February 20, 2025 • 18 mins
We're about to be taken to church with new artist, Brandon Lake. Brandon has been hard at work on his music career since he was young but recently, thanks to a big ol' hit song and a message to Jelly Roll, he's about to see a whole new level of success.
Click to learn more about Jelly Roll's NEW favorite artist, Brandon Lake
Click to learn more about Jelly Roll's NEW favorite artist, Brandon Lake
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Uh, Man, I gotta tell you, it's not often an
artist comes in with hype that has already carried them
through the door. But there's some there's some hype around this.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
You're feeling it, Brandon, what's.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Up, brother?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
How are you? I'm doing great, man, I'm living on
a high. Just so stoked to be here, honored.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It's a really fun week and we've had already had
some amazing moments this week here in Nashville.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
So we're gonna talk hard fought Hollelujah. It's it's a
song that I randomly heard of before the before jelly
really and yeah, and and so there's so much I
want to ask you, because I want to start with
all this started because you were a pastor at one point. Yeah,
it's funny like saying that. I guess technically I am
(00:42):
and I operate is one. I grew up in the
church and my dad's a pastor.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
And uh, I fell in love with music, and you know,
started playing guitar mainly just because I wanted to, you know,
get a girlfriend. But then I as I started leading
worship at a young age, I fell in love with
like seeing people connect to these songs and ultimately connecting
with God and finding faith in music, and so yeah,
I kind of like ended up becoming like a worship leader,
(01:10):
a worship pastor. I grew up in the church and
I've just had the most amazing experience with church and
so it's felt the call of God to keep serving
people in that way through music. And so yeah, yeah,
you could say I'm a pastor and artist, songwriter, all
the things.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I'm gonna ask you a very challenging question of mediology.
This is gonna be real deep, it's not gonna be
like so explain to me. No, But once you learned
that you had an ability to songwrite, play guitar, put
these things together, right, Yeah, why was it important for
you to not lose the religion part? Because as you
(01:47):
continue to make music, right, yeah, it's you're adding an
extra layer of challenge because not only are you trying
to create music and get yourself in front of people,
your music has a message. It's more than just here's
another beer drinking yeah yeah, right, my truck.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, which, by the.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Way, beer drinking and trucks drunks driving, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Leave those things separated.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
But yeah, but but it adds an extra challenge to
getting yourself in front of a new audience.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You could easily leave the religion part out and just
try and make music. Yeah, why was it important for
you to be like, no, I'm gonna do this my way.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I think so many people have such a bad taste
in their mouth when it comes to religion that maybe
I have felt a responsibility to try to change that
narrative and go no, like God is good and we're
all messed up.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
And we all need God.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
And uh, I think you said it yourself, like my
songs carry maybe a deeper message or one that's gonna
get you through the hardest of times. And and honestly, dude,
I don't even know that if I tried to do
anything different, if I could, at just the call, it
feels too strong. And that's where I found my purpose
(03:01):
and I don't want to get outside of that. I
don't think there's anything wrong with some fun songs and
break up songs and all that.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I write those too, But the ones I feel.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Most called to share with the world are the ones
that are gonna help people to live another day and
know why they're living another day, that there's someone bigger
that has a plan for their life. And sometimes that's
really on the nose and it's like a churchy song,
and then sometimes it's like and hard fileluja. I think
it's a little bit more disguised. Like when Jelly first
(03:32):
heard the song, he's like, bro, I didn't even know
it was a Christian song. He's like, I know, I
was like singing about God, but I didn't know you're
a Christian artist. I didn't know it as a Christian song.
And for me, I was like, that's beautiful the fact
that he connected with God, but he didn't scream Christian
music because we've and I think that's what I'm super
fired up to do is maybe be one of the
(03:52):
ones that, hopefully, with God's help, that kind of changes
the narrative a little bit. We have this idea of
what Christian music sounds like, and I don't think it
has to sound like what it always has sounded like
and carries the same message, but I don't think it
needs to be like as soon as you hear it,
you're like, oh, that's a church song.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I want to I want to, like, I want to
be a little sneaky and catch people off guard, and
I think that's what this song's doing.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Would you rather people, as you're getting introduced to new
circles and obviously you're on mainstream radio now, would you
rather people just say, here's an artist with a great
Christian message or you're like, no, I'm a Christian artist
with a great message.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
That's an interesting question.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
What I would what I would love?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I mean, at the end of the day, shut up
and listen to music, right, yeah, right, But as people
are I would say the open I think that the
door widens a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, for everyone out there, if you if you lead
with art and respected art, like I don't know, you know,
until you catch what the message is, it's like, wow,
this is just excellent. And what they won't even like
realize maybe but subconsciously is like you're actually experiencing a
gift of God. You're not like before you even catch
(05:08):
the message. Like I listened to secular music all the time,
and I'll hear a song that's not even necessarily about God,
but I'm like, dude, I experience God in that Like
it's beautiful, Like he made us, he made art, Like
where else do you think it came from? So I
think people can experience God even when the message isn't
necessarily like I got faith and I got you know,
(05:29):
I love church and so I mean, I think Coldplay
is so anointed the melodies and like, there's so many
things I listen to.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
I mean, so many of Jelly's songs that I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Just like godly that is, I experience God in it,
but it's not screaming like the Gospel shoving it down
people's throat. So I just want people to encounter I
would say, the spirit of Jesus in me, Like, no
matter what I do.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
When it comes to collapse, they fall together in a
lot of ways. Probably the most common. It's either backstage
at a festival yeah, or managers talk yeah and it
just happens. Uh, how did the one would Jelly happen?
Like how did y'all end up connecting? Because this song
existed pre Jelly roll?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah, so happened to write the song felt really special
and I was like, we have to actually teased it,
put a little clip of it out and I wasn't
supposed to be putting any new music out anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
The label was like I posted it and they're like,
what are you doing, you.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Know, because people went crazy and they're like, give us
this song right now or else, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
So I was like, all right, the record label are
the people, this is my this is my no the people,
and so my labels like, oh no, Like I guess
we need to put out on it because I had
just had a number one.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, and so we're like trying to let that ride out.
And then I teased this song and people are demanding,
demanding it, and so I'm like, y'all, I can't make
them wait too long.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
So we put hard fought Hallelujah out. But it just
felt like such a special, special song.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
I didn't want to care it just by myself and
just knowing the lyrics and it being about you know,
like like trying to sing Hallelujah in the midst of
you know, uh hell, you know, Like I was like, man, like,
who resonates? Who would resonate with this story? And I
just kept thinking jelly Roll, I've been seeing hearing his
story and seeing clips. And then the cool thing was
what happened was I told the team, Hey, reach out,
(07:22):
it's a long shot. Let's reach out and just see
and then you know, some days past and I was
watching the CMA Awards and uh, I got a met
I fell asleep. I fell asleep before his performance. Yeah,
I know, bro, I got I got three boys at home.
It is a crazy house. Dogs, cows, animals everywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Your boy gets tied. I'm trying to be an artist
and a farmer.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Did you just say children, dogs, cows.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Donkeys are on the way. And we've had skulches in
our house. I've had pigs in my house. It's a circus.
Uh yeah, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Oh we just added ten minutes of this talk. Yeah right, okay,
we'll circle back to So my brother I was literally
just staying up really just trying to see Jelly's performance.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I've just felt like an immediate, like just love and
connection to that dude, even before meeting him. And so
I wake up and my brother in law sent me
the video, the clip of just that performance with Brooks
and Dunn song I Believe. And I'm watching people in
the middle of this secular award show not expecting it.
People are starting to stand up and lift their hands
(08:32):
and worship.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Tears.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
So many tears is running down people's faces as people
are declaring.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Like I don't have it all figured out. I don't
have it all together, but you know what I do.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I believe and I'm like this, dude, these guys just
led the world and worship and no one saw it coming.
And and like, dude, that's not easy to do, to
like take a song like that, and and like, I'm
sure a lot of people were like what the heck,
but the majority of the room was bought in, and
it just gave me all the confidence to be like,
(09:04):
he's the dude.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
And so we reached out.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Little did I know that Jelly had already heard that
song somehow on TikTok reached out to his team. I
was like, Yo, have you heard this joint? Like this
song's crazy, and so when we asked, he was like, heck, yes,
I love that song.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
And then he we got on the phone like the
next day or and bro, I mean, it wasn't thirty seconds,
and I just fell in love with the dude. And
it was like I've felt like I just met my
long lost brother and it's been a real I think
the most beautiful things in life happened through real relationship,
and so it was important to both of us that
this was not a play to have a big song
(09:45):
or for me on my side to try to make
the song bigger. It was like I just heard his
story and I was like, I feel like this is
a song for him, and then to hear from him,
this song is actively right now changing his life. And
we were the Opry last night and he's on stage
saying tears in his eyes. This song is pulling out
(10:06):
something that's always been inside of him. But he's never
been this bold about and that's his walk. And he's
honest about not having it all together, which I love
and respect so much that he actually is honest about
not having it all together, whereas so many Christians are
just lying about it, saying that they think they think
they do.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
The truth of this.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
None of us do. And so it's really been a
beautiful friendship already, and I think we both equally have
been ministered to by this song.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Collabs happened every day, more so in country now than
I mean ever, like maybe early nineties, yeah, like the
last time collabs were this hot. Yeah, But it's it's
weird this collab because a lot of artists hop on
a song and then go all right, cool, I did
your song with the UCA later.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
It feels like he's just as passionate about the song
as you are, which you see a country music usually
it's like, oh, I hopped on your I hopped on
your song. Yeah, go enjoy it. This feels like, Hey,
I hopped on your song and now it's ours.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yes, And I think that speaks to how much the
message of the song is like actively like working in
his life, and he's honest about it. I didn't expect
anything more than him just hopping on the song. I
knew it'd be special, that that in itself would have
been special. And literally just as early as like yesterday,
(11:26):
he facetimed me and we're both in Nashville, just you know,
we got a bunch of stuff for doing this week together,
singing the song many times, singing its bar and I
I think, you know, like super stoked. But he called
me and he calls me all the time, and he's
just he's such a lover and encourager and he's like
man like, brainon, I just want to remind you, bro, like, uh,
(11:46):
this isn't just like a thing I did with you
and now like it's over. He's like, dude, this is
my next song. Like, I'm telling everyone that's on my team,
get behind this song. This is my next song. We're
not looking for another song on my record, push next,
Like this is the song. And dude, that I mean,
could I ask for anything more than that?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I mean?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
And so to have two guys that fully believe in
it and champion it, and especially with all the power
that you know and what God's doing in his world
right now, is just crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
That's like, it's a that's a dream come true.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
You were talking about the Opry and you just played there.
The Opry is such a hallowed ground for country music,
I mean a country music fan in general. Yeah, especially
as somebody who is gifted enough to have an excuse
to step inside the circle.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Uh, what was that experience like, because I'd imagine you've
been to the Opry before as a fan or or
supporting somebody.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Right, Well, it's funny shout out to Dirty Myrtle, where
I spent some of my time growing up.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
We had the Carolina Opry. Have you ever heard of that?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
It feels way different, it is, So that's what I
was gonna say, dude, It's not the same thing. So,
but but like growing up there and like seeing that
and stuff like being.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Here, I'm like, oh, this is the real thing, you know, dude.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I was trying to find words for it all night
and still am like I'm still in a high and
I'm still like trying to process. I mean, can you
can you process things that are so beyond yourself?
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Like I don't.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
I don't know if you can. Uh, but it was
so overwhelming and just I was just so grateful. You
feel so unworthy to like step into that circle knowing
who's been there and uh, but like what an incredible honor.
And I just tried to step in and just be like,
how do I serve this moment? Well? How do I
get people a great time and hopefully they leave better
(13:36):
than they walked in?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
You know, knowing how fast the song is moving. Anytime
music moves fast, you have to keep up with it.
H Were you able to take the moment in because
we're all surrounded by so much life right now that
like that the moment, Yeah, it's something that you don't
really get to absorb, right.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I had a few moments where I started to tear up.
You know, you're it's so hard, but cause you're really
trying to do a good job, especially my debut. You know,
it's like I don't want to botch it, you know,
and I'm like trying to remember the lyrics and you know,
I mean, I've never been more nervous, I think, in
my life. And yet there was a moment during a
song of mine called Gratitude and you kind of can't help.
(14:18):
I mean, it's what the whole song's about, but just
sit back and reflect. And it was one that man,
so many of my fans showed up last night. I
was scared to death that I was going to be
the odd dude out you know and country but also
known for my Christian music and so like this is
a little bit more of a newer world for me,
and so I had no idea. And when they said
(14:39):
my name and I'm like, people went nuts.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I was like, oh my people showed up, dude, And
so I.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Fell on fire Man and so I had my moment
with gratitude, and then luckily I was able to go
backstage take a few minutes to like take it in
and then come back out and I sang hard fought
Hallelujah with Jelly Roll, and because we were both in
the song, and I'm not having to carry every bit
of it. I was really able to kind of look
around and just go, what the heaven is happening right now?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
You know, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I'm excited that they'd cheer loud for you, but they
do for the janitor as well. It's kind of like
they just.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
I felt bad.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
There was one lady last night they announced her birthday,
but I walked out at the same time, and we're
all going like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yo, this lady is so love happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
And then I realized the guy was still setting up
this like this woman's birthday, but yeah, I'd walked out,
and then I realized. I was like, wait, was that
for like Karen or was that for me? I don't know,
And everybody's like, dude, that was for you, bro, And
I was like, no, like it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Last thing I want to ask you is we look
for we look to be for our efforts to be
verified right, for a sign like I'm going in the
right path or I'm where I'm supposed to be. What's
been the biggest thing, not necessarily this song, but from
(16:05):
the first time he picked up a guitar to sitting
in front of me today what's been the biggest thing
that has helped you go? Yeah? This, Yeah, we keep going.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah. Last night a family came who their only reason to.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Come to Nashville is to come see me last night
because this song, Oh, this song hard Fought Hallelujah is
what's getting their family through and more particularly their son
who's eight years old and has a pretty a really
bad form of cancer. Yeah, and and they came last
(16:40):
night just to hear this song. It's been his battle cry,
it's been his anthem. And I got a precious video
of him this this morning from a friend when he's
got some boxing gloves on and he's in the hospital.
They've made him the face of the children's hospital in
his city. And and this song hard Fought Hallelujah has
(17:02):
been the song that's given him faith to keep going
and keep fighting and his family faith. And for me, dude,
I could care less about a number one. Do I
want number ones and to take over and dominate? Yes,
I'm a driven person. God made me that way. But ultimately, dude,
why we do this is for people. That's what we're
(17:23):
called to is relationship, and it's and it's to love
one another and to do that well. And if I
can do that through songs, and especially give an eight
year old. I have an eight year old. I can't
imagine walking through that with my own son. And to
think that a single song could be the soundtrack of
faith to keep him fighting, That's why I do it.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
That's what the goose bumps are like wild right now?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Holy cow? What is that?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
So that was gonna be the last question, but now
it'sond this. What does that do for you moving forward
for the next song?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Yeah, that's what fires me up to write the next one.
I tell other songwriters and that's what I try to do,
is to not write faceless songs, Yeah, but to write
songs from a place of testimony in light ways and
then in heavy ways. And you know, it's like like
this kid, like his face will be in my head
(18:18):
when I'm writing the next song that is trying to
be a song that it's going to encourage people to
keep going. I've got countless stories, friends and family that
I channel in the songs that I write, and and
so honestly, every single story is what It's another log
on the fire to keep going and write another song
(18:41):
that'll hopefully change somebody.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
That's so the next song is called log On the
Fires that.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Log on the Fires, Let's go p fire can fire
with God. I appreciate that man.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Thanks for swinging through.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Man, it's so honored to be here. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
It's beautiful, my pleasure,
Uh, Man, I gotta tell you, it's not often an
artist comes in with hype that has already carried them
through the door. But there's some there's some hype around this.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
You're feeling it, Brandon, what's.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Up, brother?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
How are you? I'm doing great, man, I'm living on
a high. Just so stoked to be here, honored.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It's a really fun week and we've had already had
some amazing moments this week here in Nashville.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
So we're gonna talk hard fought Hollelujah. It's it's a
song that I randomly heard of before the before jelly
really and yeah, and and so there's so much I
want to ask you, because I want to start with
all this started because you were a pastor at one point. Yeah,
it's funny like saying that. I guess technically I am
(00:42):
and I operate is one. I grew up in the
church and my dad's a pastor.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
And uh, I fell in love with music, and you know,
started playing guitar mainly just because I wanted to, you know,
get a girlfriend. But then I as I started leading
worship at a young age, I fell in love with
like seeing people connect to these songs and ultimately connecting
with God and finding faith in music, and so yeah,
I kind of like ended up becoming like a worship leader,
(01:10):
a worship pastor. I grew up in the church and
I've just had the most amazing experience with church and
so it's felt the call of God to keep serving
people in that way through music. And so yeah, yeah,
you could say I'm a pastor and artist, songwriter, all
the things.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
I'm gonna ask you a very challenging question of mediology.
This is gonna be real deep, it's not gonna be
like so explain to me. No, But once you learned
that you had an ability to songwrite, play guitar, put
these things together, right, Yeah, why was it important for
you to not lose the religion part? Because as you
(01:47):
continue to make music, right, yeah, it's you're adding an
extra layer of challenge because not only are you trying
to create music and get yourself in front of people,
your music has a message. It's more than just here's
another beer drinking yeah yeah, right, my truck.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, which, by the.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Way, beer drinking and trucks drunks driving, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Leave those things separated.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
But yeah, but but it adds an extra challenge to
getting yourself in front of a new audience.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You could easily leave the religion part out and just
try and make music. Yeah, why was it important for
you to be like, no, I'm gonna do this my way.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I think so many people have such a bad taste
in their mouth when it comes to religion that maybe
I have felt a responsibility to try to change that
narrative and go no, like God is good and we're
all messed up.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
And we all need God.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
And uh, I think you said it yourself, like my
songs carry maybe a deeper message or one that's gonna
get you through the hardest of times. And and honestly, dude,
I don't even know that if I tried to do
anything different, if I could, at just the call, it
feels too strong. And that's where I found my purpose
(03:01):
and I don't want to get outside of that. I
don't think there's anything wrong with some fun songs and
break up songs and all that.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I write those too, But the ones I feel.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Most called to share with the world are the ones
that are gonna help people to live another day and
know why they're living another day, that there's someone bigger
that has a plan for their life. And sometimes that's
really on the nose and it's like a churchy song,
and then sometimes it's like and hard fileluja. I think
it's a little bit more disguised. Like when Jelly first
(03:32):
heard the song, he's like, bro, I didn't even know
it was a Christian song. He's like, I know, I
was like singing about God, but I didn't know you're
a Christian artist. I didn't know it as a Christian song.
And for me, I was like, that's beautiful the fact
that he connected with God, but he didn't scream Christian
music because we've and I think that's what I'm super
fired up to do is maybe be one of the
(03:52):
ones that, hopefully, with God's help, that kind of changes
the narrative a little bit. We have this idea of
what Christian music sounds like, and I don't think it
has to sound like what it always has sounded like
and carries the same message, but I don't think it
needs to be like as soon as you hear it,
you're like, oh, that's a church song.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I want to I want to, like, I want to
be a little sneaky and catch people off guard, and
I think that's what this song's doing.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Would you rather people, as you're getting introduced to new
circles and obviously you're on mainstream radio now, would you
rather people just say, here's an artist with a great
Christian message or you're like, no, I'm a Christian artist
with a great message.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
That's an interesting question.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
What I would what I would love?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I mean, at the end of the day, shut up
and listen to music, right, yeah, right, But as people
are I would say the open I think that the
door widens a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, for everyone out there, if you if you lead
with art and respected art, like I don't know, you know,
until you catch what the message is, it's like, wow,
this is just excellent. And what they won't even like
realize maybe but subconsciously is like you're actually experiencing a
gift of God. You're not like before you even catch
(05:08):
the message. Like I listened to secular music all the time,
and I'll hear a song that's not even necessarily about God,
but I'm like, dude, I experience God in that Like
it's beautiful, Like he made us, he made art, Like
where else do you think it came from? So I
think people can experience God even when the message isn't
necessarily like I got faith and I got you know,
(05:29):
I love church and so I mean, I think Coldplay
is so anointed the melodies and like, there's so many
things I listen to.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
I mean, so many of Jelly's songs that I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Just like godly that is, I experience God in it,
but it's not screaming like the Gospel shoving it down
people's throat. So I just want people to encounter I
would say, the spirit of Jesus in me, Like, no
matter what I do.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
When it comes to collapse, they fall together in a
lot of ways. Probably the most common. It's either backstage
at a festival yeah, or managers talk yeah and it
just happens. Uh, how did the one would Jelly happen?
Like how did y'all end up connecting? Because this song
existed pre Jelly roll?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah, so happened to write the song felt really special
and I was like, we have to actually teased it,
put a little clip of it out and I wasn't
supposed to be putting any new music out anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
The label was like I posted it and they're like,
what are you doing, you.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Know, because people went crazy and they're like, give us
this song right now or else, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
So I was like, all right, the record label are
the people, this is my this is my no the people,
and so my labels like, oh no, Like I guess
we need to put out on it because I had
just had a number one.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, and so we're like trying to let that ride out.
And then I teased this song and people are demanding,
demanding it, and so I'm like, y'all, I can't make
them wait too long.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
So we put hard fought Hallelujah out. But it just
felt like such a special, special song.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
I didn't want to care it just by myself and
just knowing the lyrics and it being about you know,
like like trying to sing Hallelujah in the midst of
you know, uh hell, you know, Like I was like, man, like,
who resonates? Who would resonate with this story? And I
just kept thinking jelly Roll, I've been seeing hearing his
story and seeing clips. And then the cool thing was
what happened was I told the team, Hey, reach out,
(07:22):
it's a long shot. Let's reach out and just see
and then you know, some days past and I was
watching the CMA Awards and uh, I got a met
I fell asleep. I fell asleep before his performance. Yeah,
I know, bro, I got I got three boys at home.
It is a crazy house. Dogs, cows, animals everywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Your boy gets tied. I'm trying to be an artist
and a farmer.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Did you just say children, dogs, cows.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Donkeys are on the way. And we've had skulches in
our house. I've had pigs in my house. It's a circus.
Uh yeah, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Oh we just added ten minutes of this talk. Yeah right, okay,
we'll circle back to So my brother I was literally
just staying up really just trying to see Jelly's performance.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I've just felt like an immediate, like just love and
connection to that dude, even before meeting him. And so
I wake up and my brother in law sent me
the video, the clip of just that performance with Brooks
and Dunn song I Believe. And I'm watching people in
the middle of this secular award show not expecting it.
People are starting to stand up and lift their hands
(08:32):
and worship.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Tears.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
So many tears is running down people's faces as people
are declaring.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Like I don't have it all figured out. I don't
have it all together, but you know what I do.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I believe and I'm like this, dude, these guys just
led the world and worship and no one saw it coming.
And and like, dude, that's not easy to do, to
like take a song like that, and and like, I'm
sure a lot of people were like what the heck,
but the majority of the room was bought in, and
it just gave me all the confidence to be like,
(09:04):
he's the dude.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
And so we reached out.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Little did I know that Jelly had already heard that
song somehow on TikTok reached out to his team. I
was like, Yo, have you heard this joint? Like this
song's crazy, and so when we asked, he was like, heck, yes,
I love that song.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
And then he we got on the phone like the
next day or and bro, I mean, it wasn't thirty seconds,
and I just fell in love with the dude. And
it was like I've felt like I just met my
long lost brother and it's been a real I think
the most beautiful things in life happened through real relationship,
and so it was important to both of us that
this was not a play to have a big song
(09:45):
or for me on my side to try to make
the song bigger. It was like I just heard his
story and I was like, I feel like this is
a song for him, and then to hear from him,
this song is actively right now changing his life. And
we were the Opry last night and he's on stage
saying tears in his eyes. This song is pulling out
(10:06):
something that's always been inside of him. But he's never
been this bold about and that's his walk. And he's
honest about not having it all together, which I love
and respect so much that he actually is honest about
not having it all together, whereas so many Christians are
just lying about it, saying that they think they think
they do.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
The truth of this.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
None of us do. And so it's really been a
beautiful friendship already, and I think we both equally have
been ministered to by this song.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Collabs happened every day, more so in country now than
I mean ever, like maybe early nineties, yeah, like the
last time collabs were this hot. Yeah, But it's it's
weird this collab because a lot of artists hop on
a song and then go all right, cool, I did
your song with the UCA later.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
It feels like he's just as passionate about the song
as you are, which you see a country music usually
it's like, oh, I hopped on your I hopped on
your song. Yeah, go enjoy it. This feels like, Hey,
I hopped on your song and now it's ours.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yes, And I think that speaks to how much the
message of the song is like actively like working in
his life, and he's honest about it. I didn't expect
anything more than him just hopping on the song. I
knew it'd be special, that that in itself would have
been special. And literally just as early as like yesterday,
(11:26):
he facetimed me and we're both in Nashville, just you know,
we got a bunch of stuff for doing this week together,
singing the song many times, singing its bar and I
I think, you know, like super stoked. But he called
me and he calls me all the time, and he's
just he's such a lover and encourager and he's like
man like, brainon, I just want to remind you, bro, like, uh,
(11:46):
this isn't just like a thing I did with you
and now like it's over. He's like, dude, this is
my next song. Like, I'm telling everyone that's on my team,
get behind this song. This is my next song. We're
not looking for another song on my record, push next,
Like this is the song. And dude, that I mean,
could I ask for anything more than that?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I mean?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
And so to have two guys that fully believe in
it and champion it, and especially with all the power
that you know and what God's doing in his world
right now, is just crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
That's like, it's a that's a dream come true.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
You were talking about the Opry and you just played there.
The Opry is such a hallowed ground for country music,
I mean a country music fan in general. Yeah, especially
as somebody who is gifted enough to have an excuse
to step inside the circle.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Right.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Uh, what was that experience like, because I'd imagine you've
been to the Opry before as a fan or or
supporting somebody.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Right, Well, it's funny shout out to Dirty Myrtle, where
I spent some of my time growing up.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
We had the Carolina Opry. Have you ever heard of that?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
It feels way different, it is, So that's what I
was gonna say, dude, It's not the same thing. So,
but but like growing up there and like seeing that
and stuff like being.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Here, I'm like, oh, this is the real thing, you know, dude.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I was trying to find words for it all night
and still am like I'm still in a high and
I'm still like trying to process. I mean, can you
can you process things that are so beyond yourself?
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Like I don't.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
I don't know if you can. Uh, but it was
so overwhelming and just I was just so grateful. You
feel so unworthy to like step into that circle knowing
who's been there and uh, but like what an incredible honor.
And I just tried to step in and just be like,
how do I serve this moment? Well? How do I
get people a great time and hopefully they leave better
(13:36):
than they walked in?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
You know, knowing how fast the song is moving. Anytime
music moves fast, you have to keep up with it.
H Were you able to take the moment in because
we're all surrounded by so much life right now that
like that the moment, Yeah, it's something that you don't
really get to absorb, right.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I had a few moments where I started to tear up.
You know, you're it's so hard, but cause you're really
trying to do a good job, especially my debut. You know,
it's like I don't want to botch it, you know,
and I'm like trying to remember the lyrics and you know,
I mean, I've never been more nervous, I think, in
my life. And yet there was a moment during a
song of mine called Gratitude and you kind of can't help.
(14:18):
I mean, it's what the whole song's about, but just
sit back and reflect. And it was one that man,
so many of my fans showed up last night. I
was scared to death that I was going to be
the odd dude out you know and country but also
known for my Christian music and so like this is
a little bit more of a newer world for me,
and so I had no idea. And when they said
(14:39):
my name and I'm like, people went nuts.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I was like, oh my people showed up, dude, And
so I.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Fell on fire Man and so I had my moment
with gratitude, and then luckily I was able to go
backstage take a few minutes to like take it in
and then come back out and I sang hard fought
Hallelujah with Jelly Roll, and because we were both in
the song, and I'm not having to carry every bit
of it. I was really able to kind of look
around and just go, what the heaven is happening right now?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
You know, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I'm excited that they'd cheer loud for you, but they
do for the janitor as well. It's kind of like
they just.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
I felt bad.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
There was one lady last night they announced her birthday,
but I walked out at the same time, and we're
all going like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yo, this lady is so love happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
And then I realized the guy was still setting up
this like this woman's birthday, but yeah, I'd walked out,
and then I realized. I was like, wait, was that
for like Karen or was that for me? I don't know,
And everybody's like, dude, that was for you, bro, And
I was like, no, like it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Last thing I want to ask you is we look
for we look to be for our efforts to be
verified right, for a sign like I'm going in the
right path or I'm where I'm supposed to be. What's
been the biggest thing, not necessarily this song, but from
(16:05):
the first time he picked up a guitar to sitting
in front of me today what's been the biggest thing
that has helped you go? Yeah? This, Yeah, we keep going.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah. Last night a family came who their only reason to.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Come to Nashville is to come see me last night
because this song, Oh, this song hard Fought Hallelujah is
what's getting their family through and more particularly their son
who's eight years old and has a pretty a really
bad form of cancer. Yeah, and and they came last
(16:40):
night just to hear this song. It's been his battle cry,
it's been his anthem. And I got a precious video
of him this this morning from a friend when he's
got some boxing gloves on and he's in the hospital.
They've made him the face of the children's hospital in
his city. And and this song hard Fought Hallelujah has
(17:02):
been the song that's given him faith to keep going
and keep fighting and his family faith. And for me, dude,
I could care less about a number one. Do I
want number ones and to take over and dominate? Yes,
I'm a driven person. God made me that way. But ultimately, dude,
why we do this is for people. That's what we're
(17:23):
called to is relationship, and it's and it's to love
one another and to do that well. And if I
can do that through songs, and especially give an eight
year old. I have an eight year old. I can't
imagine walking through that with my own son. And to
think that a single song could be the soundtrack of
faith to keep him fighting, That's why I do it.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
That's what the goose bumps are like wild right now?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Holy cow? What is that?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
So that was gonna be the last question, but now
it'sond this. What does that do for you moving forward
for the next song?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Yeah, that's what fires me up to write the next one.
I tell other songwriters and that's what I try to do,
is to not write faceless songs, Yeah, but to write
songs from a place of testimony in light ways and
then in heavy ways. And you know, it's like like
this kid, like his face will be in my head
(18:18):
when I'm writing the next song that is trying to
be a song that it's going to encourage people to
keep going. I've got countless stories, friends and family that
I channel in the songs that I write, and and
so honestly, every single story is what It's another log
on the fire to keep going and write another song
(18:41):
that'll hopefully change somebody.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
That's so the next song is called log On the
Fires that.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Log on the Fires, Let's go p fire can fire
with God. I appreciate that man.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Thanks for swinging through.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Man, it's so honored to be here. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
It's beautiful, my pleasure,
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