Yolanda Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold nearly 10 million albums worldwide. In addition to achieving multi-platinum status, she has won four Grammy Awards, four Dove Awards, five BET Awards, six NAACP Image Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards, two BMI Awards and sixteen Stellar Awards. She was the first Gospel artist to be awarded an American Music Award.
She is known as the "Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music", the "First Lady of Modern Gospel", while Variety dubbed her the "Reigning Queen of Urban Gospel".
Adams was named by Billboard, in 2009, as the No. 1 gospel artist of the decade, driven by the sales of her No. 1 album Mountain High...Valley Low. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer service. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association in 2017. In 2018, she became the first gospel artist nominated for a Tony Award for her work on SpongeBob SquarePants. In 2019, she received the Soul Train Music Awards Lady of Soul Award, and received critical acclaim for officially opening Super Bowl LIV with her performance of "America the Beautiful". Billboard listed her as one of the Top Gospel Artist of the 2010s. She has scored five number one albums on Billboard's Top Gospel Album. Adams was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Awards and nominations American Music Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 2002 Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational Herself
BET Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 2001 Best Gospel Artist Herself 2002 2003 2004 2006 2012 2023 Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award "One Moment from Glory" 2025 "Church Doors"
GMA Dove Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 1992 Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Through the Storm" 1999 Song of the Year "Is Your All On The Altar?" 2002 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "I Believe I Can Fly" Traditional Gospel Album of the Year Doug and Melvin Williams Duets Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year The Experience 2003 Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Thank You" Urban Album of the Year Believe 2005 Special Event Album of the Year The Passion of the Christ: Songs 2006 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Be Blessed" Urban Album of the Year Day by Day 2007 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "This Too Shall Pass" 2012 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Becoming 2015 Traditional Gospel Song of the Year "How Awesome Is Our God" 2017 Gospel Music Hall of Fame Herself 2025 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Sunny Days Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Church Doors"
Grammy Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 1995 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Save The World 1996 More Than A Melody 1997 Shakin' The House...Live In L.A. Live In Washington 1999 Songs From The Heart 2000 Mountain High...Valley Low 2002 The Experience 2006 Day By Day Best Gospel Song "Be Blessed" Best Gospel Performance 2007 "Victory" Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals "Everyday (Family Reunion)" 2016 Best Gospel Performance/Song "How Awesome Is Our God [Live]" 2020 "Talkin' 'Bout Jesus" 2025 "Church Doors" 2026 Best Gospel Album Sunny Days
NAACP Image Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 2006 Outstanding Gospel Artist (Traditional or Contemporary) Day by Day 2007 Herself 2012 Becoming 2025 Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album Sunny Days "Church Doors"
Soul Train Awards Year Award Nominated workResult Soul Train Awards 1996 Best Gospel Album More Than A Melody 2001 Best R&B/Soul Single – Female "Open My Heart" 2002 Best Gospel Album The Experience 2019 Lady of Soul Award Herself Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards 1996 Best Gospel Album More Than A Melody 2000 Mountain High... Valley Low R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Solo 2001 R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year "Open My Heart" 2002 Best Gospel Album Believe
Stellar Awards Year Category Work Result 1996 Contemporary Female Artist of the Year Herself 1997 Shakin' The House: Live In LA Music Video of the Year 2000 Female Vocalist of the Year Songs From the Heart Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year 2001 Artist of the Year Mountain High... Valley Low CD of the Year Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Music Video of the Year "Open My Heart" Song of the Year 2002 Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year The Experience Female Vocalist of the Year Artist of the Year CD of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Producer of the Year 2003 Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Believe Urban/Inspirational Performance of the Year Artist of the Year CD of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year Music Video of the Year "Never Give Up" 2004 "The Prayer" (with Donnie McClurkin) 2007 Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Day by Day 2008 Special Event CD of the Year Yolanda Adams, The Best of Me 2009 What A Wonderful Time 2012 Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Becoming Female Vocalist of the Year
Tony Awards Year Award Nominated workResult 2018 Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre SpongeBob SquarePants
Miscellaneous honors Year Organization Award Nominated workResult 2022 Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame Herself 2025 Missouri Gospel Music Hall of Fame
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