“Hard Fought Hallelujah” singer Brandon Lake gave a bold charge to fellow artists at the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards during his Artist of the Year Award acceptance speech.
Last week, fans voted Lake both Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at this year’s annual awards ceremony, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lake has become one of the most recognized names in contemporary Christian music worldwide. His success has allowed him to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Jelly Roll, Nick Jonas, and Lainey Wilson.
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On social media, Lake shared that he had prepared a speech if he won, but when he got to the microphone the Lord placed something else on his heart instead.
“There is a reason why the secular space is looking at ours, and they’re taking note,” Lake said during his acceptance speech. “God is raising up new Davids. God is doing something really beautiful in our nation. So don’t buy the lie—even though there’s craziness going on out there, the darker that it gets, the brighter your light is going to shine.”
Lake encouraged his fellow artists to carry the light of Jesus into dark places.
“I want to encourage you: If the rooms you’re in are really bright, find a new room. If you carry the light of Christ inside of you, go find a room that’s a little darker, because the world needs you. They need your story,” he said. “I’m having a lot of conversations with a lot of artists in a lot of very influential places. And y’all, you just would never believe how hungry people are for the truth, and there’s so many that are this close.”
“So artists, may I dare you to get outside of your comfort zone, go across the street, go across the country,” he added. “Listen, I’m going to be that guy that stays in the church, but I will never stop moving towards the lost. That’s what I’m about, that’s what I’m doing, that’s what you’re going to see!”
The 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards are now streaming on TBN+.