans. 

“This is more than a celebration — it’s the return of something timeless,” says co-editor Amanda Sekulow.

The digital double cover reveal will be followed by a full-length cover story and a longform video interview on August 6^th. Then on August 8^th, CCM Magazine will release exclusive new performances of classic tracks from Chapman’s platinum-selling and Grammy & Dove Award-winning album, Speechless, which turns 25 this year

“I was reading CCM Magazine in 1978,” says Chapman. “It was the coolest thing because that was the music that we loved. The idea that I would ever be in one, much less be on the cover, you know, it was like the cover of Rolling Stone. Well, hey, forget that. The cover of CCM Magazine would be the coolest thing that I could ever imagine.”

Earlier this year, CCM Magazine was acquired by Logan and Amanda Sekulow, who announced plans for a full brand relaunch, creating a network of exclusive content with an expansive editorial and digital team, including streaming video, podcasts and much more.

Originally founded in 1978, the iconic music publication was the first to coin the phrase “CCM” for Contemporary Christian Music which had previously been known simply as “Jesus Music.” As the Contemporary Christian Music scene mushroomed into a billion-dollar industry, “Christian music” became widely regarded as an actual genre, even though it included rock, pop, hip-hop, punk, metal and other styles of music.  

In a major milestone for climate resilience and emergency water access, Amy Grant’s Hidden Trace Farm in Tennessee has officially achieved full water independence. The transformation, completed July 26 by engineers and technology from Altitude Water, positions the property as a working model for how communities can generate, purify, and store their own water without relying on city infrastructure.

These self-contained systems, also known as decentralized water systems, are designed to function during natural disasters, public water failures, or when treating contaminated groundwater. They are increasingly critical as communities face climate-driven disruptions and aging infrastructure.

What began in 2014 as a way to support a youth summer camp has evolved into a fully autonomous “Water Hub,” integrating atmospheric water generation, rainwater harvesting, aquifer access, and ozone purification to produce safe, potable water without municipal support.

“Testing at Amy Grant’s farm gave us the cooler temperatures and conditions we needed to develop the water and purification systems we are now using in disaster zones and rural communities. We could not sustain these conditions at our headquarters in South Florida,” said Jeff Szur, Founder and COO of Altitude Water. “From overcoming sulfur in the aquifer to refining ozone purification and increasing the range temperatures the machines can efficiently operate at, this site helped us build globally deployable systems.”

The farm’s geography and layout provided a rare, cost-effective testing environment, allowing engineers to conduct long-term research and development without the expense of climate-controlled simulation rooms. The ability to test equipment in real-world conditions proved instrumental to scaling the technology.

The core system developed at Hidden Trace has since been converted into Altitude Water’s mobile Disaster Relief Trailer (DRT), capable of creating water from thin air. That technology has been deployed to storm-affected areas in Big Bend, FL and Asheville, NC and recreated in Maui during the 2023 wildfires. In addition, Altitude completed a similar water hub in Maka, Cameroon, where they also integrated solar components, creating a total off-grid solution for this village in Central Africa where water and electricity are not readily available.

“We’re especially grateful for the support of Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Farm Manager Dan Stricker, Engineer Alvaro DaSilva, and Russell Yarema for making this all possible,” added Szur. “This has been an 11-year labor of love.”

This month’s upgrades finalized the farm’s transition to full water independence and further aligned its infrastructure with the DRT and Water Hub platforms. The system now includes ozone-based purification for both well and rainwater, enabling safe consumption while preserving aquifer access for non-potable use. The improvements also supported field testing for upcoming international deployments.

“As communities across the U.S. face ground contamination, aging infrastructure, and climate-driven water emergencies, the work we’ve achieved at Hidden Trace Farm has given us a replicable path forward, making this partnership deeply impactful.”