NEWS SOURCE: Word
September 18, 2013

Nashville, TN - (September 18, 2013) - On September 17 at an event in Franklin, TN, Pepsi MidAmerica unveiled their Christian Artist Can Panel Series which features Fervent Records' Francesca Battistelli (Diet Pepsi) in addition to fellow Christian artists Matt Maher (Dr. Pepper), Matthew West (Pepsi) and TobyMac (Mountain Dew). Each artist is featured on three million cans for a total of 12 million cans available throughout the Midwest this fall. The Christian Artist Can Panel Series were first announced at the inaugural K-LOVE Fan Awards in June.

"It is so surreal to see my face on a Pepsi can," said Battistelli. "I am beyond excited to see God reach many lives through these cans and the songs each artist is giving away. It's a fantastic honor."

"Pepsi MidAmerica is honored to partner with K-LOVE to present the Christian Artist Can Panel series featuring some of Christian music's finest artists," added Lee Crisp, President & COO, Pepsi MidAmerica. "These Pepsi cans were originally intended to quench thirst but now we realize they're able to quench a deeper thirst…a thirst of the soul."

Included on each can is a link offering a free song download from the artist associated with the can. Fans can purchase a collector series which includes all four cans in the K-LOVE online store here or Battistelli's individual can in her online store at here. They will also be available at various stores throughout fives states in the Midwest.

Battistelli was on hand at the unveiling Tuesday night alongside the other artists. She is just back in town from Disney's "Night of Joy" in Orlando, FL, where she performed in front of Cinderella's Castle marking the first time in nine years that a solo female artist has secured the prestigious spot on the event's main stage. Battistelli is presently writing for her third studio album scheduled for release in 2014 and playing select shows throughout the U.S. She also has three nominations, including a nod for "Artist of the Year," at the 2013 Dove Awards scheduled to take place in Nashville, TN, on October 15. For more information on Francesca Battistelli and a complete listing of tour dates, please visit www.francescamusic.com .

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francescabattistelli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/francescamusic
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/francescabattistelli

Since her debut in 2008, Francesca Battistelli has earned a Grammy nomination (Best Gospel Performance), six Dove Awards including 2011 "Artist of the Year" and 22 Dove Award nominations. Both her debut album, My Paper Heart (certified gold in 2012), and her 2011 sophomore release, Hundred More Years, took the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Christian Album chart. With over 920,000 in album sales to date and over 1.7 million single downloads, she is the best-selling new artist in the genre in the past decade. Her music has also been featured on TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8, ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, NBC's The Biggest Loser, Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, and several other television and movie outlets.

About Word Entertainment
A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Love & The Outcome, Dara Maclean, NEEDTOBREATHE, Point Of Grace, Sidewalk Prophets, Skillet, Switchfoot and We As Human and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Music Publications & Church Resources, Word Films, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group's Word Records, Word Worship and Fervent Records.

About Pepsi MidAmerica
Pepsi MidAmerica is located in Marion, Illinois, which is in the southern portion of the state. They are proud to distribute quality beverages in portions of Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. The secret of their success is the team they have developed. Without them the company would not have been able to grow and develop. They invite you to browse their pages and take a close look at who Pepsi MidAmerica is, what they do and how you can get involved.

For more info on Francesca Battistelli visit the JFH Artists Database.