Eye On Gospel

A Stellar Night for Pastor Mike

For the third year in a row, Pastor Mike Jr. swept the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, taking home a total of eight awards for his work on his 2022 album release, “Winning.” The project was named Album of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year, while Pastor Mike, Jr. also took home the prestigious Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year awards.

Dubbed “The New King of Urban Inspiration,” the 40year old senior pastor of the Birmingham, Alabamabased, Rock City Church also opened the show with an electrifying performance of "Miracles'' and "Impossible" accompanied by Kierra Sheard Kelly.

The 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards–which celebrates the year’s best in gospel music–was hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and

KARRUECHE TRAN dazzled in this bright yellow Christian Siriano two-piece ensemble

NICKI MINAJ turned heads in this fitted two-piece that accentuated her blonde locks featured performances from some of the genre’s biggest names including Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Charles Jenkins, Isaac Carree, Natalie Grant, Maranda Curtis and Zacardi Cortez.

Other of the night’s big winners include DOE, who entered the industry with her family as a member of the group Forever Jones, praised her way to solo success earning three trophies, including the Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year, Contemporary Female Artist, and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year for her album “Clarity.” Zacardi Cortez also brought home three statues, earning awards for Traditional Male Artist, Traditional Album, and Praise and Worship Song of the Year for his album “Imprint”.

The collaborative effort of Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin resulted in their joint album “Kingdom Book One” winning in two categories, Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Presented by P&G and Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year. Tye Tribbett also brought home two awards, including Producer Of The Year Presented by Aflac and Recorded Music Packaging Of The Year for his project “All Things New,” released by Motown Gospel.

Lena Byrd Miles earned the New Artist of the Year award for her My Block Records project “Brand New;”. Bishop T.D. Jakes won Special Event Album Of The Year for his project “T.D. Jakes Presents ‘Finally Loosed’ and co-host Tasha Cobbs Leonard won Praise And Worship Album Of The Year for her work on “Hymns.”

In addition to the award recipients, special honorees were recognized for their invaluable contributions to the Gospel music industry. CeCe Winans received the prestigious Aretha Franklin Icon Award Presented by State Farm, recognizing her exceptional talent and enduring impact. Winans also gave a moving performance of her song “Goodness of God,” from her album “Believe For It.”

Reverend Dr. Milton Biggham was honored with the

ALEXANDRA SHIPP wowed in this crystal-embellished black/white silk gown by Miu Miu

James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Verizon in recognition of his lifetime dedication to spreading the uplifting message of Gospel music. Additionally, Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones was presented with the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding contributions and influential career.

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards premiered on the newly launched Stellar Network on July 30 and will air Sunday, August 6 on BET. The show will also be broadcast nationally from August 7, 2023, to September 10, 2023, through TV syndication.

Deitrick Haddon’s New Groove

GRAMMY® Award nominated singer-songwriter, Deitrick Haddon, and his group, The Voices of Unity, are back on the grind with a slick urban groove entitled, “Back to Life” (ManHaddon Ministries/Tyscot). It’s an affirmative, feel-good message of faith. Where he shakes things up is on the music bed itself. Haddon has created a danceable, futuristic groove that is saturated with the percussive accouterments of `80s funk bands (think of The Gap Band, The Dazz Band, Zapp, and Prince & The Revolution) with the pulsating bass lines of a sweaty club DJ. The rhythm cascades between inyour-face Funk and lilting Trap music loops, before closing out with a pulsating 4-on-the-floor fade.

“The world is dying because we’ve left the one key that’s necessary to keep it alive,” Haddon says. “The key to life is love. Love is gonna bring us back to life!” This is Haddon’s first Voices of Unity production since 2012’s A Beautiful Soul film soundtrack, which included the Billboard Top 30 single, “No Betta” with Faith Evans. Some of their other past collaborations include “Anybody Here,” “Watch Me Praise Him,” and their signature cut, “He’s Able.”