Brandon Lake defended collaborator and fellow artist Jelly Roll against criticism the country singer received for comments he made—and did not make—at the 2026 Grammy Awards. In an interview with Lake, Rolling Stone senior music editor Joseph Hudak brought up the fact that Jelly Roll gave a Jesus-centered acceptance speech but declined to comment on the current state of the country.
“I’m not gonna dance around it, we talked about Jelly Roll at the Grammys, right?” Hudak said, alluding to an earlier part of his conversation with Lake. “I think what happened there, if I may, is that he gave this very powerful speech on the Grammy stage, talking about Jesus and that Jesus is for everyone.”
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“And then…he went backstage and…he was asked, ‘Could you just comment on, or do you have any comment on what’s going on in the state of the country today?’” said Hudak. “The fact that he did this publicly about Jesus but then didn’t take it to the next level and just, say, expand on that, I think is what caught some people off guard.”
Brandon Lake Responds to Criticism of Jelly Roll
Brandon Lake is a Grammy and Dove Award-winning contemporary Christian singer and worship leader, known for songs including “Graves Into Gardens,” “Too Good To Not Believe,” and “Gratitude.”
Lake is currently on his “King of Hearts Tour,” which began in October and is set to run through May. His recent releases include “The Jesus I Know Now,” a collaboration with Lainey Wilson that dropped on April 3.
Lake’s collaboration with country artist Jelly Roll on Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” won a Grammy this year for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. While accepting a Grammy for Best Contemporary Country Album at the same awards, Jelly Roll used his speech to thank Jesus and testify to how God had saved his life. Some people criticized the country artist for being “performative” and also for choosing later not to comment on social issues.
Brandon Lake defended collaborator and fellow artist Jelly Roll against criticism the country singer received for comments he made—and did not make—at the 2026 Grammy Awards.Click to PostLake joined Hudak on “Nashville Now,” a podcast from Rolling Stone on country music. During the conversation, the two discussed the increased demand for Christian music, how Lake connected with Jelly Roll, and how Lake got into country music.
At one point, Hudak mentioned the pressure the public puts on artists, and Lake commented that it was “a funny thing when people expect someone who’s been given a platform to have all the answers.”
