Charlotte gospel singer up for 2 Grammy Awards Sunday. But he finds inspiration elsewhere

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 6 p.m., Feb. 2, 2025, with the results of the gospel category awards.

Sunday is a big day in the national spotlight for Melvin Crispell III, a gospel singer who has called Charlotte home for two decades.

He’s getting ready for the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. That’s where he’s his been nominated for two awards — Best Gospel Performance/Song and Best Gospel Album.

The Grammys air on CBS at 8 p.m. Sunday. Many awards were handed out before the national broadcast, including in the gospel categories, where Crispell again was shut out.

Still, Crispell’s third record, Covered Vol. 1, has already been recognized with two Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and two awards from the nonprofit Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy.

In the midst of this activity, Crispell remains on tour. But despite his packed schedule, the artist is grateful for his opportunities.

“To be honest, I am just excited,” the 27-year-old said in a recent interview with The Charlotte Observer. “It’s hard to describe the feeling, but I am just happy to be recognized for my music and to be able to share my testimony in this way.”

While in Memphis, a young woman came to see him perform for a second time, and brought her mother along to hear Crispell sing at a local church.

“Afterwards she told me that her mother (a native Korean speaker) was so moved by my music because although she couldn’t understand the words, she could feel God through my singing.”

So while Crispell appreciates the award recognition, which provide further confirmation that he has chosen the right path, he stresses that they are not his motivation.

“It’s the reward I feel when people tell me ‘your music saved my life’ or ‘listening to your record helped me through a difficult time,’ that is why I do what I do.”

Bringing people together

In an industry where many performers can be distanced from their audiences or seemingly forget where they came from, Crispell intentionally works to rewrite that narrative.

So last summer, for the debut of his latest record, he hosted a local release party at a Mount Holly venue that featured one of his favorite pastimes — karaoke. This community-centric approach, even by a self-proclaimed karaoke fan, is a different way to release a new album.

“It was a way to bring people together and do something fun and a little unexpected.” When asked if anyone in attendance was brave enough to sing in front of him, Crispell said, “Some were definitely shy at first, but we had a good time.”

To some, Crispell’s name and story is already a familiar one.

He previously was twice nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song. In 2019, he won the BET Gospel music singing competition, “Sunday Best,” and has gone on to release three solo records, including “Covered Vol. 1.”

His latest effort features six tracks that are contemporary reinterpretations of Gospel classics. Singles include “He’s Never Failed Me Yet,” a CeCe Winans cover, a cover of Tye Tribbett’s “Hold On,” and “Yesterday,” first sung by Mary Mary. “Yesterday” was the song that’s up for a Grammy, along with the “Covered Vol. 1” album.

When asked if the title was meant to have dual meaning, signaling that the record’s tracks are artist covers while also alluding to being “covered” by his faith in God, Crispell paused for a moment.

“That actually wasn’t intentional. But now that you mention it, it definitely applies,” he said. Will there be a Volume 2? Crispell laughed. “That’s the plan.”

Finding inspiration from family

Crispell’s roots in gospel run deep.

His parents are Melvin Crispell Jr., a celebrated musician and composer who also performed with other gospel singers, and Tunesha Crispell, a gifted gospel vocalist in her own right.

More than two decades ago, when he was 7, Crispell’s family relocated to Charlotte from Brooklyn, New York. But his journey hasn’t been without loss. By the time he was 18, he had lost both of his parents to health complications, leaving him to navigate grief and his future purpose.

That loss fueled his drive to flourish in a genre where personal testimony is valued. For Crispell, his life has shaped his art in ways that make it impossible to separate the two. His family’s legacy was an inspiration that propelled him forward.

To that end, at the height of the pandemic, the singer released his first full-length album, “I’ve Got a Testimony.” Based on feedback the artist received from fans, the timing of the record’s release turned out to be a lifeline.

Critic Bob Marovich noted the echoes of Crispell’s parents in the record’s vocal runs, the organ motives and even in every “aggressive New York choir harmony.”

Coming alive on stage

The challenge of entering an established genre is no small task.

But Crispell’s arrangements, production choices and vocal delivery are able to speak to gospel’s youngest audience without alienating those who have loved the music for decades.

It’s a delicate balance that Crispell manages it with grace.

For those who have witnessed one of Crispell’s live performances (like last month’s “A Crispell Christmas”), onstage is where he truly comes alive. That’s one of the things his latest record tries to capture.

“To start with, it’s my first live album and because of that, I think it showcases more of who I am so people can experience that,” he said.

Lest you think that Crispell only listens to gospel, there’s a wide range of music on his playlists, from emerging artists like Raye to R&B mainstays like Chris Brown.

“There is so much I learn from listening to singers from other genres, like different ways to breathe, how to execute certain notes,” he said. “For example, growing up I wasn’t exposed to a lot of country, but then I started listening to it and it just grabbed my heart. It has helped me learn different ways of storytelling.”

Storytelling, whether through sharing his story or a message of faith and hope, is central to Crispell’s musical mission.

He acknowledges that for many, gospel is more than just music — it’s a lifeline. This is not something Crispell takes lightly.

And as much as he seeks to preserve the past and the roots of gospel music, he also looks to the future. Dream collaborators include the likes of PJ Morton, Jazmine Sullivan, Tye Tribbett and Kirk Franklin.

On Feb. 7, Crispell will be back in the Tarheel State with fellow Grammy-nominee, producer Dana Sorey, at Missy Lane’s in Downtown Durham for an evening of music and celebration.

As he waits for the Grammy awards, Crispell has no plans to slow down. He is always grateful to return to Charlotte, he said, the place he is happy to call home.

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This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 5:30 AM.