2025 K-LOVE Fan Awards: Female Artist of the Year Nominees

Trailblazer Anne Wilson may be receiving steady acclaim in country music, but the Kentucky native hasn’t forsaken her roots. The reigning Female Artist of the Year just celebrated the one-year anniversary of “REBEL,” her groundbreaking sophomore LP. To commemorate the milestone, the chart-topping songstress reimagined several of the project’s original selections. Special acoustic renderings and live takes hallmark the expansive 33-track “REBEL (Revisited).”

CeCe Winans earns her third K-LOVE Fan Awards Female Artist of the Year nod on the strength of an unprecedented resurgence that has seen the Gospel music pioneer discover massive success in the Contemporary Christian pop space for the first time in her decades-long career. The 60-year-old will join fellow Christian music legends, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, on the limited-engagement “Christmas Together” tour this holiday season.

Fresh face Jamie MacDonald tallies a trio of nominations — her first-ever — ahead of the 2025 K-LOVE Fan Awards. MacDonald joins the Female Artist of the Year slate thanks to her history-making single, “Desperate,” which raced to No. 1 in just 12 weeks. The multi-week chart-topping debut introduced MacDonald’s vulnerable songwriting and rich, raspy vocal to listeners. She’ll perform as part of the Emerging Artist Showcase on Saturday afternoon during the upcoming K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend.

Since Katy Nichole released viral hit “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” in 2022, the songstress has become one of Christian music’s most recent success stories. Earlier this year, the returning Female Artist of the Year contender headlined her first live outing before hopping back on the road with former tourmates CAIN. She’ll release her eagerly anticipated sophomore effort, “Honest Conversations,” Aug. 15. The upcoming set will feature raw lead single “When I Fall,” penned solely by Nichole.

Lauren Daigle is the most-awarded Female Artist of the Year in K-LOVE Fan Awards history with six total wins in the category. The “Thank God I Do” singer kicked off 2025 with shows in Puerto Rico and South Africa. Additionally, she took centerstage at the Super Bowl performing a Cajun-flavored rendition of “America the Beautiful” alongside Trombone Shorty in her home state of Louisiana. The Big Easy native will headline night one of “K-LOVE Live at Red Rocks” Aug. 5.

Leanna Crawford was previously nominated for Female Artist of the Year in 2022, but it was last year’s release of her long-awaited full-length debut, “Still Waters,” that pushed the Washington state native into the current limelight. Adding to the buzz, the album’s title cut recently summited the Christian radio charts to become her first No. 1. Crawford, who married NBA star Cody Zeller in 2023, spent the spring on the road with Group of the Year nominees We Are Messengers. Later this year, she’ll join Zach Williams and friends on the “Revival Nights” tour.

Named to several high-profile “Artists to Watch” lists, newcomer Megan Woods lands her first Female Artist of the Year nomination courtesy of her massive global hit, “The Truth,” which hit No. 1 on iTunes in 40 different countries and nabbed the top spot at Christian radio. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, the breakout songstress recently made her Grand Ole Opry debut, as well as her national television debut following an appearance on “FOX & Friends.”

Canadian-born singer-songwriter Samantha Ebert earns a spot on the Female Artist of the Year ballot thanks to the organic viral energy behind her chart-climbing radio debut, “Flowers (feat. Seph Schlueter).” The first-time K-LOVE Fan Awards nominee shares glimpses into her years-long battle with Lyme disease through her transparent music. An independent artist, Ebert continues to struggle with chronic illness, which in turn inspires her original songs like the hopeful, diaristic “Flowers,” also up for Breakout Single of the Year.

Tasha Layton jumpstarted 2025 with the release of her first live worship project, aptly named “Worship Through It (Live).” The title track serves up a live version of the original radio edit, featuring Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown, which gave Layton her third No. 1. The repeat Female Artist of the Year contender continues to premiere new songs, hinting at her next studio effort. In the meantime, the GMA Dove Award winner has been on the road with author Lysa Terkeurst and four-time K-LOVE Fan Award winner Danny Gokey.

Emerging singer-songwriter and Female Artist of the Year honoree Terrian dropped a deluxe version of her debut, “Give It More Time,” in January. The longtime TobyMac backup singer may have exited the Diverse City Band, but the Memphis native started the year by opening for her former boss on the “Hits Deep” tour. The “He Sees You” singer will join Tauren Wells, Jordan Feliz and Seph Schlueter for Friday night’s Kick-Off Concert to launch the 2025 K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend.