“You Don’t Have to Be Afraid of The Darkness”: Brandon Lake Pays Heartwarming Tribute to Jelly Roll During Nashville Show

Brandon Lake has never been one to shy away from bold collaborations, especially in his recent hit, ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’, featuring Jelly Roll.

The song stirred both excitement and criticism, particularly from some within the Christian community.

During Lake’s recent Nashville tour-stop, he addressed the controversy head-on, sharing a heartfelt message about faith, light, and pushing the boundaries for the sake of the gospel.

“I’ll never forget what my dad told me… Don’t worry, son, the darker it gets out there, the brighter that light’s going to shine. You just keep burning for Jesus,” Lake told the crowd. “Your boy’s been getting in some trouble with the religious folks…because I wrote a song with some friends, and then a certain resident of Nashville reached out”.

Lake recounted their powerful performance of the song at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium during CMA Fest 2025 in June. The set was complete with a massive cross formed by 400 drones - an idea he credits to Jelly Roll. He reflected on the unconventional spaces where he’s had a chance to perform ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ thanks to Jelly’s involvement, from faith-driven events to massive stages like Stagecoach.

As the audience began to suspect Jelly Roll might be waiting in the wings, Brandon Lake was quick to stress that they’d both tried everything in their power to make another Nashville duet happen, but it simply wasn’t possible in the end.

“These aren’t the kind of places people go expecting worship,” he shares. “But there’s something crazy that happens when you carry the presence of God into those spaces. You don’t have to be afraid of the darkness – run into it carrying the light, because that’s where people need it most.”

But Lake’s devotion to the faithful meaning and roots of the song didn’t stop there – he also dedicated the track to Beckham, an eight-year-old fan who recently lost his battle with cancer. “Beckham’s faith inspired me,” Lake shared, describing how the young boy had embraced ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ as his fight song. “How much more precious is your worship to God on this side of eternity? Tonight, lift up this song with everything you’ve got.”

For Brandon Lake, his collaboration with Jelly Roll has opened the door to conversations that spark bigger than music, and it seems he’s found it’s about shining a light wherever it’s needed most, and trusting people will catch up.

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