Brandon Lake Gives Emotional GRAMMY Speech Thanking Jesus After ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ Win With Jelly Roll
“If it wasn’t for Jesus, I don’t know where I would be, y’all,” he shared from the stage.
Brandon Lake attends the 68th GRAMMY Awards on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California; Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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+*.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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