''Sunday Best'' is a reality television singing competition series hosted by Kirk Franklin. It first aired on BET in October 2007. In each season, the show and its judges set out to find the best undiscovered gospel talent in

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Finalists competed each week until a winner was crowned. The judges throughout the series' run included Gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin,

Mary Mary Mary Mary is a female American urban contemporary gospel duo composed of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell (born April 29, 1972) and Trecina Atkins-Campbell (born May 1, 1974). Formed in 1998, Mary Mary was launched into mainstream recognition fo ...

Bebe Winans Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born September 17, 1962) is an American gospel and R&B singer. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine albums, seven with his sister CeCe Winans, C ...

& Cece Winans. Gospel singer Kim Burrell served as the on-screen mentor. Each season's winner receives a national recording contract, a new automobile, and an undisclosed cash prize benefiting his or her community as well as the title of 'Sunday Best'. On April 18, 2019, it was announced that the series will return for a ninth season, which premiered on June 30, 2019. Franklin returned as host and former Mary Mary member

Erica Campbell Erica Monique Campbell (''née'', Atkins; born April 29, 1972) is an American urban contemporary gospel, Christian R&B and contemporary R&B singer and songwriter. She started her music career in 1998 with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, as pa ...

also returning as a judge, with Kelly Price and

Jonathan McReynolds Jonathan Caleb McReynolds (born September 17, 1989) is a Grammy-winning American gospel musician. He began his music career in 2012 with the release of ''Life Music'' via Entertainment One Music. He has had two No. 1 ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums ...

joining as judges. Sunday Best was renewed by BET for a tenth season which premiered on July 5, 2020.

Winners

Season 1:

Crystal Aikin Crystal Renee Aikin (born September 21, 1974) is an American gospel singer-songwriter from Tacoma, Washington, and the winner of the first season of '' Sunday Best''. Her eponymous debut album was released on January 13, 2009, through Verity ...

Verity Records Verity Records is an American gospel music-focused record label, founded in 1994. The Gospel group operated by Provident Label Group, which in turn is owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Artists * 21:03 * Crystal Aikin * Deitrick Haddon * DeWay ...

Debut album ''Crystal Aikin'' released March 17, 2009. Season 2:

Y'Anna Crawley Y'Anna Monique Crawley (born April 11, 1977) is an American urban contemporary gospel artist and musician. She began her music career in 2009, performing on the Sunday Best (American TV series), ''Sunday Best'' on BET. Her first studio album, '' ...

- Imago Dei Music Group Debut album ''The Promise'' released August 24, 2010. Season 3:

Le'Andria Johnson Le'Andria Delores Johnson (born January 23, 1983) is an American gospel singer. She was the Sunday Best (Season 3), season three winner of the BET gospel singing competition show ''Sunday Best (American TV series), Sunday Best''. Johnson's ''S ...

Music World Music World Corporation is an American music production and music publishing company, representing hundreds of song and music cue titles for a small clientele of composers and lyricists including the company founder. The company was founded in 195 ...

Gospel Debut album ''Awakening of Le'Andria Johnson'' released September 6, 2011. Christmas EP "''Christmas Best''" released December 6, 2011. First winner to receive a Grammy Award (2012,

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance The Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards descri ...

) Season 4:

Amber Bullock Amber Brianna Lawrence-Bullock (born April 11, 1986) is an American urban contemporary gospel artist and musician. Bullock won the gospel singing competition, ''Sunday Best'', that airs on BET, during season four. She started her music career, ...

Gospel Debut album ''So In Love'' released July 10, 2012. Season 5:

Joshua Rogers Joshua Rogers (born March 22, 1994) is an American gospel singer who rose to prominence in 2012 when he became the first male and youngest winner of Black Entertainment Television's '' Sunday Best'' during the show's fifth season. Early life a ...

Debut album ''Well Done'' released December 4, 2012. Season 6: Tasha Page-Lockhart Debut single ''Different'' released in mid-2014. Debut album ''Here Right Now'' released on August 5, 2014 Season 7: Geoffrey Golden Debut album ''Kingdom...Live!'' released on August 17, 2015 Season 8 (Sunday Best All-Stars): Dathan Thigpen ''(also from Season 3)'' Debut album ''GetUp Vol. 1 Get Exposed To Unadulterated Praise'' released on January 1, 2006 Season 9: Melvin Crispell III Debut album ''Prologue III'' released on September 20, 2019 Season 10: Stephanie Summers Debut album ''Mighty Strong God'' released on October 22, 2021

Seasons

References

External links

BET Shows – Sunday Best
* {{BET 2000s American reality television series 2010s American reality television series 2020s American reality television series 2007 American television series debuts 2015 American television series endings 2019 American television series debuts BET original programming Singing talent shows American television series revived after cancellation