Month: June 2022

Following news that the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that protected a woman’s choice to have an abortion, Phoebe Bridgers made her disgust toward the decision known during her Glastonbury performance on Friday (June 24).

“In all honesty, it’s super surreal and fun, but I’m having a hideous day,” she told the crowd. “Are there any Americans here? Who wants to say, ‘F— the Supreme Court?’”

The entire crowd then broke out into a “F— the Supreme Court” chant, before the 27-year-old indie rock star added, “F— that s—. F— America. F— you! All of these irrelevant, old motherf—ers trying to tell us what to do with our f—ing bodies.”

“All these irrelevant old motherfuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies”. @phoebe_bridgers calls out the US Supreme Court on stage at Glastonbury. She had an abortion last year. What a moment. pic.twitter.com/cKBNZdhhNr

— Dino Sofos (@dinosofos) June 24, 2022

Earlier in the day, Bridgers opened up in a fatefully timed new The Guardian interview about the same night she attended her very first Met Gala, when news broke that the Supreme Court had drafted plans to rescind women’s federal rights to seek abortions by overturning Roe v. Wade — something that inspired her to become one in a handful of female artists to share their own personal experiences with abortion.

“I’ve always found comfort in talking to people in passing – when someone’s mom says: ‘I had an abortion when I was a teen.’ It normalized it for me,” Bridgers explained to The Guardian. “I was, ‘All right, it’s time to throw my hat into that pool…That’s not a phrase, I just made that up. But I didn’t think about it, really, at all.”

“As a white, upper-middle-class woman from California, even if it were to be overturned, I will always have access,” she continued. “I have a friend who went to medical school – every time I need a doctor, I say, ‘Do you have someone that you recommend?’ So I would just go: ‘Hey, where do I go for the thing? Wink-wink.’ The people with access will always have access. What pisses me off is that we’re not talking about me. It’s so easy: I played in Texas the same week, and then I went home and was like: oh my God. Made the appointment. It was 12 hours of my life.”

Lizzo is the latest guest on The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast released on Thursday (June 23), where she reflected on how music helped heal some of the darkest moments of her life and how “Truth Hurts” was the song she always wanted to write.

“When I was a little kid, one of my dreams was to write a song that the world could sing back at me,” she said of her 2017 breakout hit, which exploded in the music scene in 2019 and skyrocketed her into superstardom. “And I think I’ve been so wrapped up in album promo and work, work, work, that I need to stop and realize, ‘You did.’ That’s the song. That’s the song of little me’s dreams. I did it. And it feels incredible to stand there and just with one single note — one piano hit — people go bananas.”

She also delved deep into the low moments of her life, after she dropped out of college. “I was so embarrassed, I was so ashamed, that I stopped speaking, because I didn’t know what to say. I had nothing to say. I was so angry, and I didn’t want to say mean things to people — they didn’t deserve it — so I just kept it to myself and I was like, literally silent, like, I didn’t speak to people even in the same room, I didn’t say ‘hello,’ I didn’t say ‘goodbye,’ people asked me questions and my mouth was, like, glued shut for months,” she said. “I remember being like, ‘OK, cool. I’m gonna just pursue music in a different way. Maybe not flute, but singing, rapping, whatever.’ It was very delusional.”

“I was so driven to make something happen, so that once I made that thing happen I could take it back and fix my family and fix my personal life… I was very irresponsible, I think. It was the irresponsibility that got me out of where I was living — I couldn’t afford to live where I was living anymore,” she continued. “When my father passed away, I didn’t want to work anymore… I was, like, so catatonic, and I didn’t want to do anything. I was, like, really over life as it was. I was like, ‘I know this isn’t what life is supposed to be like. Maybe life shouldn’t be.’ Those kinds of thoughts. I had been brought down to the bare minimum of existence.”

Thankfully, Lizzo has grown into a better place, noting that “the rest of my life has been dedicated to healing that period” before adding, “I’m so incredibly grateful for the life I’ve experienced because it has prepared me in insurmountable ways for the life that I have now. This s— is a breeze! This is a cakewalk, honey!”

Listen to the full episode below.

First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

Chayanne, “Te Amo y Punto” (Sony Music Latin)

Chayanne is back! The Puerto Rican singer delivers his first song in four years titled “Te Amo y Punto,” which is the first single off his upcoming album. Staying true to his core essence, the song is a striking ballad about love. Injecting heavy emotion into his delivery, Chayanne reignites optimism with the song’s vocals, and hope that not all is lost. “This song was the creation of a great group of professionals and based on the noblest feeling in life: love,” Chayanne says in a statement. “I always want to remind people that despite the speed at which we live today and that above any priority, love is the greatest of feelings and will always fill our souls.” The new track, produced by Luis Salazar, was penned by Édgar Barrera, Elena Rose and Richi López. — GRISELDA FLORES

Ingratax & Band MS, “UN CHINGAZO” (Room28)

Rising Mexican artist Ingratax teams up with Banda MS for a heartfelt collaboration called “Un Chingazo.” This marks the first time that Ingrataz, who’s signed to Sergio Lizárraga’s (Band MS’ manager and founder) indie label Room 28, unites forces with the renowned musica group. It’s also the first time we see her steer away from her urban-pop sound and tap into banda music. But this collaboration is far from a just another banda song. It showcases their incredible vocal group harmony, and an innovative fusion of traditional banda and ’50s doo-wop. “What did I do for you to be like this?/ My friends told me to run away from you/ Everyone knows what I did to see you happy and you didn’t give me half of that,” they chant about heartbreak and regret. — JESSICA ROIZ

Prince Royce, Jay Wheeler & Nicky Jam “Si Te Preguntan” (Sony Music Latin)

A bachata-meets-reggaetón moment! Prince Royce, Jay Wheeler and Nicky Jam gift fans this week with a new collaboration, which marks Wheeler and Jam’s first bachata ever. Their new single, titled “Si Te Preguntan,” is a danceable bachata anthem with romantic lyrics narrating a story of what going through a breakup can feel like. The heartfelt lyrics talk about remembering the good times in a past relationship. “Okay, tell them I wasn’t the best, but don’t make me look like a loser/ (Oh) tell them that with me you met love, that my nights in New York were not cold (No, no),” they sing in the chorus. — INGRID FAJARDO

Diamante Eléctrico, “Colibrí” (Diamante Eléctrico)

Colombian rock band Diamante Eléctrico delivers an ultra groovy love track that is powered by a psychedelic ’70s beat. “Colibrí,” which is the figure of a hummingbird in Mexican culture, is the band’s second single from their forthcoming album album. The lyrics are inspired by the colibrí metaphor and love, “in the arrival of one person to the life of another person, knowing that both are free and that it’s not possible to lock free spirits in sentimental cages,” according to the band. The track is the perfect soundtrack to cruising with your windows down this summer. — G.F.

Blessd x Rels B, “Energía” (Warner Music Latina/JM World Music)

A collaboration you never knew you needed: Colombia’s Blessd and Spains’ Rels B have joined forces for the sultry mid-tempo reggaetón track “Energia,” co-produced by Latin hitmkers The Rude Boyz and Icon Music. Bringing to life its sensual beat, the song is about the crazy chemistry two people continue to have despite being distant. “There’s no energy like this one/ We’re a separate case/ Let’s leave the past behind and pretend that this is forever/ A lot of women want to be with me but they don’t know me from before,” they express in the lyrics. Both artists are featured in the music video, directed by Deivy p and Jackalope of DYPA FILMS, and filmed in Medellín. — J.R.

CNCO, “No Apagues La Luz” (Sony Music Latin)

Have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this new CNCO song, which takes the boyband in a whole different direction sound-wise. The slowed-down track is not only a departure from the boys’ uptempo reggaetón anthems, but an R&B gem that dropped without much of a heads up. “No Apagues La Luz” is CNCO’s third single released this year; it follows “La Equivocada” and “Party, Humo y Alcohol (PHA).” — G.F. 

Monsieur Periné feat. Vanesa Martín “Tu y Yo” (5020 Records)

Vanesa Martín joins Monsieur Periné to release a love letter in form of their new single, “Tú y Yo,” which also celebrates Pride and the freedom to love whomever you want. It’s the third track from Monsieur Periné’s upcoming album and was penned by Catalina García and Santiago Prieto, together with Yasmil Marrufo and Servando Primera. “You and me, waters of the same river, it’s you and me, your chest with mine, always you and me, waters of the same river, just you and me, your chest with mine.” It also follows the band’s recent singles “Volverte a Ver” and “Nada.” — I.F. 

Ramón Vega, Michelle Maciel, “eScoRpiÓn :)” (Cove Récords/Sony Music Latin)

The new generation of artists don’t want to be boxed into a genre, and Ramon Vega is proof of that. Yes, he’s following the footsteps of his late uncle, corrido singer Sergio “El Shaka” Vega, and older brother Cornelio Vega, but Ramon is curating his own sound and style. Born in the pandemic, the 16-year-old singer-songwriter has dropped catchy trap tracks, chill funk songs, and now, the hip-swaying, head-bopping indie-pop track “eScoRpiÓn :),” where he collaborates with Billboard On the Radar artist Michelle Maciel. Together, the two Mexican artists combine their dulcet vocals to sing about, specifically, a Scorpio who broke their heart. — J.R.

Alejo, Full Discoteka (Jungl)

Emerging artist Alejo drops his first-ever EP this week, with seven tracks that bring to the forefront his musical identity. Earlier this year, the Puerto Rican artist got on the radar thanks to his viral hit “Pantysito” alongside Feid and rising act Robi, which he followed with a Karol G collaboration on “Un Viaje,” alongside newcomers Jotaerre and Moffa. But now, he aims to position himself as the genre’s next star with his Full Discoteka release. Alejo teamed up with hitmakers SubeloNeo, Jeremy “Jahmar” Ayala, and KidKev for the set, to name a few, delivering nothing but club bangers — including focus track “Se Enamoró de un Reggaetonero.” He also brought along his good friends (and fellow up-and-comers) Vice and Moffa to further prove that the new generation is on fire. Stream and listen to Full Discoteka above. — J.R.

The end of an era. After two years and three months of 18-year-old Charli D’Amelio holding the title of most-followed content creator on TikTok, comedian Khaby Lame — known for his simplistic style of wordlessly reacting to ridiculous content — has now taken the throne.

If you’ve ever been on the quick video-sharing platform, there’s a high chance you’ve seen Lame’s face, and an even higher chance you’ve never heard his voice. The 22-year-old, who was born in Senegal and now lives in Italy, made his name by using nothing more than his trademark “Are you kidding me?” expression to react to various videos in TikTok’s feed of absurd life hacks, skits and stunts.

Now having hit a record-breaking number of followers — 142.9 million, to be exact — with that dry humor, the creator has long been earning hundreds of millions of views and interactions on his videos. His rise to fame has led to a number of exciting opportunities for him, from fulfilling his self-professed “dream” of meeting soccer player Lionel Messi to securing a collaboration with Ed Sheeran — who helped Lame make one of his signature videos back in November.

D’Amelio had previously held TikTok’s No. 1 spot since March 2020, when she surpassed Loren Gray’s follower count at the time of 41.3 million in the span of just nine months. That same year — in November 2020 — D’Amelio celebrated being the first creator to reach 100 million followers. “A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED ME REACH 100 MILLION SUPPORTERS!!! AND ANOTHER HUGE THANK YOU TO @tiktok I LOVE EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!” she captioned a video at the time. As of Friday (June 24), the young influencer — who came to fame by performing trendy, choreographed TikTok dances — has not yet reacted on social media to her new position in the TikTok leaderboard.

And though it was his devoted base of followers that helped propel Lame to the top spot with a recent fan-led promotional campaign, he’s said before that his supporters are important for reasons far greater than the numbers they generate. “My follower base is my family and I would not be who I am without family,” he told Forbes in March. “I would never see them as just numbers, as everybody is someone I want to build relationships with, both offline and online. I love to meet them in real life, and to engage them in my life. That’s the reason why I always try to keep my videos genuine and authentic.”

Hello, it’s Avril.

In two new Spotify Singles released Friday (June 24), the crowned princess of pop-punk Avril Lavigne first reimagined her own track, “Love Sux,” as a peppy acoustic dance fest before putting her own spin on Adele‘s 2015 smash hit “Hello.”

Spotify’s “Singles” series began back in 2016 to give artists an opportunity to re-record one of their own songs in addition to paying tribute to another artist — which is exactly what Lavigne did with her two new releases. On the new edition of “Love Sux,” the title track from her most recent album, she swaps out her original raging electric straps for acoustic guitar and dainty bells. And on her rendition of  the 10-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Hello,” she puts her signature belt to the ultimate test, soaring over an atmospheric choir of backup singers.

“I love Adele’s song ‘Hello’ and have been dying to do a cover of it,” Lavigne said in a statement of the song duo. “The ‘Spotify Singles’ sessions were a fun opportunity to finally do this cover as well as reimagine my own song ‘Love Sux’ as an acoustic version.”

Currently on tour, the 37-year-old singer-songwriter is still fresh off the February release of her seventh studio album Love Sux. She also just celebrated the 20 year anniversary of her debut album Let Go, which premiered some of her best known songs like “Sk8r Boy” and “Complicated,” by releasing an updated edition of the record including tracks that hadn’t previously been added to streaming services.

As it happens, one of Let Go‘s biggest fans turns out to be Adele. In an Instagram livestream last year, she said: “Do you know what? I do like Avril Lavigne. Her first record, I listen to all the time. I think it’s such a great record.”

Stream Avril Lavigne’s new Spotify Singles below:

The Album

Farm to Table, out now on 4AD.

The Origin

“For most of my adult life, after college, I just thought that music wasn’t going to work,” says Bartees Strange, who’s become one of the breakout indie acts of 2022 at the age of 33. Although the artist born Bartees Cox Jr. sang in his church choir as a kid and started playing secular songs in his teens, he never considered music as a career path, instead gravitating towards professional sports (he enrolled at Oklahoma University, with NFL dreams) and politics (he worked as a press secretary for the FCC during the Obama administration).

He moved from Washington D.C. to New York City in 2015 and started to find a music community, but assumed that he would always remain within the underground. “I remember being 23 and being like, ‘Tyler, The Creator and all those guys, they’ve made it, they’ve already figured it out, there’s not enough space for me,’” says Strange. “You tell yourself these stories — ‘No one’s gonna pick me, no one wants me, it’s not going to work out.’ And why would it? My life was already good! But at some point, I remember just being like, ‘I’m gonna do this anyway, because I need it just for me. I like making stuff. So whether things get big or not, I’m just gonna do it.’”

The Sound

Strange’s 2020 debut album Live Forever was preceded by forays into a variety of musical styles, from contributions to post-hardcore bands to acoustic folk experiments to dance-leaning remixes. As such, Live Forever functioned as a sonic pastiche, refracted through a guitar-driven indie-rock prism but also containing a deep love of hip-hop (“Free Kelly Rowland”), country (“Fallen for You”) and noise rock (“Mustang”).

Live Forever won raves and a cult following, but it also sounded like the emptying of his notebook. Not so, says Strange — he set to work on his sophomore album in Maine in October 2020, one day before Live Forever was released. “I remember finishing [Live Forever] and being like, ‘Oh my God, there’s so much more I want to do!’” Strange recalls. “I knew I was getting better. Everything I didn’t know how to do while making Live Forever, I know how to do now. And in terms of clarity, I feel better and more clear, about what I want to say now.”

The Breakthrough

Farm to Table expands the world that Strange created on Live Forever in every conceivable way, with even more ambition — “Wretched” sounds like a genuine pop hit with a gigantic hook, while lead single “Heavy Heart” swivels through deliveries across its verses and peppers in horns for a richer flavor. On “Cosigns,” Strange rattles off references to Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Courtney Barnett, all recent tour mates that helped him grow his audience prior to the release of Farm to Table last Friday. Also helping in that area: his new label, 4AD, which announced its deal with the singer-songwriter in March.

“I’ve always been attracted to [4AD], because my favorite bands came out on that label, ever since I was in high school,” says Strange, who name-checks indie stalwarts TV on the Radio and The National. “They’ve always had great taste, and I always really wanted to be what they liked. So I was really honored that they wanted to work with me.”

The Future

Strange is a star — charismatic, absorbing, naturally funny but with an ability to address serious issues in his music. He’s going to win more fans over on his first North American headlining tour, which kicks off in November, and as he scores more national TV spots (he made his late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week). Above all, however, he hopes the messages baked in his music keep affecting listeners. A standout on Farm to Table is “Hold the Line,” a message to George Floyd’s daughter that remains empathetic and never preachy. Meanwhile, “Escape This Circus” addresses the impulse to leave a troubled society instead of fighting for change.

When asked about “Escape This Circus,” Strange says he certainly understands the impulse to throw up your hands, or try to move to another country. “The thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is all these problems — gun violence, race, women’s issues, gender issues, climate change — they’re all so humongous, and it gets to a point where no one feels like they can do anything,” he says. “It almost feels cosmic, all of the crazy things happening. We all wish there was a fault in our stars — it’d be easier for us to think, ‘Oh, it’s bad luck,’ or ‘God is wreaking havoc on us.’

“But really,” he continues, “we’ve all put ourselves here, and the only way to really fix any of it isn’t to think big. It’s to think very small — to think, what can I do in my house? What can I do in my community? And that’s what that song is about — all this stuff is true, but you can’t solve it. You can only do yourself, fix yourself and what you can. Focus on that, so you can sleep at night.”

The Piece of Advice Every New Indie Artist Needs to Hear

“Just make stuff. I think people get a little caught up in their process. They think every song is gonna be the one that’s going to pop. It isn’t really about that. The most important thing, the most revolutionary act anyone can do, is make something that didn’t exist before — build a new system, make a new song, do something that inspires other people. Follow that.”

The Studio Equipment You Couldn’t Live Without

“I write everything on guitars, so I’ve got some guitars that are special. There’s a 1967 Epiphone Casino in my house that I write on a lot — I wrote ‘Heavy Heart’ on it, ‘Escape This Circus, ‘Cosigns,’ all types of songs. That guitar is probably my No. 1 desert island piece of equipment.”

The Artist You Believe Deserves More Attention,

“The artist that I love that has attention, but deserves more, is Yves Tumor. I think Yves Tumor is the greatest artist of my generation, personally. I don’t think there’s anyone like them.”

The Thing That Needs to Change in the Music Industry

“People should get paid more, generally. It’s hard to make money on tour, and it’s hard to make money selling music, and as a musician, it’s all about your war chest. Does Mom and Dad have some money for you? Did you get an incredibly sweet deal? It all comes down to the money, and unfortunately, musicians, we don’t really like to talk about money, it’s not our favorite thing to do. There’s gotta be a healthier way to do this, for everybody. People are tearing their minds and bodies apart to do this — they should be making more money.”

Noah Cyrus unveiled her latest single “Ready to Go” on Friday (June 24) and she sat down with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly to discuss the meaning behind the tender ballad.

“When I was writing it, it felt like I wasn’t receiving what I was giving to the other person. It seemed like the other person maybe wasn’t as in it as me anymore,” she explains, previously relating the song to her hit “July,” calling the tracks “cousins” due to their thematic similarities.

“If you’re ready to go, yeah, make your move, no, I won’t follow,” she sings in the chorus of the new song. “It’s inevitable and we both know that we’re on borrowed time.”

“Ready to Go” is set to appear on Cyrus’ upcoming album, The Hardest Part, which touches upon her struggles with substance abuse. “It’s funny because when I think of The Hardest Part, it’s not even in the past couple of years that I started the drugs. I feel like it’s kind of been the hardest part of my life,” she tells Billboard.

On the topic of TikTok and whether she feels as though she needs to create viral content to promote her music the way other artists have been pressured to do, Cyrus jokingly replied, “I could be here all day on this. I’m like, ‘How much time do you have?’ Let me get comfortable, kick my feet up.”

Watch a snippet of the interview with Cyrus above, and catch the full conversation out in July. The Hardest Part is set for release Sept. 16 via RECORDS/Columbia.

Below, find Cyrus’ upcoming North American tour dates:

10/4 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
10/5 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey
10/7 – 10/9 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits
10/9 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
10/10 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
10/11 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
10/13 – Dallas, TX – Echo Lounge
10/14 – 10/16 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits
10/16 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
10/17 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
10/19 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
10/20 – Philadelphia, PA – TLA
10/21 – Washington D.C. – 9:30 Club
10/22 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
10/24 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
10/25 – Toronto, ON – The Phoenix
10/27 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
10/28 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman
10/29 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre
10/31 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
11/1 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand at Complex
11/3 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
11/4 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

Despite its title, Bailey Zimmerman’s churning hit “Fall in Love” is not a romantic ballad, with the Illinois native lamenting on the track: “Love’s a smoke ring wrapped around your finger/One second it’s a blessing, and the next it’s already gone.” Yet the single’s impact is anything but ephemeral, as it reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and has earned 78.7 million on-demand U.S. official streams, according to Luminate.

The rising country star says of the song’s inspiration, “After you lose that special person you never thought you’d lose, it’s hard to want to give love a second chance. We felt like we could relate to a lot of people by shining a light on that feeling.” Zimmerman, 22, co-wrote the song with Austin Shawn, who also produced the track, and Gavin Lucas, who had the initial idea for its first verse and chorus in 2020.

Last year, Lucas and Zimmerman fleshed out the second verse with Shawn during a co-writing session at Shawn’s home studio, and the finished version arrived this February. “One of my favorite parts of that session was writing the line ‘Seen your mama walking out the county market,’” says Zimmerman, “because it ties the whole story together and gives it that small-town feeling.”

Zimmerman, who is signed to Warner Music Nashville/Elektra Music Group and The Core Entertainment and 10th Street Entertainment for management, hit No. 2 on the Emerging Artists chart. Come July 11, “Fall in Love” will be promoted to country radio. (Already, follow up hit “Rock and a Hard Place” is taking off, debuting at No. 24 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on Hot Country Songs).

“From the beginning of us writing ‘Fall in Love’ on my couch with an acoustic guitar, I was thinking big-picture,” Shawn recalls. “I was thinking about Bailey’s roots, his rasp, the message the song carried. I wanted to define what he is all about through the emotion and sound it carried — that gritty, modern-Americana country vibe.”

This story originally appeared in the June 25, 2022, issue of Billboard.

CeCe Winans is the top nominee for the 2022 Stellar Gospel Music Awards with nine nods including artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year and Albertina Walker female artist of the year. The nominations are for Winans’ first live album, Believe for It, which logged seven weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.

The 37th Stellar Gospel Music Awards will return to Atlanta for a live-taped ceremony on July 16 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Stellar Award-winning artists Jekalyn Carr and Kierra Sheard will co-host the show, which will air on BET, BET HER, and BET International in August, and will be syndicated in various local markets across the U.S. between Aug. 13 and Sept. 11.

Pastor Mike Jr., the 2021 Stellar Award winner for artist of the year, received eight nominations, including producer of the year, artist of the year, male artist of the year, album of the year, and song of the year. Pastor Mike Jr. nominations are tied to his album, I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1.

Tamela Mann, Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music and Todd Dulaney each received six nominations, with Mali Music receiving an additional nod for a feature on a separate project. Kelontae Gavin received five nominations. Maverick City Music, Israel Houghton, Ricky Dillard, E. Dewey Smith and Jason Clayborn each received four nominations.

Six-time Grammy Award-winning hitmaker and producer Aaron Lindsey will receive the Aretha Franklin icon award. Choir leader and recording artist Ricky Dillard, a five-time Grammy nominee, will receive the James Cleveland lifetime achievement wward. Candi Staton, who has had pop, R&B, disco and gospel hits in a career that stretches back to the 1960s, will receive the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones legends award. Staton’s biggest hit was the 1976 classic “Young Hearts Run Free,” which reached No. 1 on Hot Soul Singles (as the chart was then known) and the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The show will feature performances by Tye Tribbett, Marvin Sapp, Maranda Curtis, Ricky Dillard, Kelontae Gavin, Rudy Currence, Chrisette Michele, DOE, James Fortune, Jason Nelson, Travis Greene, Darrel Walls and Jor’Dan Armstrong.

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Don Jackson, chairman and CEO of Chicago-based Central City Productions. Jennifer J. Jackson will serve as executive in charge of production and producer. Michael A. Johnson will produce and direct this year’s show.

“Gospel music has encouraged millions of people through more than two unrelenting years of the pandemic, and the Stellar Awards will, again, deliver in bringing the praise and recognizing the artists who bless us with their inspirational sounds,” Jackson said in a statement. “Those who love Black, faith, and family-centric programs can look forward to both the Stellar Awards and to all that our Stellar TV Network has to offer when it premieres in September.”

Founded in 1970 by Jackson, Central City Productions, Inc. is a national broadcast television producer and syndicator of its exclusively owned African American programming. The company’s television programs include the Black Music Honors and Stellar Tribute to the Holidays, among others. For more information, visit www.stellartv.com.

For additional updates, follow The Stellar Awards on social media — @thestellars on Instagram and Twitter and Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Facebook — and check out the Stellar Awards website.

Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2022 Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

Artist of the year

CeCe Winans; Believe for It; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Maverick City Music; Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition; TRIBL Records

Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/ Rock City Media Group

Tamela Mann; Overcomer; Tillymann Music Group

Song of the year

“All of My Help”; Nathaniel Zaccheus Bean & Ricky Dillard; Motown Gospel

“Amazing”; Michael McClure Jr., Adia Andrews, Giano Piero Reverberi, Brian Joseph Burton, Gianfranco Reverberi & Thmosa Decarlo Callaway; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group

“Believe for It”; CeCe Winans, Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee & Mitch Wong; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

“Help Me”; Bartholomew Orr, Justin Pearson, La’Tia Mann, Phillip Bryant, Tamela Mann & Tiffany Mann; Tillymann Music Group

“Jireh” (Featuring Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine); Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore, Steven Furtick & Chris Brown; TRIBL Records

Male artist of the year

Israel Houghton; Feels Like Home, Vol. 1; District 11 Entertainment

Kelontae Gavin; The N.O.W. Experience; RCA Inspiration

Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/ Rock City Media Group

Todd Dulaney; Anthems & Glory; MNRK

Travis Greene; Oil + Water; RCA Inspiration

Albertina Walker female artist of the year

Bri Babineaux; The Encounter Continues; Bri Babineaux Music/Tyscot

CeCe Winans; Believe for It; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

Kelly Price; Grace; Motown Gospel

Kim Person; Journey 2.0; KLP Music Enterprise

Tamela Mann; Overcomer; Tillymann Music Group

Duo/chorus group of the year

1K Phew & Lecrae; No Church in a While; Reach Records

Dawkins & Dawkins; Never Gets Old Vol 2; Legacy Music Group

Israel And New Breed; Feels Like Home, Vol. 1; District 11 Entertainment

Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Maverick City Music, Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition, TRIBL Records

New artist of the year

E. Dewey Smith; God Period; Pebble Street Records

Evvie McKinney; This Is Evvie McKinney EP; Motown Gospel

Jason McGee & The Choir; Power; My Block Inc.

Josh Copeland; No Fear; Anointed Sounds / MNRK

Lasha’ Knox; God of Miracles; Black Smoke Music Worldwide

Album of the year

Anthems & Glory; Todd Dulaney; MNRK

Believe for It; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group

Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Overcomer; Tamela Mann; Tillymann Music Group

Choir of the year

Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago; Praise Party Vol 1; Inspired People

Jason Clayborn & The Atmosphere Changers; God Made It Beautiful; Jay Clay Music / Tyscot

Kevin Lemons & Higher Calling; Third Round; Hez House Entertainment / RCA Inspiration

Pastor David Wright & NY Fellowship Mass Choir; Miracles; Godfather Records

Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel

Producer of the year

Anson Dawkins, Jovan J. Dawkins, Eric Dawkins, Warryn Campbell, Jevon Hill, Stanley Greene Jr, Demetrius D Bizzy Smith, Xavier Gordon, Walter Millsap, Keran Vega, Daryl Brown, Chuckii Booker, Gourty Maxx, Kenneth KC Knight, Focus & DJ Mal-Ski; Never Gets Old Vol 2; Legacy Music Group

CeCe Winans, Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, Greg Ham, Derek Spirk & Chaz Corzine; Believe for It; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

Michael McClure Jr. & Jevon Hill; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group

Todd Dulaney & Dontaniel Jamel Kimbrough; Anthems & Glory; MNRK

Warryn Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Marcus Hodge; Power; My Block Inc

Contemporary duo/chorus group of the year

Dawkins & Dawkins; Never Gets Old Vol 2; Legacy Music Group

Israel And New Breed; Feels Like Home, Vol. 1; District 11 Entertainment

Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Maverick City Music, Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition, TRIBL Records

Contemporary male artist of the year

Israel Houghton; Feels Like Home, Vol. 1; District 11 Entertainment

Pastor Mike, Jr.; I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Black Smoke Music Worldwide/ Rock City Media Group

Todd Dulaney; Anthems & Glory; MNRK

Travis Greene; Oil + Water; RCA Inspiration

Traditional male artist of the year

Charles Jenkins; Praise Party Vol 1; Inspired People

E. Dewey Smith; God Period; Pebble Street Records

Kelontae Gavin; The N.O.W. Experience; RCA Inspiration

Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel

Contemporary female artist of the year

Bri Babineaux; The Encounter Continues; Bri Babineaux Music/Tyscot

CeCe Winans; Believe for It; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

Kelly Price; Grace; Motown Gospel

Tamela Mann; Overcomer; Tillymann Music Group

Traditional female artist of the year

Christina Bell; Still Faithful; Malaco

Kim Person; Journey 2.0; KLP Music Enterprise

Martha Munizzi; Best Days; Epic Music

Merry Clayton; Beautiful Scars; Motown Gospel

Contemporary album of the year

Anthems & Glory; Todd Dulaney; MNRK

I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol 1; Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group

Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Overcomer; Tamela Mann; Tillymann Music Group

Traditional album of the year

God Made It Beautiful; Jason Clayborn & The Atmosphere Changers; Jay Clay Music / Tyscot

God Period; E. Dewey Smith; Pebble Street Records

Journey 2.0; Kim Person; KLP Music

The N.O.W. Experience; Kelontae Gavin; RCA Inspiration

Urban/inspirational single or performance of the year

“Amazing”; Pastor Mike, Jr.; Black Smoke Music Worldwide / Rock City Media Group

“Believe for It”; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

“Joyful”; Dante Bowe; Bethel Music

“Residue”; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot / Fair Trade Services

“We Win”; Lil Baby & Kirk Franklin; RCA Inspiration

Music video of the year

“Help Me”; David Mann Jr.; Tillymann Music Group

“Never Let Me Down”; Olu Samuel Emedobi; FIYA World / MNRK

“One Call”; Caleb Seales and Jerrell Green; Reach Records

“You’re All I Need”; Jason Clayborn; Jay Clay Music / Tyscot

Traditional choir of the year

Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago; Praise Party Vol 1; Inspired People

Kevin Lemons & Higher Calling; Third Round; Hez House Entertainment / RCA Inspiration

Pastor David Wright & NY Fellowship Mass Choir; Miracles; Godfather Records

Ricky Dillard; Breakthrough: The Exodus; Motown Gospel

Instrumental album of the year

How Does Christmas Sound?; Kirk Whalum; Mack Avenue Records

No Fear; Bart Orr; Anderson Music Group

Shine!; Ben Tankard; BEN-Jamin’ Universal Music

The Good News (Instrumental); Charles Butler & Trinity; Impact One Music / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services

Special event album of the year

A Very Maverick Christmas; Maverick City Choir; TRIBL Records

Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Let Praises Ring; E. Dewey Smith; Pebble Street Records

Never Gets Old Holiday Volume; Dawkins & Dawkins; Legacy Music Group

Rap hip hop gospel album of the year

No Church in a While; 1K Phew & Lecrae; Reach Records

Soul Therapy; Bizzle; God Over Money Records

Two Up Two Down; Aaron Cole; Gotee Records

UPPERHAND; Indie Tribe; Indie Tribe

Youth project of the year

Alana Inez; Thank You Lord; Law Ent

Janessa Smith; Finish This Race; Inspired Recording

Rodney Iler; Secrets; Independent

Sa’Vannah Aaliyah; I Got It; BGA Music Group

Quartet of the year

Alphonso D. Bowen; He’s A Wonder; Kelsi 29 Music

The Brown Boyz; The Reintroduction; SIX19 Music

The Mighty Gospel Warriors; The Live Virtual Experience; 4clouds Records

Tim White & ReFocused; Always There: Live Virtual Experience; Independent

Recorded music packaging of the year

Anthems & Glory; J. Lynn Stemley; MNRK

Breakthrough: The Exodus; Drew Kellum; Motown Gospel

Jonny x Mali: Live in L.A. EP; Tyler Siemen; Life Room/K Approved/RCA Inspiration/MNRK

Overcomer; Keston McKinnon; Tillymann Music Group

Praise and worship album of the year

Anthems & Glory; Todd Dulaney; MNRK

Believe for It; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition; Maverick City Music; TRIBL Records

The N.O.W. Experience; Kelontae Gavin; RCA Inspiration

Praise and worship song of the year

“Believe for It”; CeCe Winans; Pure Springs Gospel / Fair Trade Services / Red Alliance Media

“Great”; Kelontae Gavin; RCA Inspiration

“Joyful”; Dante Bowe; Bethel Music

“Residue”; Jason Nelson; Jaelyn Song / Tyscot / Fair Trade Services

“You’re All I Need”; Jason Clayborn & The Atmosphere Changers; Jay Clay Music / Tyscot

Rap/hip hop song of the year

“Heal the Land”; G.I.; BGA Music Group

“My God”; Jor’Dan Armstrong; Encouragement Music

“One Call”; 1K Phew & Lecrae; Reach Records

“Redeemed” ft. Mali Music; Amethyst; Independent

“Sick World”; Deitrick Haddon X Zaytoven; Black Own Black / Tyscot

Gospel station and announcer of the year nominees

Major market station of the year

WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta

WGRB 1390AM, Chicago

WYCA Rejoice 102.3 FM, Chicago

WPZZ Praise 104.7, Richmond

Large market station of the year

WAGG 610AM 100.1FM, Birmingham

WJYD JOY 107.1, Columbus

WLLV 1240 AM & 101.9FM, Louisville

WPCE 1400 AM, Norfolk

Medium market station of the year

WNZN 89.1, Lorain

WAVN FM 104.1/AM 1240, Memphis

WNNL- The Light 103.9, Raleigh

KOKA 980 AM & 93.3 FM, Shreveport

Small market station of the year

WNRR Gospel 1380 & 93.3 FM, Augusta

WYPZ – FM 99.5, Macon

WMIR Rejoice 103.5FM/95.5FM, Myrtle Beach

WIMG 1300, Trenton

Internet station of the year

Power 89.1, http://n02.radiojar.com/zm2rq9hsga0uv?rj-ttl=5&rj-tok=AAABfvivoHYAsMqLDovLjcJELQ

Power of Worship Radio, www.powerofworship.net

uGospel Radio, www.uGospel.com

WVTC Gospel Radio Network, http://www.wvtcradio.com

Gospel announcer of the year

Charles Johnson (Pastor CeJay), KOKA 980 AM, Shreveport, LA

Dallas A. Frazier, WAAW Shout 94.7FM, Aiken, SC

Melissa Wade, WNNL – The Light 103.9, Raleigh, NC

Randi Myles, The Detroit Praise Network, Detroit, MI