For 12 years, the K-LOVE Fan Awards have been held in Nashville, Tennessee, showcasing Christian music and its annual impact on K-LOVE Radio. What sets it apart from award shows like the Dove Awards is that the fans select the winners. The K-LOVE Fan Awards weekend is renowned for bringing fans together from all over to hear and meet their favorite artists in a unique and cherished way, making it a treasured part of the Christian music scene.
I remember listening to the very first K-LOVE Fan Awards as a kid and dreaming of one day getting to work in Christian music. Fast forward years later, and this year marked my seventh year in the Christian music industry and third year at the K-LOVE Fan Awards. My first year at the K-LOVE Fan Awards, I was a volunteer; the second year, I was a choir member for contemporary artist Katy Nichole's performance of her powerful song "My God Can." This year, I had the opportunity to be on the red carpet, interviewing many of Christian music's hottest artists.
Although I wasn't there for the entire weekend, I spent Sunday at the show and was blown away by it. The day kicked off with worship led by the legendary gospel singer CeCe Winans. It was incredible to watch her lead the room in a pivotal moment of faith and belief, as we raised our voices in praise to the beautiful name of Jesus. After her performance, the message began, and it was powerful to listen to. You wouldn't think a music award show fan weekend would have a sermon, but I love how they brought a speaker to share God's word. This moment filled my heart with happiness as I saw Jesus remain at the center of the entire day.
Afterwards, fans spent the intermission heading to the next room to attend a special album release party for contemporary band Big Daddy Weave's latest release, Let It Begin. The band remains a genuine presence in Christian music, and their latest album showcases impactful anthems of faith, hope, and new life. It was a true blessing to watch the group perform some of their new songs and meet with fans.
After nearly three full days of events and meetings, artists and fans are now preparing for the main event. During the intermission, my sister and I checked our equipment to prepare for interviewing artists on the red carpet. We talked and prayed with fans, ran into comedian Shama Mrema, and even joined in on the viral TikTok dance trend created by pop artist Forrest Frank (who hasn't tried this dance at least once?).
After a few hours (and a quick rain downpour), we made our way to the red carpet to set up our equipment. I was greeted by several fellow media friends, including Christian music superfan Joey Tran, and my friends from Nineties Worship Nights, who were filling in for the Christian Music Guys podcast on the red carpet. Once everyone had found their place and were set up, the artists began walking through. It's always fun to see so many artists dressed up and talking briefly with them about their music and faith. I wish we could have interviewed everyone, but in environments like a red carpet, you often only get a few. However, I love the conversations we were able to have.
I had the opportunity to speak with artists such as Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Blanca, Bodie, Tedashii, Josh Baldwin, Jamie McDonald, Colton Dixon, Jenn Johnson, and more. All of these artists were incredibly kind and spoke to us about their recent music, their impact over the years, upcoming projects, what God is currently teaching them, and, of course, shared many fun stories.
Two hours quickly flew by, filled with incredible conversations and meaningful connections—from on-camera interviews to meeting media reps, publishers, and fellow artists behind the scenes. My sister, the entire NRT Team, and I all agree—it’s a true privilege to share the stories of these beautiful, Jesus-loving people in whatever ways we can through our platform. Red carpet interviews are one of the fun ways we get to do that, and I love seeing how God continues to use both me and NRT to point listeners toward songs that reflect His heart.
We wrapped up the night by getting to take part in watching the show in the media room. It was a delight to watch the stunning performances live and see many of the artists discuss their music. The artists were kind in answering questions and sharing their hearts about why they create Christian music and how they desire to see Jesus glorified and lives changed by Him. The entire award show, such as the Dove Award or the We Love Christian Music Award, showcases this so well. My sister and I were honored to be behind the scenes representing NRT and getting to share with you all about this fantastic weekend filled with so many God moments and how He's using Christian music powerfully through radio.
You can watch the 2025 K-LOVE Fan Awards on TBN or YouTube here.
Bradden Ford is a Christian music junkie charged with maintaining NewReleaseToday's new release database of artists and releases. He lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
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