Kelontae Gavin

American gospel singer and worship leader

Kelontae Gavin (born March 28, 1999) is an American gospel singer and worship leader who is known for the gospel radio singles, “No Ordinary Worship” and “Higher.”[1][2]

Singer Kelontae Gavin performs at The Stellar Gospel Music Awards' Radio Awards event on March 24, 2018 at the Orleans Ballroom in Las Vegas, Nevada.

## Early life and education

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Gavin was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but raised in Summerville, South Carolina, where he began to sing at Favor Ministries, a non-denominational church in Ridgeville at the age of four. He was a member of Bold Ministries International in Moncks Corner, South Carolina.[3] He attended Summerville High School.[4] Upon graduation, Gavin stated he planned to serve as a minister at the Ark of Salvation Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and pursue a degree in divinity and theology.[5]

## Career

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He developed notoriety when a 2014 YouTube video of him singing the hymn, “I Won't Complain,” to a cafeteria worker at his former high school, went viral with over one million YouTube views.[2] In 2016, Gavin was discovered by star-maker manager, Marquis Boone of Marquis Boone Enterprises, who formed a partnership with Tyscot Records to issue the radio single “Higher” in the fall of that year. It was produced by Myron Butler, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter. The song reached the Top 20 on Billboard Magazine's Gospel Indicator chart in the spring of 2017. The song also earned the singer a Stellar Award nomination in the category of Youth Project of the year in January 2018.[6]

Gavin's radio single, "No Ordinary Worship," reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart in March 2019 while his debut album, "The Higher Experience," made its debut at No. 2 on the Top Gospel Albums chart in spring of 2018. ”[7] The project was given 4/5 stars by Bob Marovich in a Journal of Gospel Music review that spotlighted the radio single. “`No Ordinary Worship' is no ordinary worship song and is likely to become Gavin’s signature song," Marovich wrote. "The most robust piece on the album, it’s a deep southern soul-style ballad that benefits greatly from impassioned singing, sassy responses from the BGVs, and an over-the-top sax solo."[8]

Kelontae Gavin with Erica Campbell

## Discography

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### Albums

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* The Higher Experience (2018)
* The N.O.W. Experience (2021)
* Testify (2023)

### Singles

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Title  | Year  | Peak chart positions

|
|

Gospel Airplay
[9] | Top Singles

[4]

"Higher"  | 2016  | —  | 23
"No Ordinary Worship"[10] | 2018  | 5  | —

## Awards and nominations

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Year  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result

|
|
|

2018  | Higher (EP)  | Youth Project of the Year (Stellar Awards)[6] | Nominated
2019  | Kelontae Gavin | New Artist of the Year (2019 Dove Awards)  | Nominated

## References

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1. ^ Caramanica, Jon. “Building a Small Empire Through Viral Gospel”, “The New York Times”, New York, 13 May 2016.
2. ^ a b Harrison, Jenna-Ley. “Teen Making It Big In Gospel Music Industry”, “The Summerville Journal Scene”, Summerville, 15 November 2016.
3. ^ "Kelontae Gavin On Being In Awe Of How God's Anointing Transfers Through Technology [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]". Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell. January 1, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
4. ^ a b Yap, Timothy (November 26, 2016). "Kelontae Gavin Debuts in Billboard Top 25 with "Higher"". Hallels. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
5. ^ Faust, Aliya (June 6, 2017). "Congrats! Teen Gospel Singer Kelontae Gavin Graduates From High He is so fineSchool". Praise 106.1. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
6. ^ a b Hallels (October 2, 2014). "18 Year-Old Kelontae Gavin Earns First Stellar Award Nomination With Debut Full-Length Live Project Coming". www.hallels.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
7. ^ Asker, Jim. "Andy Mineo's `Arrow' Shoots Straight Onto Top Christian Albums, Maranda Curtis Crowns Top Gospel Albums", Billboard, New York, 10 May 2018.
8. ^ Marovich, Bob. "Kelontae Gavin - The Higher Experience", Journal of Gospel Music, Chicago, 10 May 2018.
9. ^ Yap, Timothy. "18 Year-old Worship Leader Kelontae Gavin Makes His Debut on Billboard Chart", "Hallels", Nashville, 26 February 2018.
10. ^ "Kelontae Gavin No Ordinary Worship Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

## External links

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* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz