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Fifteen miles south of Sin City, Brandon Lake sits backstage in a packed arena HENDERSON, nevadaAs he told The Associated Press, in a matter of hours, he would present an energetic, “family-friendly” show for thousands of people, He’s on the road with his latest album, 2025’s “King of Hearts” Christian Music releases that span a variety of genres – pop, rock, country, hip-hop – a mix not always associated with worship music.
Its eclecticism is one of the many reasons for connecting with his music. The album peaked at No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, an undisputed achievement for a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) release, and gave Lake her first Top 40 hit: “Hard Found Hallelujah” with country singer Jelly Roll.
Says Lake, “It’s an amazing production combined with an amazing message. A message of hope.” “In the midst of the hell that you’re going through there is strength that can be found, and hope that can be found. And then you pair it with an amazing sound and it’s like, who wouldn’t love that?”
Lake’s award-winning moment
Earlier this month, Lake was nominated for three Grammys at the 2026 awards show in February; He already has five trophies to his name and a total of 15 career-nodes. “For me, to be recognized is to recognize the millions of lives that have been touched by this music and message,” he says of the nomination. “It’s definitely a happy moment for me.”
On Wednesday night, he’s up for his first Country Music Association award: for concert of the year, for “Hard Fight Hallelujah.” This isn’t a Christian category – he’s competing against secular artists. “I think this is a crossover moment and I pray that it happens. I’m trying to cross over any and everywhere God “It would be authentic to who I am,” says Lake. “I grew up on country music; I grew up on Christian music. …And if you listen to my music, it’s very diverse, you know? Quote-unquote Christian music, worship music… there’s really no point in having a genre, because that’s what we do in our lives. This is not a sound.”
It is a contemporary approach that also reflects modern listening habits. Holly Zabka, president of Provident, a Sony subsidiary dedicated to Christian music, uses her daughter as an example to explain this trend. “She doesn’t define her music taste by genre. I think that’s what we’re seeing. She’ll go from a Luke Combs song to a Brandon Lake song to a Harry Styles song, that’s just the way she listens. She’s a fan of everything. And I think that’s where Christian music is finding its footing, too. It can exist with every other genre.”
a Christian crossover movement
Lake is at the forefront of a new musical movement in America, where Christian artists are growing in popularity. Except in the case of Christian/Gospel music, streams of new music – recordings released in the past 18 months – are down slightly from the same time last year, according to a midyear report from industry data and analytics company Luminate. Jaime Marconet, Luminate’s vice president of music insights and industry relations, attributes the genre’s growth to a “young, streaming-forward fanbase” that is 60% female and 30% millennial. Artists like Lake, Forrest Frank, and Elevation Worship are leading the charge.
“I pray this is just the beginning, and I pray it continues,” Lake says. “And not the genre of Christian music, but the songs – no matter what genre – that convey the message of the gospel.”
He also has some theories on the rising popularity of music. “People are turning to these types of songs right now because that’s what they were made for,” he said. “Music isn’t just entertainment. They can have a spiritual experience. They can be educated about who they’re meant to be. They can find hope and life and faith. … I love all kinds of music, but if you have a song that delivers that kind of message, it’s awesome, you know? It does something deeper.”
Lake says this is especially important in a divided world. “I think people are waking up — especially with the state of our world and all the craziness going on — everyone is like, ‘We need to choose love.’ Well, the greatest display of love is the gospel.”
charlie kirk connection
In September, Lake performed at a memorial service for the late conservative personality Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at a Utah college event. His death was one of a growing number of attacks on political figures, ranging from the murder of Democratic state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman in Minnesota to the shooting of Donald Trump last summer, that has shocked the nation.
Lake said of his decision to perform at the ceremony, “I didn’t know him at all. And so, the invitation really came out of nowhere.” Lake said his team told him that the Kirk family “heard my music and, you know, it was the soundtrack of their faith,” and when Lake’s wife urged him to perform, there was no hesitation.
He added, “We said right away that we weren’t going to make any political statements there. And there would be a lot of politics represented in the room.” “We are going to serve a widow.”
“When the world was moving toward violence, we saw millions of people turn to worship and chose to praise God,” he said. “Even though politics were represented, the gospel was still shared at times. And it was like God was weaving in and out. … It was such an incredible honor.”