In just a few short years, the KLOVE Fan Awards have risen to prominence as one of the prime events each year for Christian music fans. The unique full weekend experience, capped off by an awards show, keeps fans involved at every stage of the process: from unique fan zone activities to a 5k race with their favorite artists to being allowed to gather around and watch the red carpet. The removal of the barrier between artists and their fans makes for a truly unique atmosphere, with the awards themselves serving as secondary to the experience.
 
You don't have to take my word for it though. On the red carpet and backstage during the KLOVE Fan Awards ceremony, I talked to some of your favorite artists about what made the weekend special for them. To see for yourself what all the hype is about, you can watch the KLOVE Fan Awards in theaters across the country June 13 (see a full list of theaters and get tickets here).  
 
Dave Frey, Sidewalk Prophets
This is one of our favorite events, the KLOVE Fan Awards. We had our bus parked at the KLOVE fan zone in years past--people got to tour the bus, and then we surprised them by being in the back of the bus! It was so much fun. Even today, I was hanging out in the mall, and we were eating with our family. And people would come up and talk to me while we were eating, like "I know you hate this." And I was like "no! I don't hate this!" I love when fans talk to us and let us know their story and their hearts, because it's what fills us up as a band.
 
Music is awesome, but the hearts of people and what Christ is doing? That's it. That's the reason we do what we do. It's what gets us from city to city, spending 200 days a year on the road.
 
Phil Joel, Zealand Worship
Last night was really fun. There we were on stage together, and we played a whole bunch of Newsboys stuff that we haven't played in years. And people went kind of bananas. You kind of cross your fingers and think "I wonder if they'll remember these songs," you know? But they did, and they were singing along, and it was really a blast.  
Matt Hammitt
I think it's amazing that people care, to be honest. We're a niche market, Christian music, in the ocean of music. And to know that people care enough to come out here and cheer on people who are making music that is positive, encouraging for the Lord? It's incredible. 
 
Colton Dixon
I think KLOVE Fan Awards does it right: they involve the fans. It's in the title. We get a chance to hear first hand from people who listen to our music via KLOVE just how much this music has meant to them. It doesn't even have to be my own, it could be someone else's. But just to hear those stories encourages us so much more than people realize. We're out on the road 120 to sometimes 150 dates a year, which is a lot of shows. It can get grueling after a while. But to hear those stories is like gasoline to the fuel tank. We really appreciate that, and this event just allows us to connect with those people and to hear first hand.

Mike Donehey, Tenth Avenue North
What makes the event special is that it's a whole weekend. We were running the 5k yesterday, and the other guys were playing cornhole with people in the fanzone. I really like that it's a longer time where you actually can start recognizing people and build some relationships.  
7eventh Time Down
Mikey Howard: The people! All the fans are awesome. Everybody coming here to support Christian music and all their favorite artists and what God's doing through Christian music in the world. It's an awesome time.
 
Cliff Williams: As a fan of music, I feel like for the KLOVE fan awards you have to feel way more connected to this than the average awards show since you voted and stuff. And that's awesome.
 
Natalie Grant
I think it's about two things. One, seeing our friends, because we all live on the road. We do go to church with a ton of artists, but even then we're gone, so we're never at the same service at the same time. But I think also, what makes Christian music unique isn't the music or even the style of it, it's the message. And so when you meet people who have been impacted by the message, and it's not just "that was a really catchy song" or "that was really hooky" or whatever, it's like "that song saved my marriage. That song brought me closer to Jesus." And it reminds us that all that hard work we put in in the studio? It's actually translating and helping people in their everyday life. That's the best part of it.  
Juliana Zobrist
This is my first time being here! I'm presenting the best female vocalist award, and I'm excited for that because I think female artists have an extra dose of tenacity, and an extra dose of being unable to be shattered because their confidence isn't held in whether or not people are approving of them. I mean, you cannot be a creative person and be walking on eggshells about whether or not people like you. It's just a little bit too vulnerable! So I'm excited to recognize those women, the heart that they've put into their art and into their craft and staying true to who they are as individuals. I think it's a really inspiring thing to every girl standing out here watching this event right now. 
 
Micah Tyler
I am an actual Christian music fan. So the performances are going to be a blast, getting to celebrate what the Lord's doing in this industry is super fun. And I also have a little surprise. I have something they asked me to do something special at the first of the show. You have to wait for the show, but there's a special thing they allowed me to do to celebrate the night.
 
Britt Nicole
It's obviously so fun getting dressed up and getting to share our new songs and things like that. But at the end of the day, it's about all these people that are around, and I'm seeing all their faces now. I think it's just so important that we keep our focus on the fact that they're the reason we're here, why we make music. It's for them. And it's just so cool to see these fans coming to the shows, and they're hurting and broken. And by the end of the night, their head is lifted up, and you see that God has just touched their heart. It's so special. And that's why we do it. I love these people-- that's why we make music.
 
Tauren Wells
I love the fan interaction. I love how KLOVE has strategically organized this to include people, to include fans. So meeting them, hearing their stories, connecting with them has been really cool. 
 
Jodi King, Love & The Outcome
We've never played at the KLOVE Fan Awards before. We're playing our breakout single of the year, "Hand Up, Worries Down." It's actually overwhelmingly special to have fans say "I was really touched by your song, really encouraged," and get to share it. And tonight we're in the crowd playing it, so that will be really fun.
 
Ben Calhoun, Citizen Way
I really like these things because it's like summer camp kind of, only with really nice clothes. Everybody gets together, you remind yourselves of what family you're in, you celebrate it, and you praise the Lord and lift up Jesus' name and have fun turning the amps to 11, and in this case, getting dressed up for it. So I think in this a really great representation of the family of God, in some cool ways.
 
Jasmine Murray
Yesterday I got a chance to actually do a performance in the fan zone area, and that was pretty awesome. I got to share three songs with everybody, and afterwards I kind of walked around a little bit just to see what's going on. Then I got to sign autographs with Natalie Grant and meet some of these amazing people that are here tonight. Then last night I got a chance to go to the songwriter's showcase, so I got to hear Citizen Way and Francesca and Skillet and everything. It's my first time at the KLOVEs, so I'm just soaking all of this up.
 
Mike Weaver, Big Daddy Weave
This event specifically is really cool because we've been at every single one of them. It was really powerful tonight for us because a year ago, my brother Jay wasn't with us. He was dealing with health issues and actually had both of his feet amputated. And we were finding out that news while we were at this event last year. It was just a pretty bleak time in our family, but this place came unglued in prayer, and it just was such an encouragement to all of us over the last year. And tonight, to step back out on stage and have him walk out for the first time again and play, was pretty amazing. People were standing up just praising God. It was a really special moment.
 
Jeremy Camp
I think to be able to be here seeing all these people who have been listening to your music for a long time, to see their faces? You're just like yes! Even before I came on stage, before I performed, there were a bunch of people outside for the red carpet. And I got to say hi to tons of people, and they shared stories. I think that's a huge part of it, having people that you've been ministering to for years minister to you. Does that make sense? Because I'm going, "that ministered to my heart." I think that's a key part of these awards, to be with the people who are sharing their stories of what God has done.
 
Danny Gokey
I think one of the most special parts is interacting with the fans and hearing their stories. Then I got to do a special meeting with some donors that support KLOVE, to hear their stories. People who have become mission-minded to give and make this kind of event happen. It's so amazing to be a part of it, to get to connect. 
 
For so long, I felt like Christian music got pushed into a corner and labeled. And now it's us finally saying that our God created music. Let's go, let's celebrate it, let's involve other people, let's make a mark on the music industry by who we are and what we stand for, that we love everyone--and that we have fun together.
Zach Williams
I think it's so cool that all the fans are just walking around, hanging out. You know I'm walking to my room, and they're stopping and wanting to talk. But they're super cool too. Everybody is family here, you know? And obviously a lot of these people probably come every year to this thing. This is the first year I've been, so I'm looking forward to coming back year after year and seeing the same people. 
 
Jon Steingard, Hawk Nelson
For us, I think the KLOVE Fan Awards are special because they're completely fan voted. I think sometimes when people watch like the Grammys or something, everyone's like "wow, it's rigged!" This is 100% not rigged. For us in a band, it's like a highschool reunion. It's all the other artists we've toured with over the years, that we've known for a long time. You're in the hallway like "what up bro!" It's special.
 
Mike Scheuchzer, MercyMe
What's really, really cool is that it's so fan-centered. You know, it's the fans who vote for the nominations and whoever wins. I know that the fans are the reason that we're here still after 23 years. And running into fans that we've kind of become friends with over 23 years, that make the trek out to Tennessee for this? It's pretty cool. 

We Are Messengers
You come to a lot of big events like this, and you kind of assume that it's going to be a commercial endeavor, that the heart of it is not really going to be what you hope it is. But having met so many of the KLOVE fans over the years, and the board members and the team, it's just the most God-centered team of people I've ever met. I started chatting with the board members in the room the other day, and I cried for like 45 minutes with them. There was a spirit here that people actually want to see God move, they want to see God reach people, they want to see God change people's lives. So it's been fantastic being here. Really, it's been one of the highlights of our career so far. 

View our KLOVE Fan Awards 2017 red carpet photo gallery here.