BY MATT KITE for WEEKLY VOLCANO 06/13/25
Crystal Aikin, Tacoma’s own superstar vocalist, will be among a full line-up of talented musical artists performing on Thursday, June 19, at Stewart Heights Park as part of what organizers are calling the state’s largest Juneteenth celebration. Festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. and will run until 5:00 p.m.
For the uninitiated, Aikin is a renowned gospel singer who believes “God put a spiritual anointing” on her voice. But you don’t have to be familiar with the gospel genre or sign off on any supernatural claims to appreciate her singing. Put simply, the woman has pipes.
Aikin broke through on the national stage in 2007 when she won the inaugural season of BET’s Sunday Best, a reality TV show that showcases the best gospel singers in America. For her efforts, she walked away with a recording contract and a new Toyota Camry. Since then, she has released two albums, made countless live appearances, and won her share of acclaim, including the Stellar Awards’ New Artist of the Year in 2010.
Aikin’s style is best described as uplifting. Her voice is smooth, on pitch, and powerful, and she shows plenty of emotional range, veering from delicate to soaring. Whether she’s belting, crooning, or emoting a fragile emotion, she makes it all sound effortless. Her voice cuts but never grates.
Perhaps her most infectious performance can be heard on the track “I Won’t Let You Go,” which she released in 2015 as part of her album All I Need. A booty shaker with a catchy refrain (“I’ma stay right here, I ain’t goin’ nowhere”), the song features a thumping bass line, meaty drums, and a rowdy horn section.
Aikin, who grew up in Tacoma, followed in her mother’s footsteps by earning a nursing degree at Pacific Lutheran University more than a decade ago. These days, she wears several hats. Along with being a national recording artist and registered nurse, she’s a preacher, worship pastor, and writer.
Aikin began her nascent singing career in the pews at Altheimer Memorial Church of God in Christ, where she sang in the choir in her youth. She then went on to perform with local groups Heaven Sent Us and Soul. The latter put her on stage at the Gospel Music Workshop of America and broadened her experience and exposure. She’s been turning heads ever since.
Others performing at Juneteenth include gospel legend and Detroit native Fred Hammond. Widely considered the founder of urban praise and worship music—an offshoot of contemporary gospel—Hammond makes use of several styles, ranging from R&B to hip-hop. He won a Grammy in 2008 for his album Free to Worship. His latest single with FK&M, “Change Your Mind,” peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard gospel airplay chart earlier this spring.
Rounding out the Juneteenth lineup will be Soul for Real, Lega’C Jone, R3fresh, Rontrell Brimmer, Krusal, and C-$tutta.
On June 19, 1865, more than two months after the Civil War ended, Major General Gordon Granger officially enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas—slavery’s last holdout in the U.S. Americans have been commemorating Juneteenth ever since. The date became a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden, standing beside Opal Lee—often called the “grandmother of Juneteenth”—signed it into law. The legislative effort took decades to bear fruit.
This is the third straight year Juneteenth will be celebrated at Stewart Heights Park. According to organizers, more than 12,000 people attended last year’s festival.
