Gospel recording artist Kierra Sheard will receive the BMI Impact Award at the 2026 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, held Tuesday, July 21, at BMI's Nashville office. The honor recognizes her career-long influence on the direction of gospel music.
The private ceremony will also spotlight the songwriters, producers, and publishers behind the past year's 25 most-performed gospel songs in the U.S., with BMI naming its Gospel Song, Songwriter, and Publisher of the Year during the event.
"Kierra Sheard is one of the most influential and dynamic voices in gospel music today," said Catherine Brewton, BMI's Vice President of Creative, Atlanta. "Through her exceptional talents and commitment to inspiring others, Kierra continues to shape the genre and impact audiences around the world."
Sheard was born into gospel royalty as the daughter of Grammy-winning singer and pastor Karen Clark Sheard and Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Sr., pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ. Since debuting as a solo artist with "I Owe You" in 2004, she has released multiple albums that blend traditional gospel roots with contemporary R&B, earning five No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart. Her 2020 self-titled project, "KIERRA," further cemented her as one of the genre's leading voices.
Across her career, Sheard has earned four Grammy nominations, seven Stellar Awards, three Dove Awards, and four BMI Awards, and was named BMI's Gospel Songwriter of the Year in 2022. The upcoming Impact Award adds to a legacy built on using her voice, and her family's deep gospel heritage, to shape the next generation of the genre.
