''Sunday Best'' is a reality television singing competition series hosted by

Kirk Franklin Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American songwriter, choir director, gospel singer, and rapper. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel ensembles such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) ...

. 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 Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

singers

Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million album ...

Kierra Sheard Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (born June 20, 1987) is an American gospel singer. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard (member of gospel singing group the Clark Sisters) and granddaughter of gospel choral director Matti ...

Donnie McClurkin Donald Andrew "Donnie" McClurkin, Jr. (born November 9, 1959) is an American gospel singer and minister. He has won three Grammy Awards, ten Stellar Awards, two BET Awards, two Soul Train Awards, one Dove Award and one NAACP Image Awards. He is ...

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 as BeBe ...

Cece Winans Priscilla Marie Winans Love, known professionally as CeCe Winans, (born October 8, 1964) is an American gospel singer. She rose to prominence as a member of the duo BeBe & CeCe Winans; before launching an acclaimed solo career. Winans has been a ...

. Gospel singer

Kim Burrell Kimberly Jean Burrell (born August 27, 1972) is an American, Grammy–nominated, gospel singer-songwriter, producer, and pastor from Houston, Texas, United States. Biography Early life Born Kimberly Jean Burrell on August 27, 1972 in Houston, Te ...

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 ...

also returning as a judge, with

Kelly Price Kelly Cherelle Price (born April 4, 1973) is an American R&B and gospel singer. She started her singing career in 1992. Price originally garnered attention by singing backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including her ''Billboar ...

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 -

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 * De ...

Debut album ''Crystal Aikin'' released March 17, 2009. Season 2: Y'Anna Crawley - Imago Dei Music Group Debut album ''The Promise'' released August 24, 2010. Season 3: Le'Andria Johnson - Music World 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 The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

(2012, Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance) Season 4: Amber Bullock - Music World Gospel Debut album ''So In Love'' released July 10, 2012. Season 5: Joshua Rogers Debut album ''Well Done'' released December 4, 2012. Season 6:

Tasha Page-Lockhart Tasha Page House (born March 21, 1983 as Natasha Marie Page) is an American Christian R&B Christian R&B (also known as gospel R&B, rhythm & praise music, and R&P) is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music consisting of tracks with Christian-base ...

Debut single ''Different'' released in mid-2014. Debut album ''Here Right Now'' released on August 5, 2014 Season 7:

Geoffrey Golden Geoffrey Dickerson Golden (born April 26, 1994) is an American gospel musician. His music career started in 2014, with the appearance and victory on the gospel singing competition, ''Sunday Best''. He released, a live album, ''Kingdom...LIVE!'' ...

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