Originally published in The Christian Post
The Recording Academy announced nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Thursday, with Christian and Gospel artists such as Bethel Music, Brandon Lake, CeCe Winans and newcomer Forest Frank receiving nods.
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Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson, alongside CeCe Winans, were nominated for the live rendition of “Holy Forever” in The “Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song” category. Elevation Worship, Brandon Lake, Chris Brown and Chandler Moore were nominated for “Praise,” a song written by a team including Pat Barrett and Steven Furtick.
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Other nominees in that category include “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” by Honor & Glory featuring Disciple, and JWLKRS Worship with Maverick City Music and Chandler Moore for In The Name Of Jesus. CeCe Winans’ That’s My King was also nominated.
In the category of “Best Contemporary Christian Music Album,” Heart Of A Human by DOE was nominated, along with When Wind Meets Fire from Elevation Worship, Forrest Frank’s Child Of God, Coat Of Many Colors by Brandon Lake and The Maverick Way Complete by Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore.
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CeCe Winans’ album More Than This was nominated in the “Best Gospel Album” category along with Covered Vol. 1 by Melvin Crispell III, Choirmaster II (Live) from Ricky Dillard, Father’s Day by Kirk Franklin and Still Karen from Karen Clark Sheard.
In the “Best Gospel Performance/Song” category, Yolanda Adams received a nod for Church Doors, a collaboration with songwriters Sir William James Baptist and Donald Lawrence. Meanwhile, Melvin Crispell III is recognized for his song Yesterday, and Ricky Dillard for the live track Hold On. DOE’s Holy Hands, which features a collaborative team of songwriters including Jonathan McReynolds and Juan Winans, joins the nominees, as does One Hallelujah, a collaboration by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell, Israel Houghton and others.
The “Best Roots Gospel Album” category, which celebrates traditional and roots-infused Gospel music, included Authentic Unlimited with The Gospel Sessions, Vol 2, Mark D. Conklin’s reflective The Gospel According To Mark, and The Harlem Gospel Travelers with Rhapsody. Also nominated are Cory Henry for Church and The Nelons for Loving You, albums that blend Gospel with Southern, bluegrass and Americana influences.
The Grammy Award nominations come on the heels of the GMA Dove Awards, where both Lake and Winans took home three awards and Holy Forever snagged Song of the Year.
Jenn Johnson, a worship pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, described Holy Forever as an “eternal song” — one that strips away focus on the self and centers entirely on God’s character.
“It doesn’t have any ‘I’s’ or ‘we’s,’ it’s all about who He is. It’s a reminder for us to keep our eyes on Him and who He is,” she said.
Frank was awarded the coveted “New Artist of the Year,” while his song Good Day snagged the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year award.
Frank’s first full-length project, Child of God, has held the No.1 spot on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart for 14 weeks.
“The fact that anybody would listen to something that I make and say that’s good is shocking to me,” the 28-year-old told The Christian Post. “Anything beyond that is all just a bonus. So the fact that I’m here and nominated for an award is beyond me. I think God wants it that way, so I just give Him all glory for this, and He’s orchestrating my path.”
Frank told CP he feels “alive” when performing worship music, adding that he tries to “put the truth of the Gospel” in every song he pens.
“Going back to making pop music is just like, it’s like air. There’s no substance in it for me, personally. The fact that I get to wake up every day and worship Jesus and then just record it, and other people get to worship Jesus too. It is so fulfilling and so life-giving, and I’m here to stay,” he said.
Crispell III also won Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for God Is (Radio Edit).
Crispell told CP that when creating music, he “always starts with Scripture,” adding: “A melody can come to you and I record that melody, but then I ask myself, ‘What do I want to talk about?’ That’s what leads me to Scripture, whether it’s something I went through, a testimony, how does that relate to Scripture, and what is the message I want to relay through this song? That’s really the catalyst for songwriting. I’m still developing as a songwriter. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m grateful for the process.”
The next Grammy Awards ceremony is set for February 2 2025, airing live from Los Angeles, California, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
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