Crystal Aikin

Crystal Renee Aikin, professionally known as Crystal Aikin, is an American gospel singer and songwriter from Tacoma, Washington. She became widely known after winning the first season of BET’s gospel singing competition Sunday Best in 2007, a breakthrough that transformed her career from a local church singer and emergency room nurse into a nationally recognized gospel recording artist.

Aikin grew up singing in church and developed her musical abilities through choirs, praise and worship teams and local singing groups. Her powerful, expressive voice eventually brought her to a national audience through Sunday Best. Following her victory, she signed with Zomba Gospel, later associated with Verity Records, and released her self-titled debut album in 2009.

Although her recording career has included periods of relative quiet, Aikin has remained active in gospel music. Her catalogue includes the albums Crystal Aikin and All I Need, as well as later singles such as “Trouble Don’t Last,” “He Can Handle It” and “Lord I Need Your Help.” Her music is rooted in contemporary gospel and Christian music, with a strong emphasis on faith, worship and personal testimony.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Musical Background

Crystal Aikin was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington, where church played an important role in her early life. She attended Altheimer Memorial Church of God in Christ and began singing as a child as part of the church’s Sunshine Band.

As she grew older, Aikin became increasingly involved in church music. During her teenage and young adult years, she sang with the church’s praise and worship team and developed a reputation as a vocalist in the Tacoma and Seattle area.

Her early musical experiences also included membership in local singing groups. As a teenager, she performed with a group called Heaven Sent Us. Later, during the late 1990s, she joined the group Soul, which was associated with Hendrix and Trinity Records. Her work with Soul gave her opportunities to perform beyond the Pacific Northwest, including appearances connected with the Gospel Music Workshop of America.

Education and Nursing Career

Music was not Aikin’s only professional interest. She pursued higher education and earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology. In 2005, she enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University, where she studied nursing.

After completing her nursing education, Aikin worked as an emergency room nurse in Tacoma. Her career in healthcare continued even as she remained involved in music and church ministry.

This combination of nursing and music became an important part of her story. Before her national breakthrough, Aikin was balancing professional healthcare work with singing, making her eventual transition into the gospel recording industry particularly significant.

Sunday Best Breakthrough

In 2007, Aikin auditioned for the first season of BET’s Sunday Best, a television competition created to discover new gospel music talent. She progressed through the competition with performances that showcased her strong gospel vocals and eventually emerged as the season’s winner.

Winning Sunday Best changed the direction of her career. As part of her prize, she received a recording contract with Zomba Gospel and gained national exposure through the program. She also received a Toyota Camry.

The victory gave Aikin the opportunity to move from performing primarily in church and local gospel settings to working as a professional recording artist. Her success on the show also helped introduce her to audiences who had not previously encountered her music.

Recording Career

Following her Sunday Best victory, Aikin began work on her debut album. Her self-titled album, Crystal Aikin, was released in 2009 through Verity Records and featured production from several established gospel and R&B producers, including PAJAM, Dre & Vidal and Asaph Ward.

The album reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart and included the single “I Desire More.” Other songs from the project included “Even Me,” “Love Him,” “Lord You Reign Forever” and “Breathe on Me,” the latter featuring Natalie Grant.

The success of the album allowed Aikin to focus more fully on music and move away from her previous nursing career. Her emergence as a recording artist was also recognized by the gospel music industry, with the project earning award attention.

After several years away from releasing a full-length project, Aikin returned in 2015 with All I Need. The seven-track project included “I Won’t Let You Go,” “Mighty to Save,” “Right Here with You,” “Heaven,” “So Amazing” and “So Good.” The album again placed her on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart and demonstrated that her vocal style remained centered on expressive, faith-driven contemporary gospel.

Musical Style and Notable Songs

Aikin’s music is built around a powerful gospel vocal style, with songs that often focus on faith, worship, perseverance and dependence on God. Her performances combine the vocal intensity associated with traditional gospel with contemporary Christian and R&B influences.

“I Desire More” became one of the best-known songs from her debut period and helped introduce her to gospel audiences following Sunday Best. Her later work has included songs such as “So Amazing,” “Mighty to Save” and “I Won’t Let You Go.”

In the 2020s, Aikin continued releasing music independently and through various music partners. “Trouble Don’t Last” was released in 2022, followed by “He Can Handle It” in 2023. The latter was also issued as a live recording. In 2025, she released “Lord I Need Your Help,” demonstrating her continued commitment to gospel music after more than a decade in the recording industry.

Awards and Recognition

Aikin’s Sunday Best victory remains the defining early achievement of her career. Her subsequent recording success established her as a notable contemporary gospel vocalist.

Her debut album received industry recognition, and she was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2010 GMA Dove Awards. She also received Stellar Award recognition following the release of her debut project.

Her appearance on Sunday Best gave her a particularly distinctive place in gospel music history as the inaugural winner of the program. The show became an important platform for introducing gospel singers to a national television audience, and Aikin’s victory launched a recording career that continued beyond her time on the program.

Later Career and Legacy

Crystal Aikin’s career has been defined by the combination of church ministry, professional music and a background in healthcare. Her journey from a Tacoma church singer and emergency room nurse to the first winner of Sunday Best provided a distinctive entry into the American gospel recording industry.

Although she has released music less frequently than during the peak period following her television breakthrough, Aikin has continued to record and perform. Her releases in the 2020s show that she remains connected to contemporary gospel music and continues to use her voice to communicate themes of faith and perseverance.

Her place in gospel music is closely associated with the early success of Sunday Best, but her career extends beyond the television competition. Through her albums, singles and collaborations, Aikin has maintained a body of work that reflects her roots in church music and her development as a contemporary gospel vocalist.