EMI Christian Music Group

EMI Christian Music Group is proud to announce the GRAMMY® nominations of their label group artists. The company’s labels received nine nominations overall, and EMI Christian Music Publishing also collected eight nominations. The 55^th Annual GRAMMY® Awards will air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 at 8pm ET/7CT on CBS.

“EMI CMG Label Group congratulates our artists for their outstanding work and recognition in this year’s GRAMMY® nominations. We are so proud of the music our artists create and we are so pleased to see their work so enthusiastically recognized by their peers. We certainly wish each of them the very best on Grammy night,” comments Peter York, President, Label Group, EMI Christian Music Group.

Eddie DeGarmo, President of EMI CMG Publishing, joins in saying, “It all begins with a song. In the EMI CMG Publishing family, our writers craft songs that impact people’s lives every day. We are humbled and grateful to represent writers who are passionate about making excellent music, and we are thrilled they have been honored with well-deserved GRAMMY® nominations.”

sixstepsrecords’ renowned worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman welcomed a total of three nominations, two for his 16 week-long No. 1 radio hit, “10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord),” written by Jonas Myrin and Redman, which received nominations for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance. Hailed as one of the most influential songwriters of this generation, worship leader Matt Redman’s indelible impact resonates through his remarkable songs. Redman recently released SING LIKE NEVER BEFORE: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION, which includes this impressive single and now first GRAMMY® nod as an artist.

ForeFront recording artist and five-time Grammy winner TobyMac received his eighth solo career GRAMMY® nomination for his No. 1 Billboard Top 200 and iTunes® album EYE ON IT. Also just named Amazon’s Christian artist of 2012, TobyMac has had a whirlwind year with his hit record and multiple national television appearances including Fox & Friends, Good Morning America and The View and features in Billboard, Los Angeles Times, People andTime.com, among others. He will perform in the upcoming Disney’s Christmas Day parade on ABC, and recently garnered his first career American Music Award for Favorite Artist in the Contemporary/Inspirational category.

Additionally, internationally acclaimed artist and worship leader Chris Tomlin‘s garnered his eighth GRAMMY® nomination, this time for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song with his hit track “White Flag,” co-written by Matt Maher and Matt Redman. A 2012 GRAMMY® winner for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Tomlin is set to deliver his newest studio set, BURNING LIGHTS, on Jan. 8, continuing his efforts of crafting songs for the church that cross cultures and generations. The highly anticipated project will release on the heels of the Passion 2013 conference in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, where he will lead worship with a generation of 18-25 year olds from around the world at the significant, four-day gathering.

Sparrow Records’ three nominations encompass Capitol Records/Sparrow Records artist Britt Nicole’s very first nomination for her album GOLD, as well as nods for Sparrow artist Matthew West’s INTO THE LIGHT and Kari Jobe’s WHERE I FIND YOU.

As her first-ever GRAMMY® nomination, Britt Nicole’s GOLD debuted at No. 41 on the Billboard Top 100 Album Chart and signals her emergence as a pop phenom of uncommon substance and soul. Originally released by Sparrow Records, Nicole is now partnering with Capitol Records to re-launch GOLD on Feb. 26, 2013. As part of this re-release, the shimmering title track and lead single are going for spins at pop radio as Nicole aims to reach an ever-widening audience while aspiring to stay focused on creating music that’s both genuine and empowering. The follow-up to her sophomore effort The Lost Get Found (a 2009 release that debuted on the Billboard Top 100 Album Chart), GOLD showcases the Nicole’s commanding vocal abilities and passionately thoughtful lyrics that attest to her strength as a songwriter.

New York Times-acclaimed singer–songwriter Matthew West earned a total of two nominations, marking a career total of four GRAMMY® nominations. This year he welcomes a nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album with INTO THE LIGHT, as well as a songwriting nomination for his contribution to Casting Crowns’ song “Jesus, Friend of Sinners.” A multiple ASCAP “Song of the Year” winner, West has had four No. 1 radio hits including 2012’s GRAMMY®-nominated tune, “Strong Enough.” INTO THE LIGHT was released in September to across-the-board praise and stellar reviews, heralding West’s artistic depth and abilities as a master songsmith.

Beloved worship leader Kari Jobe received her first GRAMMY® nomination for her albumWHERE I FIND YOU. As the highly anticipated follow up to her eponymous debut, WHERE I FIND YOU debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Album Charts and garnered Jobe her first Top 10 AC single, “We Are.” The Christmas edition of WHERE I FIND YOU is now available digitally and features holiday tunes such as “O Holy Night” and “Messiah.” Jobe continues to serve as a worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Tex., and will join Chris Tomlin on his “Burning Lights Tour,” which visits arenas and amphitheaters throughout the country in 2013.

EMI Christian Music Publishing was recognized for multiple songs, including the previously mentioned writers Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Matt Maher and Hillsong’s Jonas Myrin.  EMI CMG Publishing also congratulates the nominated songwriters it represents, including Mark Hall for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners,” and Aaron Lindsey in the Best Gospel Song category for “My Testimony.” With songs on 8 of the 10 albums nominated in the Best Gospel Album and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album categories, EMI CMG Publishing songs and songwriters are well represented among the year’s best music.