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Positive Vibes Only: Brandon Camphor And OneWay Come Together For An Angelic Performance Of "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
BC1Way (Brandon Camphor & OneWay)

Photo: Alex Hodge

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Positive Vibes Only: Brandon Camphor And OneWay Come Together For An Angelic Performance Of "Lift Every Voice and Sing"

The dynamic gospel group BC1Way — Brandon Camphor and OneWay — deliver an angelic performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," commonly referred to as the Black national anthem in the United States, for Positive Vibes Only

GRAMMYs/Feb 6, 2022 - 07:49 pm

Whether the performance comes from Beyoncé at Coachella or the children's choir at your local church, any rendition of the James Weldon Johnson hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" comes with great responsibility. Gospel ensemble BC1Way — Brandon Camphor and OneWay — accepted that responsibility and more than did the track justice in their performance for Positive Vibes Only.

Historically referred to as the Black national anthem in the United States, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" is a revered spiritual due to its tales of perseverance, calls for community, and desire for liberation.

Watch the East Coast natives' empowering take on the classic track below.

Camphor and OneWay are no strangers to impactful performances: The spirited ensemble has earned four spots on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart and spent 18 weeks on the chart for their 2015 single, "I Choose You."

Make sure to check back here every Sunday and subscribe to the Recording Academy’s/GRAMMYs’ YouTube page to watch every episode of Positive Vibes Only.

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Positive Vibes Only: Sarah Kroger Celebrates "Belovedness" In This Uplifting Piano Performance
Sarah Kroger

Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Kroger

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Positive Vibes Only: Sarah Kroger Celebrates "Belovedness" In This Uplifting Piano Performance

Contemporary worship leader and songwriter Sarah Kroger offers an encouraging message of self-love in this stripped-down performance of her breakthrough single, "Belovedness."

GRAMMYs/Nov 6, 2023 - 08:00 pm

Everyone knows how easy it is to get hung up in self-loathing. But on her breakthrough single "Belovedness," worship singer Sarah Kroger reminds us it's time to appreciate our God-given beauty and His steadfast love, too.

"He says, 'You're mine, I smiled when I made you/ I find you beautiful in every way,'" Kroger sings in the chorus. "'My love for you is fierce and unending/ I'll come to find you, whatever it takes/ My beloved.'"

In this episode of Positive Vibes Only, Kroger delivers a solo performance of "Belovedness" using just a piano.

"Belovedness" is a single from Kroger's latest studio project, Light. She released her debut live album, The London Sessions, via Integrity Music earlier this year. She is also a member of the multi-cultural trio Village Lights and the female collective FAITHFUL.

Beyond music, Kroger is a contemporary worship leader in the Catholic Church. "Worship became my language with God," she revealed in a press statement. "It allowed me to communicate with the Lord in a way I hadn't experienced before. There was something about it that opened my heart."

Press play on the video above to hear Sarah Kroger's uplifting performance of "Belovedness," and check back to GRAMMY.com every Monday for more new episodes of Positive Vibes Only.

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Positive Vibes Only: Brandon Lake Waves His "Coat Of Many Colors" In This Uplifting Performance
Brandon Lake

Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Lake

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Positive Vibes Only: Brandon Lake Waves His "Coat Of Many Colors" In This Uplifting Performance

Contemporary worship singer Brandon Lake presents an acoustic take on "Coat of Many Colors," the lead single and title track from his new album.

GRAMMYs/Oct 23, 2023 - 07:28 pm

Contemporary worship singer Brandon Lake has gone through many ups and downs, from discovering his worst enemies were people he loved to hitting peak hopelessness. But the one consistent thing is God — and that's comforting enough to transcend every obstacle.

"Was lying in a pit/ But I'm walking the palace now," Lake proclaims in his track "Coat of Many Colors" (not to be confused with the 1971 Dolly Parton classic of the same name). "Once I was a beggar, now I live in the King's house."

In this episode of Positive Vibes Only, Lake delivers a live performance of "Coat of Many Colors," supported by a percussionist and guitarist.

"Coat of Many Colors" is the title track of Lake's newest album, which arrived on Oct. 20 via Provident Label Group. The songs from the project are heavily inspired by the story of Joseph.

"He was misunderstood," Lake said in a statement. "He had dreams that got him in trouble, and he had to go through the process of trusting his dreams and being faithful to God. Joseph went from a pit to a palace, and this album explores this theme heavily."

On Oct. 26, Lake will begin the Coat of Many Colors Tour in Tyler, Texas, supported by Benjamin William Hastings and Leeland.

Press play on the video above to hear Brandon Lake's encouraging performance of "Coat of Many Colors," and check back to GRAMMY.com every Monday for more new episodes of Positive Vibes Only.

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Positive Vibes Only: Branan Murphy & Davies Learn The Beauty Of Being "Still" In This Performance Of Their Collab
Branan Murphy

Photo: Kristen Balani

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Positive Vibes Only: Branan Murphy & Davies Learn The Beauty Of Being "Still" In This Performance Of Their Collab

Christian musicians Branan Murphy and Davies share their testimony of God's greatness in this performance of their collaborative single, "Still."

GRAMMYs/Oct 16, 2023 - 05:00 pm

Despite having a solid foundation for his religion, Christian artist Branan Murphy still falls victim to anxiety and discouragement. As he reveals in his collaboration with Davies, "Still," understanding God's truths gives him the strength to keep moving forward.

"'Cause You're a right now, God/ But sometimes You're not/ I will worship you either way," Murphy assures in the track's intro. "You're still/ Still moving here and now/ Silencing every doubt/ You're still holding on to me/ So maybe I should just be still."

In this performance for Positive Vibes Only, Murphy teams up with his fellow worship musician to deliver their testimony. The pair pace through the venue before finally coming together, still in the presence of God and their shared faith alongside a group of background vocalists.

Murphy and Davies released "Still" on May 26 via Paravel Records and DREAM Records. Later this year, Murphy will drop his next album, Life Is Hard. God Is Good.

The Christian singer has released a number of tracks from the forthcoming LP, including its title track. On Oct. 13, he dropped the latest release, "God of My Tomorrow."

Press play on the video above to hear Branan Murphy's encouraging performance of "Still" featuring Davies, and check back to GRAMMY.com every Monday for more new episodes of Positive Vibes Only.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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