Kevin Downswell tops the list of nominees for the 2026 Sterling Gospel Music Awards.

The full list of nominees was revealed on Monday via the event’s official Instagram page.

The acclaimed gospel recording artiste, minister and producer received six nominations in the multiple categories including Male Artiste to the Year, Collaboration of the Year, Local Hit of the Year, and Local Hit Producer of the Year.

Johnmark Wiggan and Gilead Collective followed with five nominations each, while Prince Saj received four.

Rondell Positive, Trinidadian gospel/reggae artiste Positive, Sherwin Gardner, Rhoda Isabella, Jermaine Edwards, Levy’s Heritage and broadcasters Jucal Dyer and Mical Forsythe picked up two nominations a piece.

For its 2026 staging, Sterling Gospel Music Awards (SGMA) will see a change of format from a physical, live ceremony to a national television broadcast on Television Jamaica (TVJ) on Sunday, October 18 during the Heroes’ holiday weekend.

Johnmark Wiggan (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

“So this year we’re not having a physical staging… we’ll be doing a television broadcast on TVJ that will also stream via TVJ’s YouTube platform as well as Sterling YouTube channel. It will also be available regionally and worldwide to the international market,” Basillia Barnaby Cuff, organiser and founder of the awards told the Jamaica Observer.

She added: “We are seeking to expose the brand Sterling to a much wider audience and for year 10 we decided to pivot and more in that direction.”

This year will see the introduction of a Digital Impact Award. The winner will be voted on by the public. The nominees in that category are Monique McLeggon, Samijo, Stephen The Christian, Kyleon Thomas, and Sheena Lyn Hanson.

Said Barnaby Cuff: “This award is an award for persons in the faith-based community who have been making an impact online, whether its through fashion, social media, comedy, or content. We wanted a category that moved with the times, like Sterling always does.”

Rhoda Isabella.

The eligibility period for the 2026 Sterling Gospel Music Awards for submission of songs, albums and music videos is January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.

Katrina Grant D’Aguilar is the group marketing and communications manager for the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League. It is the second year that her organisation has partnered with the event.

“Year one was amazing and a rewarding experience. The feedback, even from our members, the moment they realised that we were connected to the Sterling Gospel Music Awards, persons were reaching out to say kudos to the credit union. And so we continue to build communities, we believe in helping people, and we are happy to be a part of the Sterling family. We are pleased about the returns of the association,” said D’Aguilar.

For nine years, Restaurants of Jamaica through its KFC brand, has been a major sponsor for the event. The company salutes the veterans in gospel music through its Big Deal Awards.

“It’s gonna be another Big Deal Year, the Big Deal Awards of excellence, and we’re paying tribute to the veteran broadcasters who have helped to ensure the voices of gospel music are heard. Sterling [Awards] is one of those platforms that allow us to connect to the community and our audience,” Andrei Roper, marketing manager for KFC told the Observer.

Roper continued, “We’re celebrating those stalwarts, those pioneers, and those persons who have helped to move the gospel fraternity forward and, overall, we’re just celebrating excellence in the fraternity.”

Below are some of the nominations in the 2026 edition of the awards:

Album of the year:
Doxalogii Vol 1 – Rhoda Isabella;
The Triad – Levy’s Heritage;
Fully Jesus – Prince SAJ;
Liberty – Orville Sutherland

EP of the year:
Songs for the Journey – Jermaine Edwards;
Threwth be Told – Threwth;
We Need You – Foster Triplets;
Jericho Fallen – Mahlon Hugh

Male artiste of the year: Johnmark Wiggan, Prince SAJ, Jermaine Edwards, Kevin Downswell

Female artiste of the year: Rhoda Isabella, Petra Kaye, Audia Spencer-Brown, Chevelle Franklyn

Group of the year: Levy’s Heritage, Genesis Praise Squad, Gilead Collective, H.U.M.B.L.E.

Breakout sensation of the year: Roxanne Robinson, Lotty Radical, Jaycool, Alandré Campbell

Local hit of the year:
Nothing Too Hard – Johnmark Wiggan ft Rondell Positive and Gilead Collective;
Midnight to Victory – Kevin Downswell ft Gilead Collective;
Bless Me – Kevin Downswell;
Still Deh Yah – Johnmark Wiggan

Gospel DJ: DJ Rebirth, DJ Noi

Gospel personality of the year: Jucal Dyer, Daron Mitchell, Mical Forsythe, Nadine Blair, Ava-Gay Blair-Black

Video of the year:
Equilibrium – DJ Nicholas & Prince Saj;
Still Deh Yah – Johnmark Wiggan;
LOUD – LeoNell Teape and SR Victor256;
Praises Up Blessings Down – Symone Peat;
Adonai – Prince Saj