Stellar Awards choir winners represent the best in gospel choir excellence, with 2025 highlights including Ricky Dillard’s multiple honors and The Group Fire’s contemporary victory. Held at Nashville’s historic Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the 40th anniversary ceremony honored choirs whose performances continue to inspire worshippers and shape the future of gospel music.
Choir music isn’t about individual talent—it’s about collective surrender to God’s purpose through song.
ELEV8 Magazine
Ricky Dillard’s Double Victory: When Excellence Meets Legacy
Ricky Dillard proved once again why he’s considered gospel music royalty, earning recognition in multiple choir categories at the 2025 Stellar Awards. His continued excellence demonstrates the timeless power of masterful choir direction and unwavering commitment to collective worship artistry.
“When I Think” – The Choir Performance That Captivated Nashville
Dillard’s winning performance of “When I Think” exemplifies everything that makes gospel choir music transcendent. The arrangement transforms individual voices into a unified instrument of worship, creating what attendees described as a “holy ghost takeover” moment that left the Schermerhorn Symphony Center audience in spiritual awe.
I personally think that Ricky has always understood that choir music isn’t about individual talent—it’s about collective surrender to God’s purpose through song. His continued recognition at the 2025 Stellar Gospel Music Awards represents decades of dedication to the craft of worship leadership.
There is a different kind of unity enjoyed by the joining of diverse counterparts than is enjoyed by joining two things just alike. When we all sing the same melody line it is called unison… But when we unite diverse lines of soprano and alto and tenor and bass, we call it harmony… something deeper in us is touched by great harmony than by mere unison.
— John Piper, Renowned Theologian and Pastor
A Master’s Touch: Why Dillard Continues to Dominate
Ricky’s repeated success at the Stellar Awards speaks to his unique ability to honor gospel’s foundational elements while making them relevant for contemporary worshippers. His approach maintains the call-and-response traditions that built the genre. And doing so while still incorporating vocal techniques that engage modern audiences across generational lines.
Ricky Dillard – When I Think | Stellar Award Choir Winners 2025
The Group Fire’s Contemporary Triumph: Rising Stars Claim Victory
The Group Fire’s victory in the contemporary duo/chorus category represents the new generation of gospel excellence taking center stage. Their win at the 2025 Stellar Awards validates the innovative approaches younger artists bring to traditional gospel expression.
Breaking Through in a Competitive Field
Competing against established acts, The Group Fire’s recognition demonstrates how fresh perspectives and authentic ministry can capture both industry attention and audience hearts. Their contemporary approach maintains gospel’s spiritual depth while speaking directly to younger believers seeking relevant worship experiences.
If you ask me, I’d say ‘The Group Fire’ represents what’s exciting about gospel’s future. They honor the foundations while creating new pathways for worship. Their Stellar Award victory shows that innovation and tradition can beautifully coexist in gospel ministry.
When faith and hip-hop combine, you reach a bigger audience.
— Donyai Heartfelt, Gospel Hip-Hop Artist
What Their Victory Tells Us About Gospel’s Future
This recognition signals the gospel industry’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent while maintaining excellence standards. The Group Fire’s success encourages other young gospel groups to pursue both artistic innovation and spiritual authenticity in their ministry approach.
The Group Fire – About Last Night | Stellar Award Choir Winners 2025
40th Anniversary Celebration: A Milestone Year for Gospel Choirs
The 2025 Stellar Awards marked four decades of celebrating gospel excellence, with choir categories receiving special emphasis during this anniversary year. The ceremony’s focus on collective artistry highlighted how group performances remain gospel music’s most distinctive and powerful expression.
Four Decades of Recognizing Collective Ministry
Since 1985, the Stellar Awards have consistently honored the choir tradition that makes gospel music unique among musical genres. This year’s winners continue that legacy while pushing the boundaries of what collective worship artistry can achieve in contemporary settings.
How This Year’s Winners Made History
Beyond individual victories, the 2025 choir winners represent the full spectrum of gospel expression—from Ricky Dillard’s seasoned mastery to The Group Fire’s emerging innovation. Together, they demonstrate gospel music’s remarkable ability to honor its past while embracing its future.
The Group Fire – Stellar Award Choir Winners 2025
What the 2025 Stellar Awards Choir Victories Mean for Gospel Music
While Pastor Mike Jr.’s historic clean sweep dominated headlines, the choir category victories tell an equally important story about gospel music’s collective heart and enduring ministry impact.
Pastor Mike Jr.’s Clean Sweep Context
Though Pastor Mike Jr. captured nine categories, the choir winners provide crucial balance to the narrative. Their recognition reminds us that gospel’s greatest strength lies not in individual stardom but in the unified voices that create transcendent worship experiences impossible to achieve alone.
The Continuing Power of Group Artistry
These 2025 victories reinforce gospel music’s commitment to collective ministry over individual celebrity. In an entertainment landscape increasingly focused on solo artists, the Stellar Awards choir categories preserve space for the community-centered expression that defines authentic gospel worship.
It’s my sincere belief that the church has always been about community. And I genuinely expect all forms of Gospel music to reflect that. These 2025 Stellar Award choir winners show us what’s possible when we prioritize collective ministry over individual recognition.
Scripture teaches that the community that matters is community built by God. We may cultivate it, feed it, protect it, and use it. But we dare not pretend to create it.
— Mark Dever, Capitol Hill Baptist Sr. Pastor
The 2025 Stellar Awards choir winners represent gospel’s enduring commitment to collective artistry—proving that some of music’s most powerful moments happen when voices unite in common spiritual purpose.
Ricky Dillard & Choir – Stellar Award Choir Winners 2025
How the 2025 Stellar Awards Choir Winners Were Selected
Understanding how the 2025 Stellar Awards Choir Winners are chosen helps fans appreciate the balance of artistry, ministry, and community that define gospel excellence. The voting process reflects both industry standards and spiritual impact.
- Eligibility & Submissions
Choirs and artists submit entries that meet eligibility requirements for the Stellar Awards. This includes release dates, category fit (Traditional or Contemporary), and ministry impact.
- Screening & Nominations
A screening committee reviews submissions to ensure they meet artistic and production standards. From there, nominees are announced in categories such as Choir of the Year and Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group.
- Voting by Industry Professionals
The first round of voting involves gospel industry insiders—radio programmers, music ministers, record executives, and choir directors. Their votes determine the final nominees
- Final Voting Process
A second round of voting is conducted by Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy (SAGMA) members. These are credentialed industry professionals dedicated to recognizing excellence in gospel music.
- Winners Announced at the Ceremony
The results are revealed live during the annual Stellar Awards, as seen in 2025 with Ricky Dillard winning Choir of the Year and The Group Fire triumphing in the Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group category.
- Why It Matters
This process ensures that 2025 Stellar Awards Choir Winners are not just popular choices but respected voices whose artistry uplifts the church and preserves gospel’s collective tradition.
FAQ: Stellar Awards Choir Winners 2025
Ricky Dillard won Choir of the Year for his electrifying performance of “When I Think”, while The Group Fire claimed victory in the Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group category. Together, they represent both tradition and innovation at the 2025 Stellar Awards.
Choir categories highlight gospel’s collective artistry. Unlike solo acts, choirs embody unity, harmony, and the power of community worship—key themes that define gospel music.
Traditional choirs emphasize classic gospel arrangements with call-and-response, while Contemporary choirs embrace modern instrumentation and diverse styles. Both honor gospel’s spiritual depth in unique ways.
Winners are selected through voting by gospel industry professionals—radio programmers, music ministers, and record executives—ensuring artistic excellence and ministry integrity guide the process
The 2025 ceremony marked the 40th anniversary of the Stellar Awards, a milestone celebrating four decades of gospel excellence. Beyond Pastor Mike Jr.’s record nine wins, the choir victories spotlight gospel’s enduring commitment to community-centered artistry.
Visit related features on ELEV8 Magazine such as [Pastor Mike Jr. Clean Sweep at the Stellar Awards 2025] and [2025 Stellar Awards Winners List].
Managing Editor @ ELEV8 Magazine | Bestselling Author | Finance Analyst – A bestselling author and finance analyst, Charles Myambo serves as Managing Editor at ELEV8 Magazine. Known for blending data precision with faith-driven insight, he brings clarity to complex topics — from money and purpose to media influence.
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