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Y'anna Crawley brought the audience to its feet as she belted out the gospel standard "Grandma's Hands" on the April 5 episode of the television station BET's "Sunday Best," a gospel-singing competition show.

The 32-year-old Mount Rainier resident's performance left celebrity gospel judges speechless and earned her a spot to advance to the next round. One week later, she advanced again as one of four finalists in the competition chosen by celebrity judges.

"Singing is the only thing that brings me full joy," Crawley said. "If I'm happy, sad or whatever, singing just helps me through a lot."

The second season of "Sunday Best" held auditions in cities across the country and narrowed down the pool of singers to 20 contestants. Out of the top 20, three were from Prince George's County. There are four weeks left in the competition and the winner will be announced May 10.

Clifton Ross III of Hyattsville was eliminated on April 5 after judges picked five contestants to advance. The 24-year-old Howard University student and leader of the Howard Gospel Choir said although he didn't make it to the top five, said he was happy to have had the national platform share his "gift from God."

"It's been so crazy. Everywhere I go someone notices me, just by going to Target, getting on the train or the bus," he said. "It's also been refreshing because everybody I've talked to said they were blessed by my singing and inspired, and that's everything I wanted to do."

Peter Robinson lived in Bladensburg when he auditioned. He said he tried out for the show in honor of his mother.

"She wanted me to audition for the first [season]. She passed away last year and it was almost, for me, a last dying wish of hers," Robinson said. "She inspired me and inspired my singing all my life."

Robinson made it to the top 20 but had to quit his job to perform on the show. He had to move in with family in New Jersey after being eliminated since he had lost his Washington, D.C.-area job.

Although Ross and Robinson were eliminated, Crawley remains on the show, a force to be reckoned with against the other contestants. The show's producers choose the songs each contestant has to sing.

Crawley has been singing since she was 7. She's now a full time singer who also performs with The L!ssen Band. She also freelances as a makeup artist.

Since her appearances on the show, people have approached Crawley with their praises of how she's inspired them to go back to church.

"Singing on this show versus singing on something secular — it's more passionate for me. It's more fulfilling because I'm singing about the hopes and promises of God," she said. "I'm leaving the stage knowing that somebody is getting something positive."

Crawley will be on this Sunday's episode airing at 9 p.m. on BET.

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.