Brandon Lake Gives Emotional GRAMMY Speech Thanking Jesus After ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ Win With Jelly Roll

The GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song was presented to Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll for “Hard Fought Hallelujah” at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, held ahead of the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

While Jelly Roll was unable to accept the honor at the pre-telecast event, Lake took to the stage and first thanked Jesus for his big win. 

“Thank you. Oh man. Wow. Thank you, Jesus. I want to thank my wife, who’s holding down the fort back home with all my babies, crazy babies,” he began. “Thank you to The [Recording] Academy for honoring this category. Thank you, Provident, my label, Bright Group. Thank you, Pastor Steven Furdick, Benjamin William Hastings, Chris Brown, Micah Nichols for producing this song and all my local Charleston, South Carolina guys who played on it like Roderick Simmons. Shout out to him.” 

Next, he gave his friend and collaborator, Jelly Roll, a shoutout. 

“I want to say obviously a huge thank you to Jelly Roll for taking the chance on this song, taking a chance on me,” he sweetly shared. “He just took me everywhere he was performing and said, ‘let’s do this song together.’ He took this song places that I couldn’t have by myself.”  

In closing, Lake detailed the impact that “Hard Fought Hallelujah” has had on fans.  

“I’ve gotten countless messages of how this song has literally saved people’s lives and pointed them to Jesus,” he explained. “If it wasn’t for Jesus, I don’t know where I would be, y’all. Most important thing I could say is this world is Cray Cray right now, but I was reminded of the scripture this morning, John 16:33. I have told you these things so that in me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. He’s overcome, so that means we can too through Christ. Love you. Thank you so much.”

 Lake originally recorded “Hard Fought Hallelujah” as a solo track, releasing it in November 2024. The song debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart and reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In April 2025, Lake invited Jelly Roll to join him on a collaborative version of the song. This new rendition appears on Lake’s King of Hearts album, which was released in June 2025.

The collaboration has sparked a meaningful friendship between the two artists and inspired fans to share their own stories of God’s provision and faithfulness during challenging times.

“Collaborating with Jelly Roll on Hard Fought Hallelujah was powerful because we both understand what it’s like to walk through battles and still choose to lift a song of hope,” Lake previously shared. “My prayer is that this song reminds people not to give up—that even in the hardest seasons, there’s growth, purpose, and a victory worth singing about.”

“Working with Brandon was an incredible experience. This track touched my soul like few others. ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ is a song that will echo through my home for years to come,” Jelly Roll added. 

The GRAMMYs will feature performances by Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Andrew Watt, Brandy Clark, Chad Smith, Clipse, Duff McKagan, Justin Bieber, KATSEYE, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Lukas Nelson, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Olivia Dean, Pharrell Williams, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, Sabrina Carpenter, Slash, SOMBR, The Marías, and more.

Additionally, those confirmed to present during the star-studded ceremony include Carole King, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Doechii, Harry Styles, Jeff Goldblum, KAROL G, Lainey Wilson, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, and Teyana Taylor. Plus, an additional surprise presenter will be revealed during the show. 

According to the Recording Academy, the GRAMMY Awards stand alone as the only music honors voted on by peers, with winners selected by the Recording Academy’s voting members. This group is made up of music creators spanning every genre and discipline, from recording artists and songwriters to producers, mixers, and engineers.

Broadcast live from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, “Music’s Biggest Night” will be hosted by Trevor Noah and air Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on the CBS Television Network, with live and on-demand streaming available on Paramount+*.