Minneapolis's Jovonta Patton prepares for debut on gospel music's biggest stage

MINNEAPOLIS – A local Gospel artist is taking his chart-rising song to the big stage. 

Minneapolis northside native Jovonta Patton has been selected to sing at the Stellar Awards Pre-Show. 

Patton's song "Always" – which he wrote, produced and performed – is climbing the Billboards gospel charts.

"We are number eight and it's still rising. We're getting almost a million impressions a week on the song," Patton said.

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The song is featured on his fourth album, "Established," which has caught the attention of giants in the gospel music industry.  Now, the album's most-heard single was selected to be heard by all on gospel music's biggest stage, the Stellar Awards.

"He says, 'Hey, you know you got chose to sing at the Stellar Pre-Show.' I said, 'What? I didn't know that.' And he said, 'Well yeah, I'll be sending over the email and everything in a couple of hours, and so congratulations!' And it was just like, wait, huh?" Patton said.

He says this opportunity was one he prayed for while attending the Stellar Awards in 2015.  

"I sat on the side, I said, 'I'm going to be on that stage,' and I just spoke it. I just believed God for it," he said. "And so to be in the manifestation, to be going next week it is wild."

Patton comes from humble beginnings. He has financed and sold all of his music on his own. He is not signed to a major label. His label, Newton Street Entertainment, is a tribute to his northside upbringing.

"I'm a northsider, so northside, I just feel like this is for the northside," he said. "I'm very excited to sing a song that I wrote, I put my hard-earned money and time in, and that it's actually doing what gospel music is supposed to do."

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He hopes this opportunity sheds light on the overlooked gospel talent in Minnesota. Patton believes his path could be an example for others waiting for a big break. 

"Hopefully this is like an encouragement to say keep going and the right people will see you," he said.

Patton will be featured on the Stellar Awards Pre-Show in Las Vegas on July 14.

The show airs on BET, which is owned by Paramount Global, which also owns WCCO News. 

Reg Chapman joined WCCO-TV in May of 2009. He came to WCCO from WNBC-TV in New York City where he covered an array of stories for the station including the Coney Island plane crash, the crane collapse on the city's east side, 50 shots fired at motorist Sean Bell by New York Police, and a lacrosse team assault at Fairfield High School in Connecticut.