Erica Monique Campbell (née Atkins; born April 29, 1972) is an American Gospel singer and songwriter. Specializing in the urban contemporary gospel, Christian R&B, and contemporary R&B genres, she started her music career in the late 1990s with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, as part of the group Mary Mary.
Her debut solo album Help (2014), reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, and won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album at the 57th Grammy Awards. The album's reissue, Help 2.0. (2015), included the gospel trap single "I Luh God", which reached number one on the gospel chart. She released her second album I Love You in 2023. Her 2024 collaborative track "One Hallelujah" alongside Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds and Jekalyn Carr won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song.
In addition to her music career, Campbell has made appearances in the films Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and The Fighting Temptations (2003). Since May 2016, she has been the host of Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell with comedian Griff, currently distributed by Reach Media, the syndication arm of Urban One.
Early life Campbell was born Erica Monique Atkins, on April 29, 1972, in Inglewood, California, the daughter of Eddie Aaron Atkins Jr. (1948–2013), originally from Merced, California, a pastor and minister, and Thomasina Andrea "Honey" Atkins (née Daniels), who is originally from Stamford, Connecticut. Her paternal grandparents are Eddie Aaron Atkins, Sr. and Lavada Cruthird, and her maternal grandparents are Tommy and Ruth Daniels. She had two older brothers, Andre Lavelle Atkins, who died at 6 years old from a combination of Down Syndrome, spinal meningitis, and a hole in his heart, while her other brother is living in Arizona, Darrell Antoine Atkins. She has one older sister, Maliea Dionne Atkins, and five younger sisters, Trecina Evette "Tina" Atkins, Delisa Marie "Lisa" or "Wittle Wees" Atkins, Thomasina Andrea "Goo Goo" Atkins, Alana Ellesse "Lainz" or "Luv Luv" Atkins, and Shanta Nena Lavea Atkins.
Music career Her music career started in 1998, with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, who formed half of the gospel music duo, Mary Mary. As part of Mary Mary, Campbell earned numerous Stellar Music and Dove Awards, four Grammy Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, two American Music Awards, a Soul Train Award and a BET Award. In 2008, Campbell recorded a solo track called "Stand" for the soundtrack to the independent film A Good Man Is Hard to Find. In 2011, Mary Mary received the ASCAP Golden Note Award for their extraordinary songwriting. Erica commenced her solo music recording career in 2013, by recording her first studio album, HELP, that released on March 25, 2014, with Entertainment One Music. This album was her breakthrough release upon the Billboard magazine charts, while it charted on The Billboard 200, Top Gospel Albums, and Independent Albums charts, where it peaked at Nos. 6, 1, and 2, correspondingly. Campbell won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album at the 57th edition of the event. The subsequent studio album, Help 2.0, was released on March 31, 2015, from Entertainment One Music. This album charted on the same charts, but at Nos. 120, 1, and 12, respectively.
In early April 2018, Erica and her husband Warryn Campbell are to star in their own reality show on TV One. The show will highlight Erica going back in the studio to record her new album. Also in 2018, Erica and her husband released a music video titled, "All of My Life".
On September 23, 2022, Erica released “Positive” and she released “Feel Alright (Blessed)” on January 13, 2023, from her second album I Love You, which was released later that year.
Personal life In 2001, she married Warryn Campbell. The couple resides in Los Angeles together, with their three children.
Campbell is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, having been initiated on January 15, 2023.Erica Campbell, Patti Labelle Among New Honorary Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positionsUSUSGosUSIndHelp Released: March 25, 2014
CD, digital download 6 1 2Help 2.0 Released: March 31, 2015 (reissue)
CD, digital download 120 1 12I Love You Released: September 15, 2023
CD, digital download—1—
Singles YearTitleChart positionAlbumUSGospel 2013 "A Little More Jesus" 7 Help2014 "Help" 2 "You Are" 17 "P.O.G." 242015 "More Love" 18 Help 2.0 "I Luh God" 12017 "Well Done"10 rowspan="2" 2018 "All of My Life" 32022 "Positive"13 I Love You2023 "Feel Alright (Blessed)" 92025 "Trust And Obey"—
Awards and nominations
American Music Awards +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 Favorite R&B/Soul or Hip-Hop New Artist Mary Mary 2005 Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist 2009 Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group 2014 Favorite Gospel Artist
Billboard Music Awards +YearCategoryWorkResult 2016 Top Gospel Song "I Luh God" (with Big Shizz)
BET Awards The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. Campbell has received 3 awards from 17 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 Best Female Group Mary Mary Best Gospel Artist 2003 Best Group 2006 Best Gospel Artist 2007 Best Group 2009 Best Gospel Artist 2011 2013 Best Artist 2014 Best Gospel Artist Herself 2015 2016 2019 Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award "All of My Life" (with Warryn Campbell) 2020 "All In His Plan" (with PJ Morton and Le'Andria Johnson) 2024 "Do You Believe in Love?"
GMA Dove Awards The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Campbell has won 8 awards from 20 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Shackles (Praise You)" Urban Album of the Year Thankful 2002 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Thank You" (with Kirk Franklin) 2003 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "In the Morning" 2004 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Dance, Dance, Dance" 2006 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Mary Mary 2009 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Get Up" "Love Him Like I Do" Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year The Sound Group of the Year Mary Mary 2010 Artist of the Year 2012 Urban Album of the Year Something Big 2013 Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Go Get It" 2014 Gospel Performance of the Year "Help" (with Lecrae) Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album Help Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "A Little More Jesus" 2015 Gospel Artist of the Year Herself 2020 Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "All In His Plan" (with PJ Morton and Le'Andria Johnson) 2024 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year I Love You 2025 Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year "One Hallelujah" (with Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds, and Jekalyn Carr)
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Campbell has won 6 awards from 18 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Thankful 2006 Mary Mary Best Gospel Song "Heaven" 2009 "Get Up" Best Gospel Performance Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album The Sound 2010 Best Gospel Song "God In Me" 2012 "Sitting With Me" Best Gospel Album Something Big 2013 Best Gospel Song "Go Get It" Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance 2014 Best Gospel Song "A Little More Jesus" 2015 Best Gospel Album HELP Best Gospel Performance/Song "HELP" 2023 "Positive" 2024 "Feel Alright (Blessed)" Best Gospel Album I Love You 2025 Best Gospel Performance/Song "One Hallelujah"
NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Campbell has won 5 awards from 11 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 Outstanding Duo or Group Mary Mary 2003 Outstanding Gospel Artist 2006 2009 2010 Outstanding Song "God In Me" 2012 Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary) Something Big 2013 GO GET IT Duo, Group or Collaboration Themselves 2017 Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series Mary Mary 2023 Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song "Positive"
Soul Train Awards The Soul Train Music Awards and Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards are awarded annually. Campbell has received a total of 5 awards from 15 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult Soul Train Awards 2001 Best Gospel Album Thankful 2009 Best Gospel Performance "God In Me" Best Collaboration Song of the Year 2011 Best Gospel Performance "Walking" Best Dance Performance 2014 Best Gospel/Inspirational Song "Help" (with Lecrae) 2015 "More Love" 2019 Best Gospel/Inspirational Award Herself 2022 2024 "Feel Alright (Blessed)" Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards 2001 Best Gospel Album Thankful Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Duo or Group Mary Mary Best R&B/Soul Single Duo or Group "Shackles (Praise You)" 2003 Best Gospel Album Incredible
Stellar Awards The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Campbell has received 27 awards from 57 nominations. +YearCategoryWorkResult 2001 New Artist of the Year Mary Mary Group/Duo of the Year Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Artist of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Thankful Music Video of the Year "Shackles (Praise You)" 2004 Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Mary Mary Artist of the Year Group Duo of the Year Urban/Inspirational Performance of the Year "Incredible" 2006 Urban/Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year "Heaven"; Mary Mary CD Of The Year Mary Mary Artist Of The Year Mary Mary Group Duo of the Year Song of the Year "Heaven" 2010 Song of the Year Mary Mary Group/Duo of the Year Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Urban/Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year "God In Me" 2012 Group/Duo of the Year Themselves Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Artist of the Year CD of the Year Something Big Contemporary CD of the Year Urban/Inspirational Performance of the Year "Walking" 2013 Urban/Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year "Go Get It" Song of the Year Group/Duo of the Year Mary Mary Special Event CD of the Year Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Go Get It 2015 Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year Help Artist of the Year Album of the Year Contemporary Album of the Year Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Producer of the Year Recorded Music Packaging of the Year Song of the Year "Help"(with Lecrae) Music Video of the Year Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year 2016 Artist of the Year Help 2.0 Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year Album of the Year Contemporary Album of the Year Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year "I Luh God" 2021 Song of the Year "All In His Plan" (with PJ Morton and Le'Andria Johnson) 2022 Gospel Announcer of the Year Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell 2023 Song of the Year "Positive" 2024 Artist of the Year I Love You Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year Contemporary Album of the Year Song of the Year "Feel Alright (Blessed)" Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell (with Arlen "Griff" Griffin) 2025 Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell (with Arlen "Griff" Griffin and Cheryl Jackson) 2026 Song of the Year "On the Way" Music Video of the Year Urban Single or Performance of the Year Contemporary Female Artist of the Year Herself Syndicated Gospel Radio Show of the Year Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell
Miscellaneous honors Year Organization Award Nominated workResult 2025 Missouri Gospel Music Hall of Fame Herself
References
External links
Official Facebook profile Official morning show website