The season eight winner of The Prayze Factor People's Choice Awards will be crowned in The Bahamas this weekend, joining the likes of season seven's grand champion Gospel Lioness; Jcee Jermet, season six champion; Appointed 2 who were the winners of season five; Capa who took season four; Donald Mally, the champion in season three; Stephen B. Steward who won season two, and God's Gurls the inaugural Prayze Factor winner.
Among this year's finalists for the champion title are Cleveland and Samuel Lynch, Ebony Archer, Mafuta Family, M4C, Catrina Reese, Shunice Hill Sullivan, Vickie Favors, Socom, URIM 7 and Shelia Moore Piper are among the finalists for season eight of The Prayze Factor People's Choice Awards.
The winners will be announced during the international power praise weekend to be held in The Bahamas, April 22-24.
Performing during the finale show to be held at Bahamas Faith Ministries International will be recording artists Alexis, Spight, Tawana Ross, Kay Morris, and Orlando "Landlord" Miller, Big Bruh, Solo and Blacks. Also performing during this praise weekend will be Christian Massive, Tracy Knowles, Jill Cleare, Chosen and Peter Runks.
Posthumous honors will also be given to Dr. Myles and Ruth Munroe and Pastor Lavard and Raydell Parks, during the show.
The Prayze Factor People's Choice Awards founded and produced by Apostle Dr. Teresa Jordan (known as Pastor T) is a platform strategically formatted to bring maximum exposure to the independent gospel artists, and as such, The Prayze Factor team says it should be for artists that are seriously looking to gain more exposure, increase their fan base, and make their music/ministry more relevant in the gospel industry.
It is a fan-driven platform. Artists are required to engage their fans in voting, commenting and promoting their ministries. Voting began on February 28 and concludes on Friday. To show your support to a finalist, you are encouraged to go the prayzefactoawards.com page, click on the photo of your favorite finalist to be directed to the page to show your support, where every purchase is the equivalent to votes for a favorite nominee.
While a friendly competition, The Prayze Factor Awards allows artists to utilize the platform to draw people who are unaware of their ministry to the table where they not only experience the ministry, but experience the realness of Christ, according to the awards site.
There are three rounds throughout a four-month period of Prayze Factor promotions. Each round is designed to bring the artists to the forefront. To maximize full potential of the platform, artists must be in the frame of mind that God deserves their very best every step of the way and without excuses. Those artists that grasp and understand that are rewarded greatly by the time the season's grand finale airs, according to the site.
Season seven of The Prayze Factor reportedly yielded over 57 million votes from fans and finalists gained serious leverage in the gospel industry as many of the artists were picked up on other national platforms -- The Stellar Awards, The Rhythm of Gospel Awards, The Excellence in Christian Music Awards -- and radio/television networks took interests in the finalists granting them extended exposure via various interviews and additional rotation for those that were vocalists and had CD projects out.
The process
Round one is a popularity round of elimination by the general public. Nominees are added to a public voting poll and the general public openly votes and comments on their favorite artists; the top four nominees in each category advance to round two.
Round two is a video review round which gives the general public an opportunity to vote on the best videos from their favorite nominees. The fans are engaged and ensure each artist maximizes exposure potential. The voting is done through YouTube on a designated page for Prayze Factor nominations. The top scoring artists in each category are named the winner in that category and advance to the grand finale championship show.
Round three, the grand finale finalists are afforded an opportunity to gain final votes and support from their fan base, leading up to the grand finale show. During the show, a panel of industry leaders, this year comprised of Lakeba Wallace, owner, Living Day by Day Magazine, Radio/TV show; Keith L. Rolle, host of Inspirations with Keith on Island FM 102.9 FM and Miss Vee, Gospel Music At It's Best Radio Broadcast WYCB AM 1340 on Radio One, will critique and score each finalist and those scores will be added to the fans votes for a grand total on each finalist. The top four finalists will be identified and will have a chance to present before the judges one last time to include a question and answer segment.
From the top four a grand champion and two runner-ups will be named. Youth on the rise awards will also be meted out. Winners for the Prayze Factor People's Choice "Youth On The Rise" Awards are chosen by popularity voting in two rounds. Round one voting is a ballot through the website, round two voting is a video submission with the nominee presenting their talent/gift, and a one-minute monologue on why they should represent the platform as the Youth On The Rise champion.
Friday, April 22
7 pm. -- Emerge Youth Church Friday Night Live
Youth from all over New Providence and the United States gather for inspiration, empowerment and encouragement to follow through on their dreams. Motivational speakers and award-winning artists from around the world will share with the youth. They will have music from some of the best in holy hip hop and contemporary gospel from across the globe.
Saturday, April 23
8 p.m. - Grand Finale Finalists Awards Show
Sunday, April 24
9 a.m. -- Baptism at sea
Season 8 judges
Lakeba Wallace -- Owner, Living Day by Day Magazine, Radio/TV show
Keith L. Rolle -- Host of Inspirations with Keith on Island FM 102.9 FM
Miss Vee -- Gospel Music At It's Best Radio Broadcast WYCB AM 1340 on Radio One
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