Love, peace, and soul: Predicting the 2020 Soul Train Awards winners

Nominees:

Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
H.E.R. feat. YG – “Slide”
Summer Walker & Usher – “Come Thru”
Usher feat. Ella Mai – “Don’t Waste My Time”

Winner: Chloe x Halle – “Do It”

When Chloe x Halle first came onto the scene in 2016, the duo catered to a younger audience due to being teenagers themselves. However, their second studio album "Ungodly Hour" showcases how much they are looking to attract older, yet still young and hip type of crowd. One of the album's standout singles is the Scott Storch-produced "Do It," a song that became popular thanks to a viral TikTok dance challenge. 

Nominees:

Brandy - B7
Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour
Chris Brown & Young Thug - Slime & B
Jhené Aiko - Chilombo
Summer Walker - Over It
The Weeknd - After Hours

Winner: Jhené Aiko - Chilombo

Fans can always count on Jhené Aiko to release songs about love, heartbreak, hookups, life, and loss, themes that are all evident on her third studio album "Chilombo." The album includes a number of features from artists such as H.E.R., Miguel, Future, Big Sean, Nas, and Ty Dolla $ign. 

Nominees:

Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint JHN & Wizkid – “Brown Skin Girl”
Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown – “Go Crazy” feat. Young Thug
H.E.R. – “Slide” feat. YG
Lizzo – “Good As Hell”
Skip Marley & H.E.R. – “Slow Down”

Winner: Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint JHN & Wizkid – “Brown Skin Girl”

Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl" reminds Black and Brown people to love the skin they're in. While society constantly judges and discriminates against Black and Brown people, "Brown Skin Girl" displays how young women are proud to shine in their truest form. The video showcases the beauty of girls of all ages, different shades of Brown hues, countless hairstyles, along with cameos from Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rowland, and Lupita Nyong'o.

Nominees:

Alicia Keys
Beyoncé
Brandy
H.E.R.
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker

Winner: H.E.R.

Although she hasn't released a full album just yet, H.E.R. is easily becoming a star on her own terms. Not only can her lyrics help soothe anyone through ups and downs in their love life, but she's also stellar at playing the piano and guitar. As fans await her debut album, they still keep her hit songs like "Slide" and "Damage" in heavy rotation. 

Nominees:

Anderson .Paak
Charlie Wilson
Chris Brown
PJ Morton
The Weeknd
Usher

Winner: Usher

While Usher is the epitome of an artist with true longevity, he is also the ultimate triple-threat: singer, dancer, and actor. Even after being in the industry for over 25 years, fans still anticipate what a new Usher album sounds like. Over the past year, he's released collaborations with Ella Mai, Ludacris, and Lil Jon. He also worked with Summer Walker on her hit single, "Come Thru" that sampled Usher's 1997 classic "You Make Me Wanna..." 

Nominees:

Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
H.E.R. feat. YG – “Slide”
Ne-Yo feat. Jeremih – “U 2 Luv”
Skip Marley & H.E.R. – “Slow Down”
Summer Walker & Usher – “Come Thru”
Usher feat. Ella Mai – “Don’t Waste My Time”

Winner: Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”

Besides dropping their own hot songs, Chris Brown and Young Thug are frequent collaborators with other artists, it only made sense for the two artists to drop a joint mixtape. Their "Slime & B" EP featured the hit single "Go Crazy," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. With a catchy sample of The Shopboys' classic hit "Drag Rap," the single gained a lot of social media popularity with the dance-crazed #GoCrazyChallenge.

Nominees:

Giveon
Layton Greene
Lonr.
Saint JHN
Snoh Aalegra
Victoria Monét

Winner: Snoh Aalegra

In the summer of 2019, Snoh Aalegra released her second studio album "Ugh, Those Feels Again." The album featured hit singles such as "I Want You Around" and "Whoa" with production from the likes of D'Mile and No I.D. Throughout this past year, she's collaborated with artists including Alicia Keys, dvsn, Vic Mensa, and fellow nominee Giveon. 

Nominees: 

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled feat. Drake – “Popstar”
Drake feat. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”

Winner: Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are here to showcase how women are dominating hip-hop and they're showing no signs of slowing down. Although some critics deemed their hit song "WAP" as too explicit and suggestive, it's more of a twerk anthem for women to be comfortable with their sexual prowess. "WAP" became a number one hit across several Billboard charts, proving just how much women run the music game. 

Nominees:

Beyoncé, Shatta Wale & Major Lazer – “Already”
Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
Danileigh feat. DaBaby – “Levi High”
Missy Elliott – “Why I Still Love You”
Teyana Taylor – “Bare Wit Me”

Winner: Beyoncé, Shatta Wale & Major Lazer – “Already”

Beyoncé's "Black Is King" is a visual album based on the 2019 soundtrack, "The Lion King: The Gift." One of the album's standouts "Already" is an Afrobeats collaboration between Bey, Shatta Wale and Major Lazer. In the video, Bey showcases a myriad of Black excellence, from choreography, to vibrant art, to luxurious fashions. 

Nominees: 

Bebe Winans
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Marvin Sapp
PJ Morton
The Clark Sisters

Winner: PJ Morton

To some fans, PJ Morton is a member of pop band Maroon 5, to other fans, he's known for releasing R&B albums. In the summer of 2020, Morton decided to release his first gospel album properly titled, "Gospel According to PJ: From the Songbook of PJ Morton." Throughout the album, Morton brings conversation between him and his father (a preacher), while collaborating with some of the biggest names in gospel including Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, and The Clark Sisters.

Nominees:

Brandy
Fantasia
Kelly Rowland
Ledisi
Monica
PJ Morton

Winner: Brandy

Brandy's debut studio album released over 25 years ago and she's still regarded as one of the timeless voices of all time. After an eight-year hiatus, Brandy released her seventh studio album "B7" to rave reviews. Earlier this year, Brandy also reunited with Monica for an episode of Verzuz, in which the two powerhouse singers made amends and celebrated each other's catalog of hits. 

Nominees:

“Black Parade” – Written By: Akil King, Beyonce Knowles Carter, Brittany Coney, Denisia Andrews, Derek James Dixie, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk, Rickie Caso Tice, Shawn Carter, Stephen Bray (Beyoncé)

“Do It” – Written By: Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Scott Storch, Victoria Monet, Vincent Van Den Ende, Anton Kuhl (Chloe x Halle)

“Go Crazy” – Written By: Cameron Devaun Murphy, Christopher Brown, Dounia Aznou, Jeffrey Lamar Williams, Johnny Kelvin, Kaniel Castaneda, Omari Akinlolu, Orville Hall, Patrizio Pigliapoco, Phillip Price, Said Aznou, Soraya Benjelloun, Tre Samuels, Turrell Sims, Wayne Samuels, Zakaria Kharbouch (Chris Brown & Young Thug)

“I Can’t Breathe” – Written By: H.E.R. (H.E.R.)

“Playing Games” – Written By: Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller, London Holmes, Kendall Roark Bailey, Cameron Griffin, Aubrey Robinson, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelendria Rowland, Letoya Luckett, Latavia Roberson, Lashawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney Jerkins (Summer Walker feat. Bryson Tiller)

“Slide” – Written By: Charles Carter, Elijah Dias, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Keenon Daequan Ray Jackson, Roger Parker, Ron Latour, Shawn Carter, Steven Arrington, Tiara Thomas, Waung Hankerson (H.E.R. feat. YG)

Winner: “I Can’t Breathe” – Written By: H.E.R. (H.E.R.)

The Songwriter's Award is one of the show's most prestigious honors, rightfully named after Motown pen duo Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. H.E.R. released her powerful "I Can't Breathe" song in response to the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other victims at the hands of police brutality. "I Can't Breathe" is a solid example of creating art as a sign of the times.