CeCe Winans Crowns Gospel Airplay Chart: ‘This Song Carries a Message That Is Powerful’
"Believe for It" becomes Winans' third leader.
Gospel cornerstone CeCe Winans banks her third No. 1 on Billboard‘s Gospel Airplay chart (dated Jan. 29) with “Believe for It.” In the tracking week ending Jan. 23, the single gained by 16% in plays, according to MRC Data.
The song follows Winans’ “Never Lost,” which paced the chart a week last May, and “Pray,” which led for two weeks beginning in January 2006.
Winans co-wrote “Believe” with Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee and Mitch Wong.
“We’ve heard that there is no way through / We’ve heard the tide will never change,” Winans sings in her new leader. “They haven’t seen what You can do.”
“I’m so very thankful for all of the support of the gospel radio community once again,” Winans tells Billboard. “The song carries a message that is powerful and more timely than ever. I love that it’s getting to impact so many people with its message of hope.”
“Believe” was also promoted to Christian radio and reached No. 7 on Christian Airplay last August. It marked Winans’ first freshman appearance on the list; her history on Billboard‘s charts, much logged on gospel and R&B/hip-hop surveys, dates to the 1980s.
“Believe” also rang up 12 weeks atop the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart beginning last June. It became her second No. 1 on the list, after “Pray.” In its 48th week on the tally, “Believe” ranks at No. 7. It drew 5.4 million U.S. in all-format radio audience and 950,000 U.S. streams in the tracking week ending Jan. 20.