Leanna Crawford’s “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” was voted Breakout Single of the Year at the 12th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards. The honor marked Crawford’s first K-LOVE Fan Award win.
The newcomer accepted the trophy from singer-songwriters Josh Baldwin and Matt Maher. Filled with obvious emotion, she relayed how her mom recently asked her what she thought her Great Aunt Maurine would think about the reach and legacy of the song Crawford penned in her honor. “I don’t know how all that works in heaven, but I think she might be smiling,” Crawford offered during her acceptance speech. “I’m so thankful for God’s grace over my life. I’m so grateful to get to write songs and get to do this.”
Before thanking her team, her family and her husband, NBA star Cody Zeller, who sat on the front row beaming, the songstress shared how she and her sister attended the K-LOVE Fan Awards eight years ago, where she could only dream of a moment like this.
Inspired by Great Aunt Maurine, “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” is the title track of Crawford’s full-length debut. The personal anthem, which speaks to using Scripture as a way to fight anxiety, gave the Washington state native her inaugural No. 1 and afforded her the opportunity to headline her first tour.
When doctors told her she would eventually go blind in her 40s, Great Aunt Maurine dedicated herself to memorizing the Bible in its entirety. Crawford met the matriarch for the first time when she was 103, and she could still quote long passages of Scripture. Great Aunt Maurine’s remarkable devotion to God’s Word reminded the budding singer-songwriter of the treasure of writing God’s truth on our hearts.
Following a simple, stripped-down performance of the original selection during the Emerging Artist Showcase as part of the full K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend, Crawford delivered a visually stunning full-band rendition of “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” early on in the K-LOVE Fan Awards broadcast. With flowers dotting her flowing hair, Crawford wore a blue floral dress with puffed sleeves and feminine accents as she stood in the middle of a bright garden of fresh blooms, adorning one of the night’s most beautiful set pieces.
Fans can catch Crawford on Zach Williams’ “Revival Nights” tour this fall.
