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gma covenant awards 2023
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Clockwise from top left: The Color, Jake Fretz, Carine Bado, Barbara Joy, Jordan St. Cyr, and Fresh IE are among the Manitobans nominated for Covenant Awards this year. (Supplied photos)
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Several Manitobans will have a chance at taking home Canadian Christian music's highest honours in November, with Winnipeg's Fresh IE leading the charge with a dozen nominations.

GMA Canada announced the nominees for this year's Covenant Awards on Tuesday, Sep. 26. 

Manitoba natives Jordan St. Cyr and Barbara Joy are both in the hunt for Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year, along with Bev Foster and Katie Williams. St. Cyr is also nominated for the Joy Radio Artist of the Year, the Chef D Live Music Artist of the Year, the Why Me Project Male Vocalist of the Year, Pop Song of the Year for 'Rescue,' and Seasonal Song of the Year for 'The Wait Is Over.'

Christian hip hop legend Fresh IE is nominated for Album of the Year for The Wind & The Waves, Rap Artist of the Year, and event Country Song of the Year, among his several nominations.

"Out of the 12 GMA nominations today,  album of the year is an incredible blessing because of the work and effort it took to bring this project to life," Fresh IE says in an online post. He goes on to thank over a dozen people who helped him make the album.

The Color was nominated for the Life 100.3 Pop Artist of the Year, the Joy Radio Artist of the Year, and the Redeemer University Group of the Year. Lead singer Jordan Janzen was also nominated, along with Jake Fretz, for Fretz's single 'Look Up' in the Unlocking Your Songs Worship Song of the Year.

Fretz had a total of six nominations, including the Jireh Realty Group Worship Artist of the Year, and the Why Me Project Male Vocalist of the Year.

Other Manitobans being nominated include Winnipegger Carine Bado, DJC2, and Mike Janzen.

The 43rd Covenant Awards will be handed out over the course of two evenings, Nov. 17 and 18, in Kitchener-Waterloo. 

Full list of nominees

Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year

Bev Foster
Jordan St.Cyr
Barbara Joy
Katie Williams

Artist(e) francophone de l'annee

Timothee Beaulieu
CC Harvey
LaChapelle Musique

Childrens Artist of the Year

FAC Music / Elevate Kids Choir
Q-Town
The Springmans

Country Artist of the Year

Stirling John
Jeff Catto
Yvonne St.Germaine
Kevin Pauls
Bob Hawkins

Gospel Artist of the Year

Claire Odogbo
Michael Manhertz 
Daniel Ojo
K-Anthony

Indigenous Artist of the Year

Yvonne St.Germaine
Stirling John
Katie Williams

Instrumental Artist of the Year

Norine Gallimore
Jonathan Wong
Drew Brown / Hymns For The Architect
SaxandViolin (Rosemary Siemens and Eli Bennett)

The Life 100.3 Pop Artist of the Year

Ruthie Larbi
CC Harvey
Elenee
The Color

Rap Artist of the Year

One8tea
DJC2
Fresh IE

Rock Artist of the Year

Amy Savin
Corey Lueck
Elias Dummer
The 8th Line

The Jireh Realty Group Worship Artist of the Year

Jason Silver
Jennifer Lewin
C3 Toronto Worship
Jake Fretz
Tehillah Worship

The Sound of Faith Album of the Year

Alive - Tuzee 
Arrow - K-Anthony 
The Wind and the Waves - Fresh IE
All Ye Lepers - Joshua Leventhal
The Work Vol. II - Elias Dummer

The Joy Radio Artist of the Year

K-Anthony
Jordan St.Cyr
Elias Dummer
Joshua Leventhal
The Color

The KFM Radio Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Carine Bado
Stirling John
Tuzee
K-Anthony
Joshua Leventhal

Canadian Christian Song of the Year

Second Chances - Song writer(s) Carine Bado
Look To Me - Song writer(s) Alysha Kyle
All Of You (Phil. 2:17-18) - Song writer(s) Jason Silver
The Gallows - Song writer(s) Joshua Leventhal; Daniel Klenner
Rise Up Canada - Song writer(s) Stephanie Israelson

The Faith Strong Today Female Vocalist of the Year

Tuzee
Elenee
Amy Savin
Katie Williams
Natasha Zimbaro

The Redeemer University Group of the Year

Folarin and Keziah
One8tea and Fresh IE
The Color

The Chef D Live Music Artist of the Year - Online or In-person

Elio Alcindor
Jordan St.Cyr
Kevin Pauls
Rosemary Siemens

The Why Me Project Male Vocalist of the Year

Stirling John
K-Anthony
Jake Fretz
Jordan St.Cyr
Elias Dummer

Musical Collaboration of the Year

Every Dream (God Who Sees) - Brian Doerksen and Marika Siewert Song writer(s) Brian Doerksen & Marika Siewert

Praise The Lord - Elio Alcindor and Jennifer Lewin - Song writer(s) Elio Alcindor

You Are Peace - Matt LeFait and Chelsea Amber - Song writer(s) Matt LeFait

My Home - Jake Fretz and Cynthia Lok - Song writer(s) Cynthia Lok, Jake Fretz

Jesus Loves Me (Hymn Medley) - Rosemary Siemens and Pacific Mennonite Children's Choir - Song writer(s) Anna Bartlett Warner, Philip P. Bliss, Charles Wesley (Arranged by Rosemary Siemens & Eli Bennett)

The Between the Grooves Producer of the Year

Philip Janz (Hope Seeds by Bev Foster)
Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson (various projects with DJC2)
Eli Bennett (various projects with Rosemary Siemens)

Radio or Podcast Personality/Team of the Year

Hollie Taylor and Johnny Rocket - Why Me Project
James Kurtis and Ayiesha Woods - Between the Grooves
Chelsea Amber - Christian Guitar Girls

Video of the Year

Trust in the Lord (Daniel Ojo) - Produced by Daniel Ojo
Say Amen (One8Tea) - produced by Beacon Hill Productions
Egypt (Elenee) - Produced by Kim Capiral- Narra Studios
First Love (Katie Williams) - Produced by Matt Lorenz Productions
Daystar (Kevin Pauls) - Produced by Connor Gatten

Visual Designer of the Year

Xavier Fernandes - Perfect Simplicity (Bob Hawkins)
Roberta Landreth - Seasons (Barbara Joy)
Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson and Bradley "DJC2" Jacobson - various projects (DJC2)
Katrina Robert - See the Lamb/Be Filled (Sanctus Church Worship) 
Roberta Landreth - Wouldn't You Like to Know (Steve Bell)

Adult Contemporary Song of the Year

New - Song writer(s) Claire Odogbo; Jonathan Turner
Promise of Hope - Song writer(s) Bev Foster
Same Love (Phil 2:1-4) - Song writer(s) Jason Silver
Consistently - Song writer(s) Elenee Young, Amanda Kinner
My Home - Song writer(s) Cynthia Lok, Jake Fretz

Country Song of the Year

Le Torrent - Song writer(s) Timothée Beaulieu
Almost Home - Song writer(s) Ruth Manning
Tailgatin Jesus - Song writer(s) Trevor Toews
The Garden - Song writer(s) Barbara Joy Ft. Sharalee Smith
Surround Me - Song writer(s) Robert " Fresh IE ' Wilson

Folk Song of the Year

Stand With You (feat. Carolyn Arends) - Song writer(s) Bev Foster
The Great Congregation - Song writer(s) Mike Janzen
For Solace - Song writer(s) Joseph Tennant
My Freedom - Song writer(s) Barbara Joy/ Allison Lynn
Blundstones - Song writer(s) Kearstin Pfeifer

Gospel Song of the Year

Recover (radio remix) - Song writer(s) Jennifer Lewin
Fresh Anointing - Live - Song writer(s) Michael Manhertz 
Found & Crowned - Song writer(s) Carine Bado
I Will Bless Your Name - Song writer(s) Daniel Ojo
I Saved it All - Song writer(s) Kevin Anthony Fowler & Kevin Winebarger

Pop Song of the Year

Egypt - Song writer(s) Elenee Young, Amanda Kinner, Holly Salazaar
Don't Give Up Now - Song writer(s) Damara Melissa
Stars (Phil 2:12-16) - Song writer(s) Jason Silver
Rescue - Song writer(s) Jordan St. Cyr, Jonathan Gamble, Justin Amundrud
Change is on the Way - Song writer(s) Tuzee

Rap Song of the Year

Say Amen - Song writer(s) Teah Bailey & Robert Wilson & Jeff Somers
Death To Life - Song writer(s) Tha Gate Keepa
Come Holy Spirit Feat Armani Yae - Song writer(s) Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson, Bradley "DCJ2" Jacobson
Hallelujah Feat Fresh Ie - Song writer(s) Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson, Bradley "DCJ2" Jacobson
The Ghost - Song writer(s) Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson, Troy Williams, Warren D Flandez,

Rock Song of the Year

Like Cargo - Song writer(s) Amy Savin
Silver and Gold - Song writer(s) Corey Lueck
You Are Mine (Don't Be Afraid) - Song writer(s) Terry Posthumus
Start Me Up Again - Song writer(s) Matt Bennett, Scott Jackson
What If It's True - Song writer(s) G.I.Holm, Scott Jackson

Seasonal Song of the Year

Taken - Song writer(s) David Bracken
God is Able - Song writer(s) Robert "Fresh IE" Wilson, Kevin Pauls
He Has Made a Way - Song writer(s) Olivia Whitaker, Grace Young-Travis, Heather WileThe Wait Is Over - Song writer(s) Jordan St. Cyr, Jordan Mohilowski, Benji Cowart
Away in a Manger (Sweet Jesus) - Song writer(s) James R. Murray, Martin Luther, Barbara Joy

The Unlocking Your Songs Worship Song of the Year

Always (Phil 4:4-9) - Song writer(s) Jason Silver
Hallelujah - Psalm 104 - Song writer(s) Mike Janzen
Clouds Feat Fresh Ie - Song writer(s) Robert "fresh Ie" Wilson, Bradley "djc2" Jacobson
Look Up - Song writer(s) Jake Fretz, Jordan Janzen
The Church Will Rise - Song writer(s) Michael Larson, Blessing Asebiode, & Emma Larson

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