Christian song stars accumulate for 2021 Dove Awards: 'One massive household reunion'

through Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian submit Editor | Friday, October 22, 2021 Lauren Daigle seems on the purple carpet of the GMA Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee on Oct. 19, 2021. | The Christian publish/Leah Klett

NASHVILLE â€" modern Christian tune legends and rising stars in the trade descended on Lipscomb school’s Allen enviornment for the 52nd Gospel song association Dove Awards, the largest annual experience in Christian tune. 

ahead of the ceremony, The Christian post spoke to probably the most industry’s top names, from Lauren Daigle and Lecrae to Maverick metropolis and Elevation Worship â€" one in all this yr’s most-nominated companies.

“I’m in fact enthusiastic about just seeing a huge crowd,” gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds, who hosted the Tuesday evening awards alongside Natalie grant, advised The Christian submit. “It’s been a while. I’m just so excited in regards to the performances.”

“It’s one large household reunion,” worship singer Jenn Johnson of Bethel track agreed. “I’m simply so satisfied to be here, celebrating, seeing all of my pals.”

although the GMA did a “splendid job” of being artistic with last 12 months’s awards â€" which were entirely digital due to restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic â€" Joel Smallbone of for King & country, a band nominated for Artist of the year, stressed out that there’s “whatever religious and delightful about being collectively.”

“we like the sentiment of ‘enhanced together,’” he mentioned, referencing this 12 months’s theme. 

Southern gospel artist Jason Crabb emphasized that “there is nothing just like the Dove Awards,” adding: “every person being right here â€" you can feel it. The embraces are a little tighter this year.”

Voted on via the GMA skilled Membership, this year’s nominees have been chosen from over four,600 submitted entries.

The event featured performances from CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle, Maverick metropolis song, Elevation Worship, Hope Darst and greater. 

Elevation Worship and artist Brandon Lake are this yr’s exact nominated artists with seven nominations each. For King & nation earned six nominations. CeCe Winans, Ed money, Tiffany Hammer Hudson and Zach Williams each and every obtained five nominations. 

“every body are only like church americans. we adore serving the native church,” Chris Brown of Elevation Worship instructed CP. “It’s why we received into it. It’s what we’ve given our lives to. Worship is what we do. Our church has just been writing songs for years, and that grew to become into recording albums. And that turned into this. It’s wild.”

Darst, who turned into nominated for superior New Artist of the 12 months, gave God the entire praise for her event to success. 

“It’s surreal; I suggest twenty years ago, i was working in the back of the scenes for GMA and ability, making bound all and sundry got here,” she reflected. “I not ever imagined that i might be back right here two decades later. but God has a way of doing the surprising in our lives. … because it’s been such a long time coming, I’ve been able to soak it in and just truly be so grateful and appreciate that every room you get to be in, you get to tell the story of Jesus.”

Maverick metropolis music, also nominated for ideal New Artist of the yr, credited their crossover success to the “honesty” of their music.

“It’s about [God’s] consistency, His goodness, His faithfulness. I feel, basically, that’s some thing we can all agree on,” Maverick city song’s Naomi Raine instructed CP. 

Artists mentioned the positive trends in CCM, from the collaborations seen throughout genres to artists’ willingness to discuss challenging concerns like doubt, feel sorry about and pain. 

“Artists, more than ever, are coming closer and rubbing shoulders more than ever, and that they need to,” Luke Smallbone spoke of. “Christianity is a event. They name it a ‘faith journey’ for a cause. So I believe it’s essential to create house for americans to demonstrate compassion to americans, to show empathy. I don’t have it altogether; my theology isn't best, but i hope that Jesus knows I’m in pursuit.”

Chris Tomlin, a Grammy Award-winning artist behind one of the vital most familiar worship songs today, together with “How amazing is Our God” and “respectable good Father,” expressed his joy at the success worship tune has considered in contemporary years.

“particularly in worship song, what’s came about is really cool to look,” Tomlin told CP. “to see Bethel to Elevation to Maverick metropolis, all these groups. lower back in the day, it changed into sort of like me and [Matt] Redman and a few dudes. And now, to peer it simply extend to those movements is basically cool, and i like it. The songs are so fresh and connecting americans in such an outstanding manner and attaining the heart of where people are presently.”

Brown noted he’s been encouraged through the “unity and diversity” seen in CCM.

“It’s unique. There shouldn’t be any predictability to what Christian song is,” he pointed out.

distinctive artists had words of encouragement to their fanatics following a yr of isolation.

“There’s whatever thing that we just need to be clear about: once we wrote the songs on our albums, we weren’t always in a pretty good vicinity,” Madison Cain of the group CAIN told CP. “simply be aware of that in case you aren’t having the most effective time, probably it starts with some proclamations that you just’re a toddler of God, you're loved and this is a season for you to move.”

“There’s a distinct difference between being lonely and being alone,” Logan Cain added. “I consider very nearly everyone has felt lonely during this season, however we are not by myself. We’re promised that we now have a helper. and that i consider that, no matter if it's online or in adult, however, we are able to do it, I feel the world connecting once more. I feel things delivery to return again collectively. And so I’m so inspired.”

while the awards ceremony changed into taped Tuesday nighttime, the exhibit is scheduled to air Friday at eight p.m. ET and once again at 10 p.m. ET on Trinity Broadcasting community. The display might be simulcast on “The Message” channel on SiriusXM radio.