Brandon Lake Leads – Billboard

Brandon Lake is the top nominee for the 2023 GMA Dove Awards, sponsored by the Gospel Music Association. Lake received 11 nominations, including artist of the year, where he is competing with CeCe Winans, for KING + COUNTRY, Lauren Daigle and Phil Wickham. Winans won the award last year. For KING + COUNTRY and Daigle are both two-time winners in the category.

Lake has a co-writer credit on three of the 10 songs that were nominated for song of the year – “Fear Is Not My Future,” “Gratitude” and “Same God.”

Lake, 33, has won three Dove Awards. He has had two No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart – Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens,” on which he was featured, and his own “Gratitude.”

Other top nominees were songwriter Jeff Pardo with eight nods, and Jason Ingram and Kirk Franklin, with six nods each. New artist of the year finalist Katy Nichole received four nods — more than any other woman. She was followed by Daigle, Naomi Raine and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, each of whom received three nominations.

Country stars Dylan Scott, Tyler Childers and Walker Hayes each received their first nominations.

“I want to congratulate his year’s wonderful list of Dove Awards nominees, GMA president Jackie Patillo said in a statement.

Nominees were announced in a livestream on the GMA Dove Awards’ YouTube channel featuring Jason Crabb, Jordan Feliz, Danny Gokey, Natalie Grant and JJ Hairston. Final-round voting will run from Aug. 17-24.

The two-hour awards show will tape in Nashville on Tuesday Oct. 17 and will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN app three nights later, on Friday Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET.

The 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie 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, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.

Here’s the full list of categories that were announced on today’s livestream. For a complete list of nominees in all categories, visit doveawards.com.

Artist of the year
Brandon Lake
CeCe Winans
for KING + COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham

New artist of the year
Ben Fuller
Hulvey
Jon Reddick
Katy Nichole
Naomi Raine

Song of the year
“Build A Boat,” writers: Colton Dixon, Seth Mosley, Johan Lindbrandt, Sandro
Cavazza, Mikey Gormley
“Fear Is Not My Future,” writers: Kirk Franklin, Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay,
Hannah Shackleford, Nicole Hannel
“God Really Loves Us,” writers: David Crowder, Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka, Dante
Bowe
“Goodness of God,” writers: Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, Jenn
Johnson, Brian Johnson
“Gratitude,” writers: Brandon Lake, Ben Hastings, Dante Bowe
“In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” writers: Ethan Hulse, Katy Nichole, David
Andrew Spencer, Jeff Pardo
“Love Me Like I Am,” writers: Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Michael
Pollack, Josh Kerr
 “Perfectly Loved,” writers: Rachael Lampa, Andrew Ripp,
Ethan Hulse
“Same God,” writers: Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett
“Then Christ Came,” writers: Bart Millard, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, David
Leonard

Pop/contemporary recorded song of the year
“Brighter Days” – Blessing Offor
“I’m So Blessed (Best Day Remix)” – CAIN
“Love Me Like I Am” – for KING + COUNTRY ft. Jordin Sparks
 “God Is in This Story” – Katy Nichole ft. Big Daddy Weave
 “Thank God I Do” – Lauren Daigle

Worship recorded song of the year
“Gratitude (Radio Version)” – Brandon Lake
“Honey in the Rock” – Brooke Ligertwood, Brandon Lake
“Holy Forever” – Chris Tomlin
“Fear Is Not My Future (Radio Version)” – Maverick City Music ft. Brandon
Lake, Chandler Moore
“This Is Our God” – Phil Wickham

Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year
“Jordan” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge, ft. Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney, Mark Fain
“Good Morning Mercy” – Jason Crabb, Dylan Scott
“Matchless” – Tiffany Coburn, ft. Point of Grace
“Way of the Triune God (Hallelujah Version)” – Tyler Childers
“Jesus’ Fault” – Zach Williams, ft. Walker Hayes

Spanish language recorded song of the year
“Guarda Tu Corazón” – Alex Zurdo
“So Good (Cuán Bueno)” – DOE, ft. Lilly Goodman
“Nubes” – Indiomar, ft. Blanca
“Coritos (En Vivo)” – Miel San Marcos, Daniel Calveti, Marcos Witt, Ingrid
Rosario
“Suelto” – Sarai Rivera

Gospel worship recorded song of the year
“One Name (Jesus) [Live]” – Naomi Raine
“Impossible” – Pastor Mike Jr., ft. Jame Fortune
“I Still Have You” – Smokie Norful
“The Moment (Live)” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
 “You’ve Been Good to Me” –  Zacardi Cortez

Contemporary gospel recorded song of the year
“New Day” – Blanca, ft. Jekalyn Carr
“Your World” – Jonathan McReynolds
“Miracles” – Kierra Sheard, ft. Pastor Mike Jr.
“Bless Me” – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin
“Get Up” – Tye Tribbett

Pop/contemporary album of the year
My Tribe – Blessing Offor
Jesus Changed My Life – Katy Nichole
Always Only Jesus – MercyMe
Life After Death – TobyMac
A Hundred Highways – Zach Williams

Worship album of the year
Come Up Here – Bethel Music
Honest Offering (Live) – CAIN
God Is Good! (Live) – Cody Carnes
LION: Live From the Loft – Elevation Worship
Lamb of God – Matt Redman

Southern gospel album of the year
Think About There – Greater Vision
Come on In – Guardians Quartet
John 3:16 – Perrys
Believe – The Hoppers
Hymns & Worship – Triumphant Quartet

Contemporary gospel album of the year
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds
Kingdom Book One (Deluxe) – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin
Impossible – Pastor Mike Jr.
Overcomer (Deluxe) – Tamela Mann
All Things New – Tye Tribbett

Rap/hip hop album of the year
Church Clothes 4 – Lecrae
Sunday in Lagos – Limoblaze
Everyone Loves a Comeback Story – Social Club Misfits
Tree – Steven Malcolm
NEW HOLLYWOOD – WHATUPRG

Feature film of the year
Big George Foreman
Family Camp
I Heard the Bells
Jesus Revolution
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story