Crystal Aikin’s “He Can Handle It” ascends to No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart (dated June 29). The single increased by 2% in plays June 14-20, according to Luminate.
The song, which was recorded live, was co-written by Nate Bean and Ayron Lewis.
Aikin, from Tacoma, Wash., banks her first chart-topper in her third Gospel Airplay appearance. It follows “So Amazing,” which peaked at No. 21 in March 2015, and “I Desire More,” which hit No. 18 in June 2009.
Aikin has achieved two top 10s in her two appearances on Top Gospel Albums. All I Need arrived at its No. 8 best in February 2015 after her self-titled debut set opened and peaked at No. 3 in January 2009.
Aikin, who earned a nursing degree from Pacific Lutheran University, won the first season of BET’s Sunday Best in 2007. Genre cornerstone Kirk Franklin hosted the talent show from that year to 2021.
‘Look At’ Koryn Hawthorne
Also on Gospel Airplay, Koryn Hawthorne adds her fourth top 10 as “Look at God” rises 12-9 (up 23%). The song, which the Abbeville, La., native co-penned, follows “Speak to Me,” which became her second No. 1 in April 2021, leading for a week. Her rookie entry “Won’t He Do It” began a 19-week command in March 2018 and “Unstoppable” reached No. 5 in June 2019.
On the multimetric Hot Gospel Songs tally, Hawthorne has three chart-toppers. As a finalist on the eighth season of NBC’s The Voice, she first led with “How Great Thou Art,” which she performed on the show, for a week in April 2015. “Won’t He Do It” dominated for 41 weeks beginning in March 2018, the chart’s longest reign ever by a female artist, and “Speak to Me” ruled for 19 frames beginning in November 2020.
