For the fourth year, nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on primetime television as part of “The GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night®,” a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE.

“What a dream to be nominated for a Grammy,” says Grant. “But the sweetest part is that it’s for the performance of the song “Alive,” which my husband co-wrote and co-produced, so this is extra special for me.”

Throughout the world, Natalie Grant is known for her breathtaking vocal abilities, her heart-gripping lyrics, stirring performances and her fearless work to help victims of human trafficking.

Over her career, Grant has gained prominence as a major contemporary Christian singer and songwriter, breaking out in an unprecedented way with chart-topping songs and hit records, headlining multiple nationwide tours, appearing at major women’s events and has been positioned continually as Christian music’s top female artist. She was awarded the Gospel Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year four times and remains one of the most loved and recognized and respected voices in the industry.

Natalie Grant NOMINATED FOR 2012 GRAMMY AWARD is a post from: Natalie Grant

The 21st Anniversary Covenant House Candlelight Vigil in Times Square, sponsored by Aviva USA life and annuity company, also will feature the first-ever Covenant House CEO Solidarity Sleepout. Following the Nov. 17 vigil in Times Square, more than 40 influential leaders will be sleeping out in the shadow of the Covenant House New York Crisis Shelter in solidarity with homeless youth.

“On Nov. 17 and 18, we are going to transform Times Square and our crisis shelter into centers of hope and solidarity for homeless youth,” said Covenant House President Kevin Ryan. “Natalie Grant will light up Times Square with an inspirational performance. After the vigil, we will march back to our crisis shelter with 300 of our homeless kids and a generous group of CEOs and business leaders will sleep in cardboard boxes outside our crisis shelter.

“These leaders have selflessly decided they want to walk in our kids’ shoes and experience, if only for one night, some of what our kids go through,” said Ryan. “We will sleep out to show our support and to raise awareness that thousands of young people are struggling to survive every night on our streets.”

The vigil in Times Square begins at 6 p.m. and will feature Grant, Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year for four consecutive years (2006-2009) and the top-selling adult contemporary female solo artist in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Grant is also an outspoken advocate for victims of human trafficking. Abolition International, which Grant created in 2005, has raised a significant amount of funds and awareness to fight the trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

“We are honored to have Natalie share her incredible talent with us in Times Square,” said Ryan. “Her songs are inspirational, and she has dedicated her life to raising money and awareness for child victims of trafficking around the world.” The vigil also will feature homeless youth from Covenant House, who will share stories of their journey through homelessness to independence.

Following the vigil, Covenant House will host the CEO Solidarity Sleepout on the concrete near the shelter at 460 West 41st St. with high-ranking executives hoping to improve this corner of the world. Among those planning to sleep out are: Philip Andryc of Berens Capital Management; Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees; Bill Donahoe of Allegiance Retail Services/Foodtown; Gary Dubois of Crum & Forster/Seneca; Dave Eklund of Aeolus Reinsurance; Tom Glocer of Thomson Reuters; Jeff Kaplan of Deerfield Management; Geraldine Laybourne, co-founder of the Oxygen Network and chairman of Alloy Entertainment; Julio Alfonso Portalatin of Chartis Growth Economies; George P. Reeth of Companion Property and Casualty; Adam Silver of the NBA; and Strauss Zelnick of Zelnick Media.

“No one can do this work alone, so we appreciate Aviva USA sponsoring this vigil, which will help thousands of kids in the years to come,” said Ryan. “Our friends at ABC, NASDAQ, Reuters, and Toshiba are donating their screens for the evening in Times Square to shine a light on the problems our kids face. And, of course, the business leaders who are leaving their homes to sleep in solidarity with our kids are showing a commitment and love for our kids that will make a tremendous impact. It is all of us working together that will save more lives and give a voice to the thousands of homeless kids who are alone on the streets.”

Covenant House provides 24/7 crisis care and on-going support for homeless young people in need of a safe haven.  Assistance can be found by simply calling the Covenant House NINELINE (1-800-999-9999) or visiting www.nineline.org. More information about Covenant House and resources for homeless youth can be found at www.covenanthouse.org.

COVENANT HOUSE CONTACT:

Tom Manning
(212) 727-4920 (office)
(845) 365-0676 (cell)
tmanning@covenanthouse.org
www.ceosleep.org

21st Anniversary Covenant House Vigil for Homeless Youth is a post from: Natalie Grant

The Story Tour is a post from: Natalie Grant

WATCH:

ENTER: Watch “Decision” on gmc with Natalie and re-tweet about the movie debut on October 16th using the hashtag #gmcDecision to be entered for a chance to win

WIN: One winner who has used the hashtag #gmcDecision will be randomly selected to win Natalie’s complete discography plus 2 tickets and a meet and greet for one concert on “The Story” tour in December. (Winner will be responsible for travel, lodging, and other expenses – tickets and meet and greet will be provided for the winner’s choice city on “The Story” tour.)

** Example tweets:
Watch & Win with @nataliegrant: 2 Tix to “The Story” tour & her complete CD collection by Tweeting about Decision; must include #gmcDecision to enter

Watch & Win with @nataliegrant on #gmcDecision tonight on @gmctv at 7 pm and 9 pm EST – RT for a chance to win.

Watch And Win With Natalie Grant is a post from: Natalie Grant

PREMIERES SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 7 PM AND 9 PM EST ON gmc

Atlanta, Ga –October 10, 2011 –Dedicated to providing uplifting music and family entertainment, gmc announces the acting debut of four-time GMA Dove Award Female Vocalist of the Year Natalie Grant this Sunday in the gmc world premiere movie, Decision. Sharing the story of a family in despair rediscovering their faith, Decision debuts October 16 at 7 PM and 9 PM EST as well as re-airing Sunday, October 23 at 11 AM EST.

Grant stars in this touching and dramatic movie dealing with family, loss, love and faith. Decision also features award-winning country music star Billy Dean as well as the theme song by American Idol contestant Ricky Braddy (Season 8).

“I’m so excited that my debut acting role was in a film that offers so much hope and stresses the importance of faith and family,” shares Grant. “I was also honored to work along side some wonderful people who were patient with me and helped this ‘rookie’ every step of the way!”

In this uplifting drama, Grant stars as Ilene, a mother struggling to make ends meet after the tragic death of her firefighter husband (Billy Dean). When she begins to lose control of her heartbroken teenage son Jackson (Michael Rosenbaum), she reaches out to her estranged father Wyatt (Rusty Whitener) to take in the troubled boy. Gradually, they form a bond that will require Jackson to find an inner strength he never knew he had to avert yet another family tragedy.

For a sneak peak of the movie, check out the trailer on watchgmctv.com.

Decision is a post from: Natalie Grant

Live, Love, Give, T- Shirt Sale! (Ends 9/23/11) is a post from: Natalie Grant

Thanks to you and your incredible support, Natalie won the category with 45% of the vote. To see the full list of winners, click here.

Fans are also encouraged to vote for Natalie as ARTIST OF THE YEAR in the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. Each person may vote once via internet and once via SMS text messaging.

To vote online : Visit http://www.watchgmctv.com/fanvote and follow the instructions to select NATALIE GRANT as Artist of the Year

To vote via text: Text DOVE NGRANT to 72648 [note: you must include a space between 'DOVE' and 'NGRANT']

Natalie Grant WINS ‘Best Female Vocalist’ in 2011 About.com Readers’ Choice Awards! is a post from: Natalie Grant

And guess what?  YOU get to make your voice heard in the selection process!

To vote, simply visit http://christianmusic.about.com/library/bl-readers-choice-awards-2011.htm

Natalie Grant Nominated In 2011 About.com Readers Choice Awards is a post from: Natalie Grant

Sadie Rose was born at 8:35am on Friday, December 17, 2010. She is 19 inches long, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Both mommy and baby are recovering well.

Sadie Rose is the third daughter of Christian powerhouse vocalist Natalie Grant and her husband, songwriter/producer Bernie Herms. The couple welcomed twin girls—Isabella and Grace—in February of 2007, after being told that they may never be able to conceive. Sadie Rose was due on Christmas Day, but arrived a week early—a true Christmas miracle!

After a brief hiatus, Natalie Grant will resume her performance schedule in February of 2011, followed by a nationwide Spring tour with MercyMe and Brandon Heath. Natalie experienced the highest-selling debut of her career when her newest album, Love Revolution, hit stores in August of 2010. Her new single, “Your Great Name,” is currently headed to radio.

NATALIE GRANT & BERNIE HERMS WELCOME NEWBORN BABY GIRL– SADIE ROSE HERMS is a post from: Natalie Grant

The counselor knew all too well what these women went through. When she was 12 her parents took her to Mumbai for her birthday. Her brother traveled with them. When they got off the train, the woman told Grant, she was separated from her family.
She began to cry endlessly. A man came up and said he would help. He didn’t. He had purchased her from her parents, whom she said thought that she would be getting a job and sending money back to their village.

Instead she was thrown in the trunk of a car, and that night she began her horrific journey into sex slavery.
Years later, after being rescued and going through a “restoration” program, she met Grant, a popular Christian music singer who grew up near Seattle, Washington, never giving thought to sex trafficking. There was one word they both understood.
“She just kept looking at me and she kept saying, ‘Jesus’ over and over,” Grant said. “In my American, comfortable life I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It wrecked me for life.”

It was also a force in Grant, a four-time female vocalist of the year at the Dove Awards, starting a charity, The Home Foundation, to provide assistance for the battered and abused women rescued from trafficking.
Her mission started in 2004, when Grant was shocked as she watched a episode of “Law & Order” on human trafficking. She knew the show was based in fact and it bothered her so much she turned on the computer and spent hours that night searching the Web for information about trafficking.

“I found the Trafficking in Persons report for that year, and I just started reading it, and I thought, why don’t I know this already,” she said. “I watch the news all the time, why don’t I know more about this?”

Within months, Grant had arranged a trip to India with her husband, music producer Bernie Herms, where their guide showed them the seedier side of life. Many of the street girls — some as young as 5 — were going to be sold and raped repeatedly that night, she said the guide told her.

“I’d be hard pressed to find a human being who would see that — outside of the men who are the buyers — that wouldn’t be appalled by that,” she said. “That doesn’t mean everyone is going to come back and say I have to change it. But I believe enough in the human heart that it would at least wreck you, at least mess you up a little bit.”

In her research, Grant found some stunning statistics. There are more sex slaves now than at any point in history, she said. More than 80 percent of them are women and girls. In the United States, there are more than 100,000 people who had been trafficked and less than 50 beds in shelters for those rescued, she said.

Grant knows that as a touring Christian music singer and someone who does a lot of media interviews, she has a unique platform from which she can drive a faith-based movement to fight trafficking. Faith-based because she feels the church is best suited at “restoring the broken.”

So she started the Home Foundation in 2005 to raise money and partner with other charities to help out. For the first four years, it sent a lot of its money to causes overseas.

Grant, who figured she’d just get up at her concerts and ask the audience for money, said it’s become a lot more than that.
In my American, comfortable life I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It wrecked me for life.” –Christian music singer Natalie Grant on meeting a victim of human trafficking

Now, the goal is to build shelters, starting with 10 major U.S. cities. Grant also proudly talked about the new Christian Trafficking Shelter Association, which she likened to a Better Business Bureau of shelters. The foundation also has a growing internship program, she said.

Jeff Barrows, the director of the association, said by e-mail there are four centers that house young victims of sex trafficking, with one more building being renovated.  He thinks the United States is doing a good job in arresting and convicting sex traffickers, but there is still more the government can do.  ”I personally believe that the U.S. is doing very well in prosecution, but could make some major strides in protection and prevention, especially when it comes to domestic minor sex trafficking victims,” he said in the e-mail.

Barrows said his group will make sure shelters follow “established standards of care” and said Grant has been instrumental in helping.  ”She has shown leadership by realizing the need to develop best practices in this field so that efforts to help these victims are not haphazard or at worst, cause further harm to them,” he said in the e-mail. Grant appeals for more than just money these days. ”We can all do something,” she said.  Write your congressmen to tell them to do more for the victims of sex trafficking, Grant said. She also would like people to boycott the website Craigslist until it stops selling adult ads or ask the religious leaders at their houses of worship to see what they are doing with their missions.  Most churches are very receptive to her sharing information during her concerts, she said, but not all.  ”There was one church that said, “We know you do that whole trafficking thing, but we just don’t want you to do that tonight. We just want you to do a real family-friendly concert,” she said, palpable annoyance in her voice.  ”I’m thinking, you’re missing the whole purpose of what God wanted church to be,” she said.
A portion of the proceeds from Grant’s new album, “Love Revolution,” will go to the Home Foundation. The CD is a reminder to Christians that a spiritual life is more than attending church each week.  The album is a call to action to let your life be your message, to let your lifestyle and the way that you live be the message of Christ’s love.

“It’s a return to being church rather than doing church,” she said. Grant is somewhat collected now, but she has another tale of a girl who was forced into slavery.  She recounts meeting the girl at one of her concert meet-and-greets last year. The girl was much like the others who attend her shows: young, good kid, active in her church. One day, she met a cute boy at a smoothie place. He invited her to a party and told her he’d have her back by 10.  She got in the car with him, ”Three weeks later the police found her. For sale, on Craigslist,” she said. “It’s not like she was a runaway. She was just a 16 year old from a Christian school who just went to Jamba Juice. And she was trafficked.”

Singer’s Mission: Help Restore The Souls Of Former Sex Slaves is a post from: Natalie Grant