Winifred Nekpen Anetor’s “The Gathering” Earns Recognition at East Midlands Gospel Music Festival 2025

8th September, 2025

By Yinka Olatunbosun

At the East Midlands Gospel Music Festival 2025, gospel singer and creative director Winifred Nekpen Anetor — widely known as Minister Wini Chris — received a prestigious Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to gospel music. While the award itself honours her commitment to uplifting communities, the real story lies in the artistry that earned her this spotlight.

Anetor’s flagship concert series, The Gathering, has quickly established itself as one of the UK’s most compelling gospel events. First staged in the United Kingdom in 2024, it blended Afrobeat rhythms with traditional gospel choruses, offering audiences a sound that felt both rooted and refreshingly innovative. Critics and attendees alike noted how her commanding vocals carried the performances, turning worship into a collective cultural celebration.

Her most recent single, Higher Heights (2025), was the highlight of her UK appearances, drawing audiences in Leeds and Manchester to their feet. The track’s lyrical emphasis on resilience and elevation resonated deeply, while its fusion of choral layering and Afrocentric instrumentation marked a new level of artistic maturity.

What distinguishes Anetor is not only her technical skill but also her ability to create music that transcends borders. The award citation itself recognised her “consistent use of [her] platform The Gathering to strengthen and uplift the community” — a statement that reflects the dual artistic and social impact of her work.

Seen through the lens of this recognition, Anetor’s artistry is not just celebrated for its spiritual depth but also for its cultural relevance. The Gathering and Higher Heights showcase a musician at the height of her powers: bold, innovative, and unafraid to fuse tradition with contemporary sound. The East Midlands Gospel Music Festival has rightly affirmed what audiences across continents already know — Winifred Nekpen Anetor is a voice of international significance.