The recording academy yesterday released its nominees list for the 63^rd Annual Grammy awards. Leading the nominations with 9 nods including song and record of the year is Beyonce. Contenders for the Christian/Gospel categories include Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music, Travis Greene, Rodney 'Darkchild' Jenkins, Tauren Wells, Kanye West, Myron Butler, Kari Jobe, Kierra Sheard and Ricky Dillard

Missing from the list this year are the usual Gospel and CCM heavy hitters who tend to dominate the nominations and sweep the awards. Ricky Dillard tops the Gospel/Christian nominations with 2 nods out of the 5 categories.

Rodney 'Darkchild' Jenkins' Come Together released in April to support Compassion and Musicares COVID-19 relief efforts, received a nomination for Best Gospel performance/song. Featuring an all-star line-up of gospel artists and co-written by Lashawn Daniels, Lecrae, Jazz Nixon and Jerkins, Come Together saw Jerkins go back to his gospel roots. Not gonna let anything stop us from executing Gods plan and spreading the good news he posted on social media.

Arguably the most popular song of 2020 was The Blessing by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, and Elevation worship. In the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, churches, and worship teams around the world, drew comfort and encouragement from the song based on the Numbers 6:24-26 priestly blessing. In an interview with Worship Together Cody Carnes shared that they almost missed writing the song. ...We were all pretty tired because wed already been writing for a solid 8 hours and I remember we started mulling around on this idea for about 20 minutes. It was like do we want to stay in this and keep writing or are we tired and wanna go home. We all were like were here lets writeThank God that we didnt say were tired and wanna go home. The songwriters recently won the 2020 Dove award for Worship Song of The Year.

 

So here are my 2021 Grammy predictions *drumroll*:

Best Gospel Performance/Song Movin on
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music; Darryl L. Howell, Jonathan Caleb McReynolds, Kortney Jamaal Pollard & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song The Blessing (LIVE)
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes & Elevation Worship; Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe Carnes & Steven Furtick, songwriters

Best Gospel Album Gospel According to PJ

PJ Morton

*Disclaimer Kierra Sheard would have my vote 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Jesus Is King

Kanye West

*Disclaimer Tauren Wells Citizen of Heaven would have my vote

The 63^rd Annual Grammy Awards will hold on the 31^st January 2021 and will be hosted by South African comedian and TV Host, Trevor Noah.

For the full nominees list please visit https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2021-grammys-complete-nominees-list#11

By Akosua Dwomo-Fokuo, Premier Gospel Presenter

Its the end of November and that means 3 things Thanksgiving is upon us, Christmas is around the corner and the Grammy nominations are being announced.