This past weekend, E. Dewey Smith won “New Artist of the Year”at the biggest night in gospel music: The Stellar Awards! Throughout the year, Smith has received worldwide acclaim for his debut album, “God Period” and it’s leading single, “Your Presence is a Gift”. When the album released in October 2021 it debuted at Billboard’s” Top Gospel Album” sales for two weeks in a row, and the single hit #1 on Billboard and MediaBase in April 2022! Although this is his first Stellar win, many throughout the industry felt this was a highly deserved honor.
When asked about his win, Smith says, “I’m beyond amazed and excited about winning a Stellar Award. Although music was my first love, I never dreamed of winning an award.” He continues, “My late mother always wanted me to produce a solo project, so I decided to do it in the pandemic. I only wanted to honor my Mom and help encourage people who faced grief during the pandemic. I’m grateful for everyone who has supported me thus far and am excited about Pebble Street Records and our artists. Our future is bright!”
Aside from winning New Artist of the Year, Smith also performed “Your Presence is a Gift”, on the Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell show, at the Stellar Awards Pre-Show and also sang a moving rendition of the the Black National Anthem during the Celebrity Basketball game. Everyone he encountered from radio announcers, celebrities, and industry executives all sang his praises mentioning how his music has moved them and looking forward to more. E. Dewey Smith will indeed continue to grow in gospel music and soon be one of the industry’s next trailblazers!
