{"id":217224,"date":"2025-10-11T17:33:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T17:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/217224\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T17:33:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T17:33:15","slug":"forrest-frank-brandon-lake-jelly-roll-sweep-2025-dove-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/217224\/","title":{"rendered":"Forrest Frank, Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll sweep 2025 Dove Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Leah MarieAnn Klett<\/a>, Assistant Editor Friday, October 10, 2025\"Twitter\"<\/a>\"JellyJelly Roll and Brandon Lake perform at the GMA Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. | Tessa Vocola<\/p>\n

NASHVILLE, Tenn. \u2014 This year\u2019s GMA Dove Awards highlighted the power of collaboration and unity, as Brandon Lake swept the night\u2019s biggest honors and brought down the house alongside Jelly Roll with one of the ceremony\u2019s most memorable performances.<\/p>\n

Held Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena for the first time in the show’s history, the 56th annual Dove Awards celebrated faith-driven artistry across genres, from worship and hip-hop to Latin and country, with messages of humility, hope and shared purpose emphasized throughout the night.<\/p>\n

Lake took home the most awards of the night with five, including Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year for \u201cHard Fought Hallelujah,” a collaboration with Jelly Roll.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Accepting the award, Lake gestured toward the crowd. \u201cI was telling my great friend Dr. John Maxwell about this collaboration,\u201d he said. \u201cHe told me, \u2018Stay in the church, but never stop moving toward the lost.\u2019 That\u2019s what this is about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMillions of lives have been saved,\u201d he added, addressing Jelly Roll. \u201cI get all the testimonies. I want to thank you so much for sticking your neck out for me and treating me like a little brother.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jelly Roll, who has often credited his faith for his personal transformation, spoke candidly about redemption, challenging audiences to live out their faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about Matthew, when he talks about belief, when he said, \u2018When I was hungry, you fed me, when I was thirsty \u2026\u2019 I\u2019m standing here because people took time with me. The world is hearing about Jesus like they have never before. Put faith on your feet and feet on your faith,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The duo also closed the night<\/a> with a rousing performance of \u201cHard Fought Hallelujah,\u201d joined by Grammy-winning pianist Jon Batiste.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Forrest Frank, who has become one of the most-streamed independent voices in Christian pop, won Artist of the Year, Pop\/Contemporary Album of the Year for Child of God and Pop\/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for \u201cYOUR WAY\u2019S BETTER.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite his success, the 30-year-old artist controversially announced <\/a>he wouldn’t be attending the ceremony a day prior due to a \u201cpersonal conviction\u201d that the \u201cgreatest award of all time\u201d is salvation.<\/p>\n

From the start, host Tauren Wells, who also performed his new song “Let the Church Sing,” framed the evening around the night\u2019s mission: elevating the name of Jesus and pointing viewers to the hope found in the Gospel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not just celebrating artists,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to honor everyone in this creative community, writers, producers, musicians, production crews, label representatives, agents, publishers, managers, interns, social media managers, photographers, radio reps and everyone who shines in the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later in the show, Wells also addressed cultural divisions directly, telling the audience about the role faith should play in healing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the spirit in the world is pride, we don\u2019t fight pride with pride. We fight pride with humility. If the spirit of the world is divisiveness, we fight with unity. If the spirit of the world is deception, we must fight with truth,\u201d he emphasized. \u201cThe Church at its worst is an industry and a business and an organization. The Church at its best is a family.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"TaurenTauren Wells | Blue Amber<\/p>\n

That spirit carried through the night\u2019s worship performances. CeCe Winans, who won Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for \u201cCome Jesus Come\u201d with Shirley Caesar, shared a message of faithfulness and perseverance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve been in this industry since I was probably about 19 \u2026 and all I can say is that God is faithful,\u201d Winans said. \u201cWe don’t do what we do for this. We do what we do for Jesus. All of us in here, we have an incredible opportunity. We get a chance to worship all over the world and do what we do. But we have an awesome responsibility, and that is to bring as many people as we can when Jesus returns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet’s remember why we do what we do so that God will be glorified, and so that as many souls as possible can come to know who Jesus is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CeCeCeCe Winans | Terry Wyatt<\/p>\n

Elevation Worship, joined by Brandon Lake and Chris Brown, took home Worship Recorded Song of the Year for \u201cI Know a Name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accepting the top song award, Lake recalled the unlikely way it was born. \u201cStephen Furtick wrote this song in my house, and we didn’t think much of it. And that’s why I love these stories of songs like \u2018Gratitude\u2019 and this one, \u2018I Know a Name,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThen I got the demo a few days later, and I was just flying like 90 down the highway. I was like, we got a song, y\u2019all.\u2019 \u2026 Collaboration is everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phil Wickham, whose song \u201cThe Jesus Way\u201d earned Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year, read from Philippians while accepting his award, telling the audience, \u201cDo nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony showcased the broad reach of Christian and gospel music. Performers included CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle, Tamela Mann, Leanna Crawford, for KING + COUNTRY, Lecrae and ELEVATION RHYTHM.<\/p>\n

Presenters included Aspen Kennedy, Karen Peck, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Lee Vasi and Sonya Isaacs, with appearances by Colton Dixon, Joel Courtney and John O\u2019Leary, the latter two fresh off their collaboration in “Soul on Fire,” <\/a>a faith-based film inspired by O\u2019Leary\u2019s true story.<\/p>\n

A multi-artist Latin medley led by Israel & New Breed and Unified Sound featured Aaron Moses, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Christine D\u2019Clario, Lucia Parker, Alex Campos and members of Miel San Marcos, earning one of the evening\u2019s loudest ovations. Their rendition of \u201cCoritos de Fuego\u201d and \u201cAmigo\u201d celebrated the church\u2019s global unity in multiple languages.<\/p>\n

In honor of the Grand Ole Opry\u2019s 100th anniversary, Opry members Lady A, Steven Curtis Chapman and Vince Gill performed a mashup of hymns and songs, including Lady A’s hit 2009 \u201cI Run to You.\u201d Country star Carrie Underwood also performed “If It Was Up To Me” alongside Ben Fuller as a surprise guest.<\/p>\n

\"StevenSteven Curtis Chapman and Hillary Scott perform at the Dove Awards. | Tessa Vocola<\/p>\n

Crawford, who won New Artist of the Year, reflected on her nine-year journey in Nashville and unlikely rise to success.<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved to Nashville because I felt like I was called to write songs to hopefully encourage people and point them to Jesus,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of moments that I wanted to just throw in the towel and give it up. But by God\u2019s grace, He put people in my life that encouraged me, lifted me up, and pointed me back to Him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Autumn Nelon, accepting Southern Gospel Album of the Year for Loving You, fought back tears as she spoke about her late family members who died in a plane crash last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis moment is incredibly special and honestly, a little bittersweet. It\u2019s the first award that I\u2019ve ever accepted without my family. This album is the last thing that we ever made together, and to see it honored like this just means more than words could ever express.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish more than anything that my family was standing here beside me today, but I know they’re honored and looking down and saying, \u2018You did it, kid,\u2019\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Hulvey, who won Rap\/Hip Hop Album of the Year for Cry, urged the audience to stay spiritually ready before closing in prayer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe there\u2019s bitterness in this room. Maybe there\u2019s things that we don\u2019t even want to share with anyone that\u2019s just harboring deep within us. Strip it off. Because when He comes back, we\u2019re going to be held accountable for the way we love each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN+ app on Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET and simulcast on SiriusXM The Message.<\/p>\n

2025 Dove Awards major winners<\/p>\n

Artist of the Year: Forrest Frank (absent)<\/p>\n

Song of the Year: \u201cHard Fought Hallelujah\u201d \u2014 Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll<\/p>\n

Pop\/Contemporary Album of the Year: Child of God \u2014 Forrest Frank<\/p>\n

Pop\/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year: \u201cYOUR WAY\u2019S BETTER\u201d \u2014 Forrest Frank<\/p>\n

Worship Recorded Song of the Year: \u201cI Know a Name\u201d \u2014 Elevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake<\/p>\n

Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year: \u201cCome Jesus Come\u201d \u2014 CeCe Winans, Shirley Caesar<\/p>\n

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: \u201cThe Jesus Way\u201d \u2014 Phil Wickham<\/p>\n

Rap\/Hip Hop Album of the Year: Cry \u2014 Hulvey<\/p>\n

Southern Gospel Album of the Year: Loving You \u2014 The Nelons<\/p>\n

New Artist of the Year: Leanna Crawford<\/p>\n

Spanish Language Album of the Year: Kintsugi \u2014 Un Coraz\u00f3n<\/p>\n

Feature Film of the Year: “The King of Kings”<\/p>\n

Television Series of the Year: “The Chosen”<\/p>\n

Producer of the Year: Jeff Pardo<\/p>\n

Songwriter of the Year (Artist): Brandon Lake<\/p>\n

Songwriter of the Year (Non-Artist): Mitch Wong<\/p>\n

Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com<\/a><\/p>\n