Selah (band)

Selah
Origin Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres Contemporary Christian, gospel
Years active 1997–present[1]
Labels Curb
Website selahonline.com
Members
Past members Nicol Sponberg
Melodie Crittenden

Selah is a contemporary Christian vocal trio consisting of Todd Smith, Allan Hall, and Amy Perry. They have won seven Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and sold more than 4 million album and single units combined. The group has been featured on The 700 Club, Hour of Power, and TBN.

Group history

1997–2004: Original lineup

Selah was originally formed by brother and sister, Todd and Nicol Smith (now Nicol Sponberg), along with friend Allan Hall.[2] The group quickly gained success with the release of their first album, Be Still My Soul, in 1999. They quickly earned a reputation for being able to reveal the heart of any song they recorded,[3] transforming old Christian hymns into a more modern style and with their powerful voices and beautiful harmonies.[4] Todd and Nicol, who spent their childhood in Subsaharan Africa, brought many African elements to their songs as well. They are as comfortable singing in Kituba, as they are in English.[2] Todd gives credit for his music career to his missionary upbringing. "I've been singing in front of people since I was three," he said. "My parents are missionaries. When we came back to the United States, we had to visit each church that sponsored us. That was a good training ground."[5] They also did well-known covers of already-famous songs such as "You Raise Me Up" by Secret Garden and "Bless the Broken Road" by Marcus Hummon. Selah went on to win a Dove Award for their debut album.

Their second album Press On was released in 2001, and also won a Dove Award, along with many nominations for individual songs in the album.

In April 2000, Nicol Smith released her self-titled solo debut on Curb Records.[6] She met and married Greg Sponberg in 2003. Nicol Sponberg released her second solo album, Resurrection (Curb Records), in 2004. The single "Crazy In Love" crossed over to the secular Adult Contemporary charts while songs like "Safe" continued to earn her airplay on Christian radio. Todd also produced a solo album, Alive, in 2004.

2005–2012

Nicol left the group in 2004 to pursue a solo career, and for most of 2005 Melodie Crittenden sang with the group.[7]

The 2006 Bless the Broken Road album was a project that teamed original Selah members Allan Hall and Todd Smith with a wide variety of guest singers.

After auditioning 15 female vocalists, Amy Perry became a full-time member based on her vocal abilities and spirituality.[7] Allan Hall also began to get a more active singing role, from originally being the band's accompanist.

2013–present

In 2014, Selah released You Amaze Us. The title track debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Christian Soft AC chart, becoming the first song in the history of the chart to do so.[8] "You Amaze Us” spent a concurrent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Christian Soft AC chart.

In 2014, Amy Perry and Alan Hall also released solo albums – Glory All Around (Perry) and Work of Love (Hall).

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Singles

Year Title Peak chart
position		 Chart Album
2001 "Wonderful, Merciful Savior" 1 Inspirational Press On
2005 "You Raise Me Up" 1 Soft AC Hiding Place
2006 "Bless the Broken Road" 5 Soft AC Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album
2011 "I Turn to You" 1 Inspirational Hope of the Broken World
2013 "It Must Be You" 1 Soft AC Single
2014 "You Amaze Us" 1 Soft AC You Amaze Us

Appearances on other albums

Dove Awards and nominations

Year Category Nominated work Result
2000 Inspirational Album of the Year Be Still My Soul Won
2002 Press On Won
Traditional Recorded Gospel Song "Hold On" Won
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year "Wonderful, Merciful Savior" Nominated
Group of the Year Nominated
2003 Nominated
2005 Artist of the Year Nominated
Group of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year "You Raise Me Up" Nominated
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year Nominated
Inspirational Album of the Year Hiding Place Won
Worship Song of the Year "I Bless Your Name" Nominated
2006 Inspirational Album of the Year Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album Won
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year "All My Praise" Nominated
Inspirational Album of the Year Greatest Hymns Nominated
Special Event Album of the Year WOW Christmas (Green) Nominated
Worship Song of the Year "Be Thou My Vision" Nominated
2007 Song of the Year "Bless the Broken Road" Nominated
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year Nominated
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year "Glory" Nominated
Group of the Year Nominated
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year "Be Thou Near To Me" Nominated
2012 Hope of the Broken World Won
2012 Inspirational Recorded Album of the Year Won
2013 Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year "It Must be You" Nominated
2014 "You Amaze Us" Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Biography". Christianmusiclighthouse.com. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Nicol Smith". Thefish.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  3. ↑ "About Selah". Webstix. Archived from the original on March 14, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Selah". Christianmusic.about.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  5. ↑ Krieg, Sheryl (February 17, 2010). "Christian group Selah is more than music". The News-Sentinel. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Selah's Nicol Smith Ready to Solo". Billboard. March 25, 2000.
  7. 1 2 "Selah: Blessing the Broken Road". Cbn.com. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  8. ↑ http://www.hearitfirst.com/news/selahs-you-amaze-us-debuts-at-number-1-as-history-making-title-cut-tops-chart-for-11-consecutive-weeks
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