The 2026 GMA Dove Awards — held Oct. 6 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena — proved Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake remain at the top of their game; while numerous fan favorites received first-time honors.
Wickham walked away the night’s biggest winner, earning well-deserved Artist of the Year stripes for the very first time in his 20-year career. He credited Chris Tomlin — who presented the award alongside his 12-year-old daughter, Madison — as an early inspiration. The SoCal native’s latest project, “Song Of The Saints,” was also named Worship Album of the Year. Additionally, he was recognized for his work on the animated movie, “DAVID,” which was voted Feature Film of the Year. Wickham voiced the blockbuster’s main character and wrote and recorded numerous songs featured on “DAVID (Soundtrack From The Original Angel Film),” including “Follow The Light,” which garnered Christmas/Special Event Album of the Year and Children’s Recorded Song of the Year wins, respectively.
“God has given us reason after reason to worship Him,” Wickham enthused when he took the podium for the first of several appearances throughout the evening. “To be able to write songs with amazing people…and to think that people sing them to Jesus. It blows me away that I get to write a song to Jesus in my bedroom and then that I would have the honor of filling the mouths of believers with new songs.”
Lake, a perennial winner, took home the trophy for Songwriter of the Year (Artist) for the fourth consecutive year and his fifth time overall. His acclaimed LP, “King Of Hearts,” was also crowned Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Additionally, the South Carolina-bred artist performed his single, “The Jesus I Know Now,” with 12-time CMA winner Lainey Wilson. Their co-writers accompanied them on a B-stage designed to look like a mid-century modern living room. Later, the mid-tempo collaboration accrued top honors in the Country/Roots Recorded Song category.
Elsewhere, first-time winners were prevalent. Ahead of his “Damascus Road” release on Oct. 23 and next year’s arena run, Josiah Queen took home his inaugural Doves, winning the highly competitive Song of the Year award, as well as the accolade for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year — both for “Dusty Bibles.” His sophomore effort, “Mt. Zion,” also notched a win in the Recorded Music Packaging of the Year bracket with trophies going to the creative team behind the album’s visuals.
Jamie MacDonald, who concluded the show with a confetti-filled rendition of her smash, “Left It In The River,” tallied her first win as her peers voted her New Artist of the Year. “I spent over two decades waiting tables and trying to write songs as I took orders on the back [of the order pad]. I was trying to heal after years of addiction and shame, and I got a hold of a CeCe Winans' record — or I should say a CeCe record got a hold of me — and it changed everything as I began to sing the truth over myself,” she shared during her acceptance speech. “And since then, [people in] this room have filled my heart and my mouth with the truth, so thank you all for the contributions you guys made.”
A decade into their career, We Are Messengers accepted their first Dove Award, courtesy of the band’s chart-topping cover of “We Three Kings,” named Christmas Recorded Song of the Year. In addition, rising bilingual songstress Sarai Rivera picked up her first Dove for Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year for “Tu Voz.”
Feting a cross-section of Christian music’s various sonic flavors, an array of diverse performances punctuated the ceremony. TobyMac opened the celebration with a breezy rendering of “Heaven On My Mind.” Three-time Dove Award winner Anne Wilson brought her brand-new self-worth anthem, “Who I Am To You,” to life on stage. With the help of a full band, Hope Darst led a powerful live edition of “Mighty Name of Jesus.” During a pre-taped segment captured the previous evening, Elevation Worship delivered the title track from their most recent live endeavor, “So Be It,” from the Ryman, a block from the arena. Furthermore, genre leaders Amy Grant and Natalie Grant joined forces for a poignant tribute to the late Dolly Parton.
Hosted by Tauren Wells for a fourth consecutive year, the 57th annual GMA Dove Awards premiered on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Oct. 9. The two-and-a-half hour broadcast is scheduled to re-air next Friday, Oct. 16, and is also available to stream on TBN+.
2026 GMA Dove Award Winners
Song of the Year
“Dusty Bibles,” Josiah Queen
(Writers) Josiah Queen, Zac Lawson, Dylan Thomas, John Michael Howell
Artist of the Year
Phil Wickham
New Artist of the Year
Jamie MacDonald
Songwriter of the Year (Artist)
Brandon Lake
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“Dusty Bibles,” Josiah Queen
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
“King Of Hearts,” Brandon Lake
Country/Roots Recorded Song of the Year
“The Jesus I Know Now,” Brandon Lake (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Worship Recorded Song of the Year
“God I’m Just Grateful,” Elevation Worship (feat. Chandler Moore)
Worship Album of the Year
“Song Of The Saints,” Phil Wickham
Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“No Survivors,” Jeremy Camp (feat. Skillet)
Christmas Recorded Song of the Year
“We Three Kings,” We Are Messengers
Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year
“Tu Voz,” Sarai Rivera
Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year
“More Than This [Radio Edit],” CeCe Winans (feat. Todd Dulaney)
Short Form Music Video of the Year (Concept)
“World On Fire,” for KING + COUNTRY (feat. Taylor Hill)
Short Form Music Video of the Year (Performance)
“Have Your Way,” Katy Nichole
Long Form Music Video of the Year
“The Resurrection Of A King,” Tommee Profitt
Feature Film of the Year
“DAVID”
Television Series of the Year
“The Chosen”
See a full list of winners at www.doveawards.com.
