2021 Dove Award winners: CeCe Winans, worship artists snag top honors
NASHVILLE — Christian music veterans and newcomers alike gathered Tuesday for the 52nd annual Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, the biggest annual event in Christian music held at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena.
CeCe Winans and Jason Ingram led the night with the four awards each, with Winans winning Gospel Artist of the Year and Ingram winning Songwriter of the Year (Non-Artist). Rock duo for KING & COUNTRY took home three awards, including Artist of the Year.
Worship music also snagged some of the night's top honors, with Chris Brown of Elevation Worship and Steven Furtick winning three awards, including Song of the Year for “The Blessing.” The worship collective Maverick City Music claimed New Artist of the Year.
Voted on by the GMA Professional Membership, this year’s nominees were chosen from over 4,600 submitted entries. The theme this year was “Stronger Together” and featured performances from CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle, Maverick City Music, Elevation Worship, Hope Darst and more.
Tuesday night's show was hosted by gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds and Natalie Grant, who performed her song “Weapon” while her husband, Bernie Herms, accompanied her on the piano and her twin daughters sang in the choir behind her.
“We woke up this morning, my husband Bernie and I, and we were praying so intently that the presence of God would so far surpass what we were doing musically; that it would all work well and represent us well, but that it would be His presence that set it apart,” Grant told reporters following the performance. “And to feel that in the room and just be like ‘Lord, you just you just answered our prayer.’”
Listed on the following pages are some of the night’s most notable winners.