The SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards is an annual South African awards ceremony organised by World Gospel Powerhouse which honours, celebrates and promotes the talent and accomplishments of the South gospel music industry in the past year.
The inaugural awards were held at the ICC Cricket Arena in Durban on 24 August, 2008 and have been held annually ever since.
The Crown Gospel Music Awards are a platform to salute and award excellence in the Gospel Music Industry. The Awards are hosted annually with a spectacular event of music and dance.
Winners are given a symbolic crown used as a metaphor for the real crown that Gospel musicians hope to get at the end of their journey – in Heaven.
The Crown Gospel Music Awards concept is a brainchild of Zanele Mbokazi, founder and President of the World Gospel Powerhouse. The idea came about in 2006 and two years later the first ceremony was held in 2008, in the presence of thousands of gospel music loyalists.
After much deliberation, knocking on various doors and endless meetings, the concept of the Gospel Music Awards showed fruition. The name of the Awards had to be chosen. It could have been he SA Gospel Music Awards but the vision was to go beyond RSA borders. Then Reflections Gospel Awards also came up, but something was missing.
Crown Gospel Music Awards sounded aspirational and attainable. The Crown (Umqhele) signifies the ultimate award that will be adorned to all His servants in Heaven on the last day.
The idea was, and still is, to salute the sons and daughters in the gospel music industry under various categories. To date the Awards boasts more than 30 categories.
The winners are awarded a Crown, for their sterling contribution in the gospel music industry.