Brother and sister duo BeBe and CeCe Winans … they’re just like us!
The hit gospel singers recently teamed up to co-host the 40th Stellar Awards. Filmed earlier in the month, the star-studded show honoring the best in gospel will air Sunday, Aug. 31 at 8/7c on BET. Ahead of the telecast they opened up to PEOPLE about their faith, their unbreakable bond with late pal Whitney Houston and their very relatable sibling relationship.
“It’s always an exciting thing to be, first of all, with family,” BeBe, 62, tells PEOPLE of working with his sister CeCe, on the show. “Our relationship will always be the foundation that my mom and dad taught us. When one Winans wins, all Winans win. When one Winans loses, all Winans lose. We have each other and that’s our foundation.”
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For CeCe, 60, who picked up two wins out of three nominations for her 2024 praise and worship album More Than This, their bond, “is as real as it gets,” she says. “We have different opinions and will disagree, but we agree on the most important thing, and that is God is real and we belong to him. And it’s an honor and a privilege to be able to sing the good news. And that’s true for us and all of our siblings.”
When it comes to those disagreements, they learned early on to keep it civil.
“Our parents, they would never support us fighting. Actually, we used to get whippings for trying to fight when we were little,” says CeCe. “But disagreements, oh yeah, we disagree. And we both understand the importance of an apology as well. Because we both make mistakes,” she says, adding, “I’m probably the first to apologize.”
Though she wasn’t blood-related, late friend Whitney Houston was like a sibling to the pair. “It’s been 13 years,” CeCe says of Houston’s passing. “I love her and I miss her, but she will always be alive because of the memories that we do have and also because of the music. I was in the store the other day, you walk in and there she is.”
Adds BeBe, “We miss her incredible talent, but I miss her heart. I miss the laughter we shared.” CeCe agrees. “That laugh is what I miss most about her. Getting those calls every now and then, like ‘Hey, sis, how you doing?’ Her visits and the times we’ve spent on stage singing. She loved singing gospel. She would show up on tour with BeBe and I and would love to sing in the background with that voice.”
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Over the years, they would exchange sage advice.
“My advice to Whitney was really to understand how much she was loved and how to be strong in the midst of adversity. Because Whitney’s shoes were not easy shoes to be in,” says CeCe. “She was extremely famous and pulled in every different direction. And so my desire for her was that she could rest and behold.”
On the other hand, “Whitney was an incredible encourager for BeBe and I and for probably anybody who knew her. She loved to encourage you and celebrate you and use her platform to elevate you. I look back and I realize how big of a star she was, how huge her platform was. She was a global star for sure, but at heart, she was just my sister and she loved us and wanted to take care of us and wanted us to benefit from where she was.”
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With the star-studded show airing this weekend (where Pastor Mike, Jr. picked up eight awards as the night’s biggest winner) BeBe and CeCe are looking forward to bringing that type of love and encouragement to the world.
“One of the things I love the most and is unique about the Stellar Awards is that we celebrate not only music, but we celebrate the message of hope,” says BeBe. “We celebrate the message of peace and real love, the love of God who has sustained us and who will continue to sustain us through what we’re going through in the world we live in. I think more than ever, we need shows like this.”
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His sister couldn’t agree more. “Our world is going through a lot right now. I’m so grateful that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted,” she says. “Right now I’m praying for those who are hurting.”
The 40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards will premiere Sunday, Aug. 31 at 8/7c on BET.
