Independent Labels Dominate the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards
Darrel Walls, Lisa Knowles-Smith and Vincent Bohanan & SOV led a night in Charlotte where six of the seven marquee categories went to artists outside the major label system
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards returned Saturday, August 15 at the Spectrum Center, and while the headlines will belong to Darrel Walls and Lisa Knowles-Smith, the full winners list tells a broader story about where power in gospel music now sits.
Of the ceremony’s seven marquee categories, six went to artists signed to independently owned labels or to artists operating with no label at all.
Darrel Walls took Artist of the Year for Heart of Mine, released through Tyscot Records and Gumbo Studios. Vincent Bohanan & SOV won Album of the Year for Live in New York as an independent release, one of three trophies the ensemble collected on the night. Ablaze won New Artist of the Year, also independent. Lisa Knowles-Smith won the Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year award for Revival: Live in Dallas on EvoWorld Entertainment, and the same project delivered Duo/Chorus Group of the Year and Quartet of the Year for Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers.
Song of the Year and Producer of the Year both went to Alescia Knowles-Smith, also under the EvoWorld Entertainment banner, bringing the label’s total to five wins across the evening.
The lone marquee category claimed by a major was Male Artist of the Year, awarded to Jonathan McReynolds for Still (Live) featuring Jamal Roberts. That release is credited jointly to Motown Gospel and McReynolds’ own Life Room Label.
Tyscot Records, the longest-operating Black-owned gospel label in the country, was attached to six trophies in total: both of Walls’ wins, John P. Kee’s Traditional Male Artist and Traditional Choir of the Year awards for Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I, Deitrick Haddon’s Music Video of the Year win for “Find Jesus,” and PJ Morton’s Recorded Music Packaging award for Heart of Mine.
An ownership shift, measured in trophies
The result reflects a structural change the industry has been discussing for several years. Distribution, marketing, sync placement and radio promotion, once accessible only through a label deal, are now available to independent artists on a subscription or fee basis. The 41st Stellars suggest the difference in production quality between a major label project and a self-funded one has narrowed to the point where voters are no longer distinguishing between them.
Vincent Bohanan’s Album of the Year win is the clearest evidence. A choir project recorded and released without major label backing took the night’s most competitive category outright, then added Choir of the Year in a tie with JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise and Contemporary Choir of the Year on its own.
For artists weighing whether to pursue a deal or build their own infrastructure, Charlotte offered a data point rather than an opinion.
Honors and performances
Kirk Franklin, a 45-time Stellar Award winner, returned as host for a ceremony themed “Feels Like Home,” marking the show’s first year in Charlotte.
Tasha Cobbs Leonard received the Aretha Franklin Icon Award in recognition of her career and influence on the genre. Pastor Mike Jr. received the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award. His Rock City Media Group also won twice on the night, taking Urban Single or Performance of the Year for Adia’s “On The Way Remix” featuring Erica Campbell and Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year for JustCordell’s “Movin.”
Erica Campbell had one of the evening’s strongest showings, winning Contemporary Female Artist of the Year for Trust and Obey - London while Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell took Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year. Jekalyn Carr won Traditional Artist of the Year and Traditional Album of the Year for Jekalyn X The Legends. Lecrae’s Reconstruction won Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year.
Programming throughout the night paired established artists with emerging ones. Aaron Cole performed with Tenroc and Jonathan McReynolds. Jekalyn Carr appeared with Karen Clark Sheard and Yolanda Adams. John P. Kee performed with Zacardi Cortez, Kelontae Gavin with Melvin Williams and Paul Porter, and Tye Tribbett with ABLAZE. Céjae and JustCordell were among the newer artists featured, alongside sets from Darrel Walls, Maranda Curtis, Marvin Sapp, Melvin Crispell III, PJ Morton, William Murphy, Vincent Bohanan & SOV and Lisa Knowles-Smith & The Brown Singers.
Presenters included Adia, Charles Jenkins, Erica Campbell, Jamal Roberts, Jonathan Nelson, KEM, Keyla Richardson, Lil Rel Howery, MAJOR., Marvin Sapp, Nate Brown, Shirley Caesar, Travis Greene, VaShawn Mitchell and Vickie Winans, with a special appearance by NotKarltonBanks.
Broadcast schedule
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards premieres on The Stellar Network Saturday, August 29 at 8PM ET, with an encore presentation at 10PM ET. The national cable premiere follows on BET Sunday, August 30 at 8PM ET, with an additional airing at 10:30PM ET. Broadcast syndication runs September 5 through September 27, 2026, and Bounce TV will air the ceremony Saturday, September 5 at 1PM ET.
The ceremony capped the Stellar Plus Experience, a multi-day program of live music, emerging artist showcases, industry sessions, comedy and community events held across Charlotte.
41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards: Complete Winners List
Artist of the Year Darrel Walls, Heart of Mine (Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios)
Song of the Year “Promises (Live),” Alescia Knowles-Smith (EvoWorld Entertainment)
Male Artist of the Year Jonathan McReynolds, Still (Live) ft. Jamal Roberts (Motown Gospel, Life Room Label)
Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year Lisa Knowles Smith, Revival: Live in Dallas (EvoWorld Entertainment)
Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers, Revival: Live in Dallas (EvoWorld Entertainment)
New Artist of the Year Ablaze, Ablaze (Independent)
Album of the Year Live in New York, Vincent Bohanan & SOV (Independent)
Choir of the Year (TIE) JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, The Live Reunion: Washington, DC (Motown Gospel, Jamestown Music) Vincent Bohanan & SOV, Live in New York (Independent)
Producer of the Year Alescia Knowles-Smith & Frederick Perry, Revival: Live in Dallas (EvoWorld Entertainment)
Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Jonathan McReynolds ft. Jamal Roberts, Still (Live) (Motown Gospel, Life Room Label)
Traditional Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Brandon Camphor & One Way, In Christ Alone (TOMii Entertainment)
Contemporary Male Artist of the Year Darrel Walls, Heart of Mine (Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studio)
Traditional Male Artist of the Year John P. Kee, Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I (Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records)
Contemporary Female Artist of the Year Erica Campbell, Trust and Obey - London (My Block Records Inc.)
Traditional Female Artist of the Year Blanche McAllister-Dykes, Words (Platoon)
Contemporary Album of the Year Fred Hammond Presents Sensere: The Soul Of Future Worship Vol. II, Sensere (Wrightsound M&E)
Traditional Album of the Year Jekalyn X The Legends, Jekalyn Carr (Waynorth Music)
Urban Single or Performance of the Year “On The Way Remix” ft. Erica Campbell, Adia (Rock City Media Group)
Music Video of the Year “Find Jesus,” Deitrick Haddon (ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records)
Traditional Choir of the Year John P. Kee & New Life, Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee Part I (Kee Music Group / Tyscot Records)
Contemporary Choir of the Year Vincent Bohanan & SOV, Live in New York (Independent)
Traditional Artist of the Year Jekalyn Carr, Jekalyn X The Legends (Waynorth Music)
Special Event Album of the Year Bishop S.Y. Younger Presents: Almost Home - A Ramp Record with Friends, Bishop S.Y. Younger (Ramp Records, under exclusive license to MNRK Records LP)
Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year Reconstruction, Lecrae (Reach Records)
Youth Project of the Year Pure N Heart, Alphaeus Anderson Presents Pure N Heart Celebrate Jesus 20yrs (Music2ChangeU)
Quartet of the Year Lisa Knowles Smith & The Brown Singers, Revival: Live in Dallas (EvoWorld Entertainment)
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year PJ Morton, Heart of Mine (Tyscot Records / Gumbo Studios)
Praise and Worship Album of the Year Promises, Todd Dulaney (DulaneyLand Music, FairTrade Services)
Praise and Worship Song of the Year “Your Name,” Jovonta Patton (Newton Street Entertainment / Integrity)
Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year “Movin,” JustCordell (Rock City Media Group)
HBCU Choir of the Year The Fort Valley State University Choir ft. Loren Michelle & Tiffany Boone
Gospel Radio Winners
Top Market Station of the Year WPZE Praise 102.5, Atlanta
Medium Market Station of the Year WXHL 89.1 FM Reach Gospel Radio, Wilmington
Small Market Station of the Year WWDA FM 101.9, Clarksville
Internet Station of the Year WTRC Praise 98.3
Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell, with Erica Campbell, Arlen “Griff” Griffin and Cheryl Jackson
Gospel Announcer of the Year Trey Nickelson, WBZF-FM Glory 98.5