Brandon Lake was a double winner at the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards, which premiered on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) and the TBN+ app on Friday (May 29). (An encore showing is scheduled for Friday June 5).
Lake, 35, won both artist of the year and male artist of the year. Gospel legend CeCe Winans, 61, took the award for female artist of the year.
MercyMe, which formed 32 years ago, won group of the year.
The K-LOVE Fan Awards, now in their 13th year, honors artists, songs and performances in Christian music, as well as recognizing achievements in television, film, books, sports and digital media. This year’s show was taped at Nashville’s Opry House on May 24. It was co-hosted by Sadie Robertson Huff and Lauren Daigle. Robertson won the podcast impact award for Whoa That’s Good. Daigle was shut out despite three nominations.
Other artists who received three nominations but didn’t win this year were Jeremy Camp, Josiah Queen and Elevation Worship.
Jamie MacDonald won song of the year for “Left It in the River,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Phil Wickham won worship song for “Homesick for Heaven,” which reached No. 8 on that chart.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards, with winners marked.
Artist of the year
WINNER: Brandon Lake
CeCe Winans
Elevation Worship
Jamie MacDonald
Jeremy Camp
Josiah Queen
Lauren Daigle
MercyMe
Phil Wickham
TobyMac
Male artist of the year
Ben Fuller
WINNER: Brandon Lake
Chris Tomlin
Jeremy Camp
Jon Reddick
Josiah Queen
Matthew West
Phil Wickham
Seph Schlueter
Tauren Wells
Female artist of the year
Anne Wilson
Blanca
WINNER: CeCe Winans
Emerson Day
Hope Darst
Jamie MacDonald
Katy Nichole
Lauren Daigle
Leanna Crawford
Terrian
Group of the year
CAIN
Caleb & John
Elevation Rhythm
Elevation Worship
for King & Country
WINNER: MercyMe
Passion
We the Kingdom
Song of the year
“Can’t Steal My Joy”– Josiah Queen/Brandon Lake
“Get Behind Me”– Emerson Day
“Heaven On My Mind”– TobyMac
WINNER: “Left It In the River”– Jamie MacDonald
“Let It Be a Hallelujah”– Lauren Daigle
“Make It Well”– MercyMe
“No Fear”– Jon Reddick
“No Survivors”– Jeremy Camp
“The Love I Have For You” – Colton Dixon
“Wait For Me” – Zach Williams
“What an Awesome God”– Phil Wickham
“Won’t Start Now”– Seph Schlueter
Worship song
“Alleluia”– Elevation Worship
WINNER: “Homesick for Heaven”– Phil Wickham
“How Good It Is”– Chris Tomlin
“Mighty Name of Jesus”– Hope Darst & Josh Baldwin
“The Lord Will Provide”– Passion
“Washed”– Elevation Rhythm
Breakout single
“All Joy”– Natalie Layne
WINNER: “Get Behind Me”– Emerson Day
“I Need You”– Jet Trouble
“Somebody’s Praying”– Bay Turner
“Stay”– Zahriya Zachary
“Where Would I Be”– Peter Burton
“Why Should I Worry”– Carly Anne Taylor
Film impact
David
WINNER: I Can Only Imagine 2
Light of the World
Sarah’s Oil
Soul on Fire
The King of Kings
The Last Rodeo
Truth & Treason
TV/Streaming impact
Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey
WINNER: House of David: Season 2Miracle
Testament
The Chosen Adventures
The Promised Land
Virgin Birth
Podcast impact
Back Porch Theology – Lisa Harper
Girls Gone Bible – Angela Halili & Arielle Reitsma
Hey! It’s the Lusko’s – Levi & Jennie Lusko
Livin’ the Bream – Shannon Bream
The Bible Recap –Tara-Leigh Cobble
The Bryce Crawford Podcast – Bryce Crawford
There Is More Podcast – Karen McAdams & Rachel Faulkner Brown
WINNER: Whoa That’s Good – Sadie Robertson Huff
Book impact
And She Got Up – Courtney Pray Duke
Beloved – Francis Chan
Blessed Are the Spiraling – Levi Lusko
WINNER: Hey Girl – Anne Wilson
Jesus Shaped Life – Lisa Harper
Joy Bomb – Tauren Wells
Tame Your Thoughts – Max Lucado
We’re So Blessed – CAIN
Sports impact
WINNER: Robert Anthony Cruz “Coach RAC”- Savannah Bananas
