Joy Lippard—an 18-year-old pop singer and former winner of the Gospel Music Association’s Music in the Rockies competition for songwriting—released her debut album Feb. 24 (Go Global Entertainment/Koch Entertainment Distribution). The self-titled album’s first single, “Miracle,” is getting interest from Christian adult contemporary radio.

Songs 4 Worship Soul (Time Life/Integrity Music/Provident-Integrity) is a compilation of mostly gospel classics sung by soul veterans. Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle, who teamed up for the mega-hit “A Whole New World” in the ’90s, sing Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise.” Other artists on the project include Jody Watley, Brian McKnight and Ruben Studdard. The album released March 31.

Mainstream pop-rock act The Fray released a self-titled sophomore album (Epic Records) Feb. 3, and is teaming up with INO Records (Provident-Integrity) to bring the album to the Christian market. The Fray’s 2005 debut, How to Save a Life, achieved broad, mainstream success and scored several hit singles.

The Jan. 24 issue of Billboard named Revive one of 15 new “Faces to Watch” in 2009. Revive—an Australian pop-rock quartet out with debut album Chorus of the Saints (Consuming Fire Productions/Essential Records/Provident-Integrity), March 10—was the only Christian band featured in the article.

The Stellar Awards, honoring top black gospel artists and performances, was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Jan. 17. Winners for 2009 included Marvin Sapp, whose awards included Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and CD of the Year for Thirsty (Verity Records/Provident-Integrity). Jonathan Nelson took home three awards, including Contemporary CD of the Year, for Right Now Praise (Integrity Music/Provident-Integrity). Dorinda Clark-Cole won Female Vocalist of the Year, and Jessica Greene was named New Artist of the Year.