for KING + COUNTRY, which won as artist of the year at the GMA Dove Awards the last two years running, is nominated in that category again this year. The Australian brother duo is competing with Zach Williams, who won in that category in 2018; and three artists who are vying for their first wins in the category: CeCe Winans, Maverick City Music and We the Kingdom.
The nominations were announced in a livestream event Wednesday (Aug. 10) on the GMA Dove Awards’ YouTube and Facebook pages.
for KING + COUNTRY is vying to become the first act to win artist of the year three years running. Winans is vying to become just the second Black solo artist — and the first Black female artist — to win in the category. Lecrae won in 2015.
Top nominees include songwriter and producer Jeff Pardo with nine nods; Matthew West and Maverick City Music with seven nods each; Anne Wilson, Ben Glover, for KING + COUNTRY, Jeff Sojka, Jonathan Smith and Phil Wickham with six nods each; and Brandon Lake, Winans, Chandler Moore, Chris Brown (not the R&B star), Jonathan Jay and Steven Furtick with five nods each.
Brown and Furtick collaborated on two songs that are in the running for song of the year: “Jireh” and “Rattle!” Brown and Furtick were among the writers of last year’s winner in this category, “The Blessing.” Eleven songs are vying for song of the year. There are just five nominees in each of the other categories.
“Congratulations to this year’s impressive list of Dove Awards nominees,” GMA president Jackie Patillo said in a statement. “For the past few years, we’ve chosen a theme for each show that represents our community and why we celebrate. Today we announced this year’s theme, Sound of Heaven. Although our musical styles may be different, our mission is the same. Together we lift one voice – the sound of heaven.”
This year’s nominees were chosen from more than 2,000 submitted entries. Voting for the winners will run from Aug. 18 through Aug. 25.
The GMA Dove Awards will take place live and in person in Nashville on Oct. 18. The show will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN app three nights later, Friday Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. ET, with a repeat airing at 10 p.m. ET. There will be an encore presentation one week later, Oct. 28, in the same time spots.
A limited number of tickets to the taping are still available. Music City Fan Experience tickets are also available – a multi-day Nashville getaway that includes tickets to the Dove Awards.
The 53rd annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter and Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.
As a trade organization, the GMA serves creatives and professionals in the Christian and gospel music industry. For more information about the Gospel Music Association, visit GospelMusic.org.
Here is the list of nominees announced during Wednesday’s livestream. For the complete list of nominees for the 53rd annual GMA Dove Awards, visit DoveAwards.com.
Artist of the year
CeCe Winans
for KING + COUNTRY
Maverick City Music
We The Kingdom
Zach Williams
Song of the year
“Be Alright” – Sean Cook, Evan Craft, Willy Gonzalez
“Believe for It” – Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, CeCe Winans, Mitch Wong
“Come What May” – Darren Mulligan, Jeff Pardo
“Good God Almighty” – David Crowder, Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka
“Hold on to Me” – Lauren Daigle, Paul Duncan, Paul Mabury
“House of the Lord” – Jonathan Smith, Phil Wickham
“Jireh” – Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine
“Look What You’ve Done” – Tasha Layton, AJ Pruis, Keith Everette Smith, Matthew West
“My Jesus” – Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Anne Wilson
“Promises” – Keila Alvarado, Joe L. Barnes, Dante Bowe, Phillip Carrington Gaines, Lemuel Marin, Aaron Moses
“Rattle!” – Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake
New artist of the year
Anne Wilson
Blessing Offor
DOE
Jordan St. Cyr
Ryan Ellis
Rap/hip hop album of the year
No Church In A While – Lecrae, 1K Phew
The End. – Trip Lee
TWO UP TWO DOWN – Aaron Cole
Unstoppable (United We Can) – Angie Rose
UPPERHAND – indie tribe
Pop/contemporary recorded song of the year
“House of the Lord” – Phil Wickham
“In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)” – Katy Nichole
“My Jesus” – Anne Wilson
“RELATE” – for KING + COUNTRY
“Scars In Heaven” – Casting Crowns
Pop/contemporary album of the year
Healer – Casting Crowns
Milk & Honey – Crowder
My Jesus – Anne Wilson
Rise Up – CAIN
What Are We Waiting For? – for KING + COUNTRY
Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year
“All Is Well” – Carrie Underwood
“God Is Real” – The Sound
“Grace And Goodness” – Sunday Drive
“In The Sweet By And By” – Dolly Parton, ft. Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, Jerry Salley, Bradley Walker
“Mamas” – Anne Wilson, ft. Hillary Scott
Southern gospel album of the year
2:22 – Karen Peck & New River
Just Sing! – The Collingsworth Family
Keeping On – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
More to the Story – The Kingsmen
Something New – Legacy Five
Contemporary gospel recorded song of the year
“Adulting – Live” – Jonathan McReynolds, Mali Music
“Believe for It” – CeCe Winans, ft. Lauren Daigle
“Gotta Believe” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
“Sunday” – Koryn Hawthorne
“When I Pray” – DOE
Contemporary gospel album of the year
Clarity – DOE
Jonny X Mail: Live in LA (Stereo) – Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music
Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition – Maverick City Music
Oil + Water – Travis Greene
One Touch – Jabari Johnson
Gospel worship recorded song of the year
“Breathe” – Maverick City Music, ft. DOE, Jonathan McReynolds, Chandler Moore
“Goodness of God – Live” – CeCe Winans
“Jesus “ – Phil Thompson
“Lazarus” – Maranda Curtis
“Love Song” – Travis Greene, ft. Madison Binion
Worship recorded song of the year
“God, Turn It Around” – Jon Reddick
“Hymn of Heaven” – Phil Wickham
“I Speak Jesus” – Charity Gayle
“Jireh (Radio Version)” – Maverick City Music ft. Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine
“Know You Will” – Hillsong UNITED
Worship album of the year
Are We There Yet? – Hillsong UNITED
Homecoming (Live) – Bethel Music
Hymn of Heaven – Phil Wickham
LION – Elevation Worship
SEVEN (Live) – Brooke Ligertwood
Spanish language recorded song of the year
“A Ceigas” – Indieomar, Musiko
“Color de Alegria” – Andy Alemany, TWICE, Samuel ASH
“Danzando” – Gateway Worship Español, ft. Daniel Calveti, Becky Collazos, Christine D’Clario, Travy Joe, Josh Morales
“Júbilo” – Maverick City Música, Miel San Marcos
“Mi Salvador” – Mosaic Msc
Inspirational film/series of the year
American Underdog
Blue Miracle
Redeeming Love
The Chosen
The Jesus Music
