Hosted by Tauren Wells, the 2023 Dove Awards show was taped on October 17th in Nashville and aired on Friday October 20th on TBN.
Brandon Lake was the night's big winner, receiving four (4) Dove Awards. Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Toby Mac, Blessing Offor and Jeff Pardo each won two awards.
Highlights of the show included performances by Pastor Mike Jr. with choirmaster Ricky Dillard for “Impossible," Tauren Wells with Davies on “Take It All Back,” Jordin Sparks singing “Love Me Like I Am” with for KING + COUNTRY, Blanca and Jekaln Carr in their first GMA Dove Awards performance with “New Day,”and Tasha Cobbs Leonard closing the show with "Burdens Down" from her new album HYMNS.
While accepting her award for Gospel Worship Song of the Year, Tasha Cobbs Leonard shared the following (edited): "I made this record in honor of my son Truett, my firstborn who we lost. His life was like a shot of lightning, burning fast and hot. I made these songs in the hardest, coldest of valleys. If you take the time to look in the hardest deepest valleys, the coldest places in this world, if you take the time to look, He is there. He is true to His word that He will not leave us. I have experienced that. He is the only reason that there is life after death."
Below is a list of winners from the 2023 Dove Awards.
Artist of the year
WINNER: Brandon Lake CeCe Winans for KING + COUNTRY Lauren Daigle Phil Wickham
New artist of the year
WINNER: Katy Nichole
Ben Fuller Hulvey Jon Reddick Naomi Raine
Song of the year
WINNER: “Goodness of God,” writers: Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, Jenn Johnson, Brian Johnson
“Build A Boat,” writers: Colton Dixon, Seth Mosley, Johan Lindbrandt, Sandro Cavazza, Mikey Gormley “Fear Is Not My Future,” writers: Kirk Franklin, Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay, Hannah Shackleford, Nicole Hannel “God Really Loves Us,” writers: David Crowder, Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka, Dante Bowe “Gratitude,” writers: Brandon Lake, Ben Hastings, Dante Bowe “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” writers: Ethan Hulse, Katy Nichole, David Andrew Spencer, Jeff Pardo “Love Me Like I Am,” writers: Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Michael Pollack, Josh Kerr “Perfectly Loved,” writers: Rachael Lampa, Andrew Ripp, Ethan Hulse “Same God,” writers: Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett “Then Christ Came,” writers: Bart Millard, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, David Leonard
Gospel Worship Album of the Year
WINNER: Hymns (Live) – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Tent Revival – Forward City/Travis Greene Closer Than You Think – Jonathan Traylor Encounter – Todd Galberth Imprint -Zacardi Cortez
Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year
WINNER: “Impossible” – Pastor Mike Jr., ft. James Fortune
“One Name (Jesus) [Live]” – Naomi Raine “I Still Have You” – Smokie Norful “The Moment (Live)” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard “You’ve Been Good to Me” – Zacardi Cortez
Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
WINNER: Kingdom Book One (Deluxe) – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds Impossible – Pastor Mike Jr. Overcomer (Deluxe) – Tamela Mann All Things New – Tye Tribbett
Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
WINNER: “Impossible” – Pastor Mike Jr., ft. James Fortune
“New Day” – Blanca, ft. Jekalyn Carr “Miracles” – Kierra Sheard, ft. Pastor Mike Jr. “Bless Me” – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin “Get Up” – Tye Tribbett
Rap/Hip hop Album of the Year
WINNER: Church Clothes 4 – Lecrae Sunday in Lagos – Limoblaze Everyone Loves a Comeback Story – Social Club Misfits Tree – Steven Malcolm NEW HOLLYWOOD – WHATUPRG
Songwriter of the Year – artist
WINNER: Brandon Lake Chris Brown Dante Bowe Kirk Franklin Phil Wickham
Songwriter of the Year – non-artist
WINNER: Jeff Pardo
Ben Glover Ethan Hulse Jason Ingram Jonathan Jay
Producer of the Year
WINNER: Jeff Pardo Kenneth Leonard Samuel ASH Wayne Haun Ben Glover and Jeff Sojka
Pop/contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
WINNER: “Brighter Days” – Blessing Offor “I’m So Blessed (Best Day Remix)” – CAIN “Love Me Like I Am” – for KING + COUNTRY ft. Jordin Sparks “God Is in This Story” – Katy Nichole ft. Big Daddy Weave “Thank God I Do” – Lauren Daigle
Worship Recorded Song of the Year
WINNER: “Gratitude (Radio Version)” – Brandon Lake “Honey in the Rock” – Brooke Ligertwood, Brandon Lake “Holy Forever” – Chris Tomlin “Fear Is Not My Future (Radio Version)” – Maverick City Music ft. Brandon Lake, Chandler Moore “This Is Our God” – Phil Wickham
Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year
WINNER: “Good Morning Mercy” – Jason Crabb, Dylan Scott
“Jordan” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge, ft. Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney, Mark Fain “Matchless” – Tiffany Coburn, ft. Point of Grace “Way of the Triune God (Hallelujah Version)” – Tyler Childers “Jesus’ Fault” – Zach Williams, ft. Walker Hayes
Spanish language recorded song of the year
WINNER: “Coritos (En Vivo)” – Miel San Marcos, Daniel Calveti, Marcos Witt, Ingrid Rosario
“Guarda Tu Corazón” – Alex Zurdo “So Good (Cuán Bueno)” – DOE, ft. Lilly Goodman “Nubes” – Indiomar, ft. Blanca “Suelto” – Sarai Rivera
Pop/contemporary album of the year
WINNER: Life After Death – TobyMac
My Tribe – Blessing Offor Jesus Changed My Life – Katy Nichole Always Only Jesus – MercyMe A Hundred Highways – Zach Williams
Worship album of the year
WINNER: LION: Live From the Loft – Elevation Worship
Come Up Here – Bethel Music Honest Offering (Live) – CAIN God Is Good! (Live) – Cody Carnes Lamb of God – Matt Redman
Southern gospel album of the year
WINNER: Believe – The Hoppers
Think About There – Greater Vision Come on In – Guardians Quartet John 3:16 – Perrys Hymns & Worship – Triumphant Quartet
Feature film of the year
WINNER: Jesus Revolution (Directors) Jon Erwin, Brent McCorkle, (Producers) Kevin Downes, Andrew Erwin, Daryl Lefever, Josh Walsh
Big George Foreman Family Camp I Heard the Bells Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
For a list of all the winners, click here.