“American Idol” brought faith to center stage this Easter Sunday, celebrating the holiday with a lineup of moving performances from the Top 24 contestants as well as a few special guests. One of the most powerful moments of the night came when the show’s first-ever artist in residence, Jelly Roll, teamed up with multi-GRAMMY® Award winner Brandon Lake to showcase their collaborative version of Lake’s smash hit, “Hard Fought Hallelujah.”
The pair of artists clearly struck a chord with the live audience and Idol judges as they unleashed a stunning delivery that was further elevated by the vocals of a gospel choir surrounding the stage in their all-white ensembles.
Lake softly began the tune as Jelly Roll stood behind him, waiting for his turn to showcase his soulful voice. When it was time for the country hitmaker to shine on the mic, he poured his heart out among the soulful vocals that highlight his dedication to his faith, especially in hard times.
The singer’s lifted their hands up high and united on the emotive chorus, singing “I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt/ Been-through-hell hallelujah/ I’ll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail/ Story-to-tell hallelujah, whoa-oh/ God, You’ve been patient/ God, You’ve been gracious/ Faithful, whatever I’m feeling or facing/ I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, it-is-well hallelujah, oh/ Hallelujah, hallelujah.”
Their performance earned a standing ovation from the audience. Once they wrapped up their unforgettable delivery, Idol’s host Ryan Seacrest joined the artists on stage to introduce Lake to the judges and also help announce his new music.
First, Lake pointed out that this was a full circle moment for him because despite the fact that he is “such a huge fan” of the show, he admitted he was always “too afraid” to audition.
“I’d have voted for you, baby,” Jelly Roll joked.
The “That’s Who I Praise” singer also got the chance to officially meet one of his musical heroes, Carrie Underwood, who claimed that Lake is a “staple” voice heard throughout her house and her car. He gave a high pitch scream before sharing a hug with Underwood.
Seacrest proceeded to ask Lake to share details regarding his upcoming album, King Of Hearts, which is set to feature his collaboration with Jelly Roll. The project will be dropping on June 13 and will be accompanied by a headlining tour of the same name, kicking off this fall and running through spring of 2026.
The Journey Of “Hard Fought Hallelujiah”
Penned by Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll alongside Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings, Chris Brown, and Rodrick Simmons, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” was originally released as a solo recording in November 2024. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart, as well No. 51 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. In February, the Christian artist released the brand-new version featuring Jelly Roll to Country radio.
“Collaborating with Jelly Roll on Hard Fought Hallelujah was powerful because we both understand what it’s like to walk through battles and still choose to lift a song of hope,” Lake shared at the time of the song’s arrival. “My prayer is that this song reminds people not to give up—that even in the hardest seasons, there’s growth, purpose, and a victory worth singing about.”
Jelly Roll matched his excitement for the collaboration, saying, “Working with Brandon was an incredible experience. This track touched my soul like few others. ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ is a song that will echo through my home for years to come.”
This performance on Sunday night’s episode of American Idol took place as the competition continued to shed a light on the next generation of talent. At the end of the show, four contestants were eliminated, including Kyana Fanene, Grayson Torrence, MKY, and Penny Samar. Tonight, Monday, April 21, the Top 20 contestants will fight for their spot in the Top 14 with another round of live performances from Hollywood.
American Idol will continue to air Sundays and Mondays on ABC as well as being available for streaming on Hulu.
The post WATCH: Jelly Roll Joins Brandon Lake For Moving Performance Of ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ On ‘American Idol’ appeared first on Country Now.
