In our special 13th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards (WLA) editorial series, members of the NRT staff discuss this year's nominees. Part 6 of our series begins with a dialogue between NRT Contributors Jasmin Patterson and Paul Phillips, focusing on the categories of the Mainstream Impact Award.
Public voting is now open through Friday, January 24, 2025, at WeLoveAwards.com. This awards cycle will conclude with a live ceremony on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee, where winners will be announced, and performances will feature top nominees. Tickets for the live event are now on sale here.
Paul: It's that time of year again for the 13th Annual We Love Awards. One area of particular interest is the Mainstream Impact Award, which recognizes Christian artists' influence in mainstream music. This year, we have a stacked nom list: newcomer Anne Wilson, hip-hop savant Hulvey, veteran Christian band P.O.D., Christian rocker Scott Stapp, and Christian megastar Lauren Daigle. Jasmin, what do you think of this year's list?
Jasmin: You're right, Paul. This is a stacked list of nominees. I'm a big fan of Christian and mainstream music, so talking about Christian artists making an impact in that space is a favorite topic of mine, and these artists do it so well. In their own unique ways, they stay true to who they are and simultaneously bring their creativity and message to people from all walks of life who need hope and positivity.
Paul: I agree. Let's look at the list a little more closely. Anne Wilson has impacted the Christian and country charts, particularly with her recent offering, REBEL. Her single "Strong" has received much airplay on Christian radio, and her album has charted on the Billboard Country Chart. If she took the mainstream award, I wouldn't be surprised.
Jasmin: I feel the same. I'm rooting for Anne to win this category, although I greatly respect all the artists nominated this year. I'm biased because I'm a massive fan of hers, but REBEL was one of the best albums in 2024. And the recognition Anne's music has received this year and the connection listeners have had with the music is evidence of that.
I remember hearing her share in an interview that hearing stories from people who came across her music and were impacted by it, even though they were not necessarily Christians, played a role in encouraging her to step into the broader space of country music and not only Christian music. That kind of heart and care for reaching people with God's love and truth speaks volumes about who she is as an artist and a person.
Anne also had a significant moment in the past year when Country superstar Jelly Roll invited her to perform the duet on his song "Save Me" live at the Faster Horses festival. (Lainey Wilson performs the duet on the original recorded version of the song.)
Paul: Very well said. It's noteworthy that country music is well-known for its anthems about alcohol. And Anne Wilson is no different. In 2024, she released "Songs About Whiskey." When you look closer at the lyrics, you see that she's praising God instead of whiskey. Anne has her anthem about alcohol—just with a sober twist.
To shift gears, let's look at P.O.D., a band quite familiar with the mainstream space. I'm aging a little here, but I remember when they hit the mainstream charts with their mega-hit, "Youth Of A Nation." The lyrics were impactful and profound. In 2024, the band released their latest offering, VERITAS. When listening to the album, I noticed the same energy as "Youth Of A Nation." Standouts for me are "Afraid to Die" and "I Won't Bow Down."
I like my hard rock, though, particularly when they're anthems. What do you think, Jasmin?
Jasmin: You might not be aging yourself too much. I remember watching the "Youth of A Nation" music video on TV when I got home from school in the afternoons. I love what you said about P.O.D. having the same energy now as back then. That's an interesting aspect of what it can mean to have mainstream impact, among many other things, consistency. The band has consistently maintained a sound that is theirs and kept their presence in the industry, resonating with people of faith and not. Some rock bands I listened to as a teenager softened their sound a bit over the years, and I appreciate that P.O.D. has kept that harder rock edge.
Paul: I agree. The band hasn't lost a beat regarding their heavy guitar riffs. Another artist who falls into this category is rocker Scott Stapp. Here's a singer who made it big in the mainstream world in the late '90s and early 2000s as the lead vocalist of post-grunge band Creed. Off and on, over the years, Scott has been in and out of the music scene with new music.
One thing I liked about Creed was that they were a rock band that wasn't afraid to release spiritual or optimistic songs. “Higher” is a good example.
Now, Scott has a unique voice and grungy sound that is heavier than any Creed album. He's also one singer who hasn't lost a beat over the years. I'm a sucker for a Stapp ballad. In 2024, he dropped "If These Walls Could Talk" and the hard hitter "Black Butterfly." The latter spent some time on the iHeart Rock charts.
Jasmin: Absolutely. I also listened to Creed a bit while growing up. (I had a rock phase as a teenager. Can you tell?) I remember being captivated by the passion and grit in Scott Stapp's vocal performances. A vulnerability also comes through in his music, and that connects with people. I've even read him mention in interviews that vulnerability is part of his writing. That's especially evident in Higher Power, as he shares his life struggles, recovery journey, and reconnecting with his faith in God. His choice to share his story so openly has given others hope for change and healing in their lives. So yes, as you mentioned, doing a Christian album is not a far step for Stapp, as those spiritual themes have also been present in past Creed songs.
Paul: In writing, I call spilling your heart 'bleeding on the page.' As you said, Scott has bled on the page about his faith struggles and his battle with alcoholism—even when he relapsed. What a testimony to a great singer. Jasmin, what do you think of up-and-coming Christian Hip-Hop star Hulvey?
Jasmin: Hulvey is an artist I've enjoyed getting to know musically more this year, and I hope to get even more familiar with his music. I typically don't track with Hip-Hop as closely as other genres, but what I love about Hulvey's sound is that it can draw in fans of any genre. I love a Pop or R&B/Soul sound with some Hip-Hop influence—some of my favorite kinds of artists—and Hulvey brings in hints of all those, making his music accessible to all sorts of listeners.
I also appreciate how his lyrics are filled with the truth of Scripture and are so worshipful and encouraging. He is creative but also strong in his faith too. His song "Altar" with Forrest Frank was one of my favorites to see resonate with people over the past year or so.
Paul: Honestly, Hulvey isn't an artist I've tracked much. I can see why you like "Altar" so much, Jasmin. It has that laid-back R&B sound that isn't intrusive but authentic and relaxed. I notice on "Altar" and "True," another song from Hulvey's recently released album, Cry, that he uses his authenticity through music to praise the Lord.
I have many comments about hip-hop in general, but not all are positive. CHH artists like Hulvey, Derek Minor, or Lecrae offer music listeners more positive and ear-friendly alternatives to the vain and vulgar hip-hop you hear on mainstream radio.
Hulvey allows listeners to enjoy hip-hop and not do without.
Jasmin: Well said. I'm glad both CCH and mainstream Hip-Hop fans have Hulvey to bring a positive message packaged in a style they love. Well, we have one more artist left. And she's certainly no stranger to many Christian music fans. What are your thoughts on Lauren Daigle?
Paul: I think Lauren Daigle is going to take the award. In recent years, she's captivated Christian and mainstream music fans with hits like "You Say" and "Thank God I Do." In 2024, she made some movement with her hit single, "Turbulent Skies," and the laid-back hit, "Be Okay." She's a definite must-include on any Mainstream Impact Award. She's my pick, anyway. One thing I did notice was that for KING + COUNTRY didn't get a nod this year. How interesting?
Jasmin: I agree. I think Lauren will win this award as well. Since crossing over into more mainstream spaces several years ago, she has consistently been a creative artist but also has a winsome personality and voice, bringing hope to the audiences she sings to and the rooms she walks into. I was also excited to see her announce that she's performing "America The Beautiful" at the Super Bowl next year. That's a huge deal. I follow the musical performances at the Super Bowl closely each year, and it will be amazing to see an artist like Lauren, who is open about her faith but makes music for everyone, be represented on that stage.
I also noticed that for KING + COUNTRY didn't get a nod this year (and it would have been well deserved, given the two films they had in theaters in 2024: Unsung Hero and Drummer Boy Christmas Live: A Cinematic Experience). This shows that there are so many artists making a mainstream impact—many more than we can fit in this category—and that's a good problem to have.
Paul: Very well said. It always warms my heart to see Christian artists performing with mainstream artists. It also warms my heart when mainstream artists cross over and record a Christian album. I've enjoyed our conversation today, Jasmin. We unpacked a lot in this category, and I'm excited to see what happens on April 8 at the 13th annual We Love Christian Music Awards.
Jasmin: I've enjoyed our conversation, too, and I can't wait to see how this category plays out at We Love.
Assembled from the four corners of North America and many other corners in between, the NRTeam comprises staffers whose energy is equally dispersed towards loving and writing about the music they love.
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