A Hallelujah of Grit and Grace: Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake’s Electrifying BMI Country Awards Performance
In a performance that fused country grit with gospel fire, Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake took the stage at the BMI Country Awards, delivering a soul-shaking rendition of their hit “Hard Fought Hallelujah” that had the entire room on its feet, tears flowing, and hearts united in a raw celebration of redemption.
Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake’s collaboration on “Hard Fought Hallelujah” has become a beacon of triumph over adversity. Released in February 2025 as a remix of Lake’s original 2024 track, the duet blends Lake’s soaring worship vocals with Jelly Roll’s gravelly, street-wise country edge. Co-written by Lake, Steven Furtick, Benjamin Hastings, and others, the song chronicles battles won through faith, hitting No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs chart for 20 weeks and earning platinum certification by the RIAA in June 2025. At the BMI Country Awards on October 22, 2025, in Nashville, the pair’s live showcase transformed a song of struggle into an anthem of victory, captivating an industry crowd of songwriters and stars.
The BMI Country Awards stage became a canvas for their undeniable chemistry. Held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the event honors songwriters behind country’s biggest hits, drawing luminaries like Miranda Lambert and Luke Combs. When Jelly Roll and Lake strode out—Jelly in his signature baseball cap, Lake with his barefoot intensity—the energy shifted. No elaborate sets, just guitars and mics, as they launched into the opening lines: “I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt / Been-through-hell hallelujah.” The room, typically reserved for polished tributes, erupted as their voices intertwined, trading verses like old friends sharing war stories.
The crowd’s reaction was immediate and visceral, turning the performance into a communal catharsis. As the chorus hit—”Hallelujah, hallelujah”—spectators leaped to their feet, some cheering wildly, others wiping tears. Laughter bubbled up during Jelly Roll’s ad-libbed banter, a nod to his self-deprecating humor, while Lake’s passionate belts drew reverent nods. The duo’s raw emotion—Jelly’s gravelly confession of past addictions, Lake’s soaring affirmations of grace—mirrored the song’s themes, blending gospel soul with country grit. One attendee later shared, “It felt like church and honky-tonk collided, and we all got saved.”
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” resonates deeply due to its authentic storytelling of faith and struggle. Lyrics like “Storm-tossed, torn-sail story to tell hallelujah” capture the grit of overcoming personal demons, a narrative both artists embody. Jelly Roll, once incarcerated and battling addiction, has credited faith for his 2023 CMA New Artist win; Lake, a pastor’s son, draws from worship roots. Their duet, nominated for CMA Musical Event of the Year in September 2025, peaked at No. 15 on Hot Country Songs and cracked the Hot 100’s top 40, proving its cross-genre appeal. At BMI, this performance highlighted songwriting’s power to heal, earning the track its first major country award nod.
The duo’s onstage interplay added layers of joy and vulnerability. Midway through, Jelly Roll paused for a heartfelt laugh, quipping about “trading hell stories for heaven’s hooks,” prompting Lake to grin and riff back with an improvised gospel run. This unscripted chemistry—born from mutual admiration—elevated the tribute, making it feel intimate despite the grandeur. BMI President Clay Bradley praised it backstage: “Their voices aren’t just singing; they’re testifying.” The moment echoed their earlier CMA Fest duet in June 2025, where they rallied 70,000 fans, but here, in songwriters’ company, it honored the craft behind the message.
This highlight underscored the blurring lines between country and Christian music. In 2025, crossovers like this have reshaped Nashville, with “Hard Fought Hallelujah” winning Song of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards on October 7, just weeks prior. The BMI performance, amid rain-soaked outdoor nods at the Doves, symbolized unity: Jelly’s redemption arc meeting Lake’s faith-fueled fire. It sparked social media frenzy, with #HardFoughtHallelujah trending and clips amassing 10 million views, fans calling it “the anthem we didn’t know we needed.”
The night’s impact rippled beyond the Schermerhorn’s walls. Post-performance, the duo shared a tearful embrace, with Jelly Roll posting, “From cells to stages—God’s got jokes.” Streams surged 300%, and critics like Rolling Stone hailed it as “a gritty prayer that hits like whiskey and heals like hymns.” For BMI, it celebrated the unsung heroes—the writers—who fuel such moments. As the applause lingered, it was clear: this wasn’t mere entertainment; it was a reminder that music’s true power lies in shared scars and soaring praise.
Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” at BMI cements their legacy as voices of resilience. At 41 and 35, respectively, they’ve turned personal battles into universal anthems, bridging worlds with unfiltered truth. This performance, a pinnacle amid CMA noms and Dove wins, proves faith and grit make the sweetest harmony. In a fractured industry, their unity calls us all to sing louder, fight harder, and hallelujah through it all.
