In our special 8TH ANNUAL WE LOVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AWARDS editorial series, members of the NRT staff have a back-and-forth discussion about this year's nominees. In Part 6 of our series, NRT's Caitlin Lassiter and Jake Frederick look at the nominees for Male and Female Artist of the Year.
Caitlin: Wow. It's been a big year for Christian music. Looking at these nominees for Male and Female Artist of the Year, it's fun to think back on all the ways these artists have impacted the genre this past year. There's a lot of deserving nominees here, so let's just jump in. Starting with Male Artist of the Year, what are your thoughts, Jake?
Jake: I'm not sure I recognize any of the names. Kidding. These are all very strong artists in this category. We have a few different genres represented, from hip hop to CCM to Gospel. I discovered Andy Mineo this year and I'm glad I did. Jeremy has been a favorite in this household, and have some great memories from shows we've been to. I'm excited to see I Still Believe. Kirk is always a solid pick in the Gospel genre, his album this year was great.
For Danny and Zack, their albums this year were awesome, but they have a community impact that goes beyond the music. Danny has a series called 'Better Than You Found It.' And Zach's video from his worship time in prison (don't worry, he was there voluntarily.) was truly powerful. I know this was a tough category to select nominees, but I think everyone here deserves to be nominated.
Caitlin: I totally agree. I love the diversity we're seeing in this category. We've got Andy Mineo representing the hip-hop community, Kirk Franklin showing up for the Gospel fans, and Jeremy Camp, Danny Gokey and Zach Williams standing in for the CCM population. Honestly, all of these artists are well-deserving of this award, and it's clear that they've all left their own fingerprints on the music industry this year.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of both Jeremy and Danny, and they've put out some of my favorite music this year, so I'd be thrilled to see either of them take this. Still though, it's been an incredible year for Zach Williams and I wouldn't be surprised in the least for his fans to pull through and name him Male Artist of the Year. When it all comes down to it, who do you think takes this award?
Jake: You know, it's tough. I can make an argument, both personally and objectively, about who could take it. Personally, I'm going to go with Zach on this one. It's a different sound, and I just can't get past the prison ministry time. I've been through prisons for work in past jobs; it's an intimidating place to be. For him to go in and lead a time of worship there. Wow. Who's your pick?
Caitlin: I can definitely see that. It's been a big year for Zach, and he's my pick for this as well. As far as Female Artist of the Year goes, I've heard a lot of chatter from fans that this has been a male-dominated year for Christian music. However, I think this outstanding list of ladies we have nominated begs to differ. We've got some powerful voices to choose from here: Amanda Lindsey Cook, Meredith Andrews, Elle Limebear, Riley Clemmons, and Tasha Layton. What a lineup. Who do you think takes this one, Jake?
Jake: I said this in the NRT Now podcast in Episode 17: Even though it was a lighter year for picks in this category, I think all of these ladies could be on this list--even in a female-heavy year. It's a tough call. I'm going to have to go with a homer pick and say Tasha for this category. I had the chance to chat with her for Episode 17 and her story is incredible. Who's your pick?
Caitlin: I've loved seeing the impact each of these women have had on their fans this year and all the ways their unique creative styles have come into play in the music they've released this year. We've got mainstays in the genre like Amanda Lindsey Cook and Meredith Andrews, both of which released powerful anthems for the Church this year, and then new artists Elle Limebear, Riley Clemmons and Tasha Layton who have burst onto the scene with their pop sound. For me, I would love to see this award go to Meredith Andrews. She's been one of my favorite voices for years now, and continues to be one of the most genuine, passionate and anointed worship leaders I've ever seen.
Jake: I'm personally not a fan of the style of worship Amanda is in, but her voice is undeniable. I think it says a lot when you can be a fan of someone even if you're not a huge fan of the genre. Meredith's album this year has been on my worship playlist since it came out, so powerful. As a new artist, Riley put out an album that sounded like it came from an established artist. Not only is Elle's voice powerful, but we also got the chance to hang out with Elle for a while and she and her husband Tom are just good people. My wife and daughter still talk about that interview. All these picks in this category are solid nominees.
Caitlin: Overall, we've got such a strong lineup of both male and female artists nominated here that I'm just excited to see all their hard work and life-changing music recognized and appreciated. I love that the fans get to speak into this, and I'm looking forward to seeing who they vote for.
Jake: You're absolutely right, I love that the fans get to speak into this. I have a feeling that the winners in either of these categories are not going to get picked on the music alone, but on the impact that they have as people and artists. These are unique categories in that we can talk about nominees beyond the music.
Caitlin: For sure. I love the thought that these artists aren't just making an impact with their music, but also with their lives and the way they live out these messages of faith in everything they do. It's truly a special thing to be able to look beyond the music and see lives that glorify God, and I love that we're getting to focus on that with the We Love Awards.
NOTE:Voting is now open through Friday, January 31, 2020 at WeLoveAwards.com. Winners will be announced during our Facebook Live broadcast from Visible Music College's Memphis campus on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.
Assembled from the four corners of North America and many other corners in between, the NRTeam is comprised of staffers whose energy is equally dispersed towards loving music and writing about the music they love.
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