Christian music's biggest fan-voted awards show is officially open for voting - and this year's lineup of nominees is as competitive as it has ever been.
Voting for the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards opens Friday, May 8 at 6 PM Central Time, giving fans across the country the chance to shape who takes home the most coveted trophies in Christian music. If your favorite artist has ever moved you, encouraged you, or carried you through a hard season with a song - tonight is your night to say thank you with your vote.
What Is the K-LOVE Fan Awards?
The 13th annual fan-voted show will be held May 24, 2026, at Nashville's iconic Grand Ole Opry House, capping a weekend of festivities that gives attendees the opportunity to interact with their favorite Christian artists and experience live versions of some of the biggest songs of the year. It is the only major Christian music awards show where the winners are chosen entirely by fans - no industry panels, no committee votes. Just the people who actually listen.
This year's show will be hosted by Grammy Award winner Lauren Daigle and podcaster, author, and speaker Sadie Robertson Huff - fellow Louisiana natives who are both K-LOVE Fan Award winners themselves. This will mark Daigle's first time co-hosting, though she is the most awarded female in K-LOVE Fan Awards history with nine wins.
A Weekend Worth Marking
The K-LOVE Fan Awards Weekend runs from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24, 2026, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Confirmed appearances include Anne Wilson, Bart Millard of MercyMe, Ben Fuller, Colton Dixon, and more - with additional artists, performers, and nominees still to be revealed before the big night.
The 2026 Kickoff Concert on Friday, May 22 will feature CAIN, Colton Dixon, Ben Fuller, and Leanna Crawford. The show itself airs exclusively on Trinity Broadcasting Network on May 29 at 7:30 PM and 10 PM ET, with an encore on June 5.
Who Is Defending Their Title?
Last year's show was dominated by Brandon Lake, who became one of the most decorated nights in recent K-LOVE history. Lake took home trophies for Male Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year, and both Worship Song of the Year for "That's Who I Praise" and Song of the Year for "Hard Fought Hallelujah" featuring Jelly Roll. CeCe Winans won Female Artist of the Year, while for KING + COUNTRY claimed Group of the Year.
With Lake's massive 2025 - which saw "Hard Fought Hallelujah" cross into the mainstream Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 - and Forrest Frank's explosive rise as one of Christian music's fastest-growing acts, the Artist of the Year race this year is one of the most watched in the awards show's 13-year history. Lauren Daigle, who leads Billboard's Christian Airplay chart heading into the show with "Let It Be a Hallelujah," is also a strong contender - even while stepping into the co-host role for the first time.
How to Vote
Voting is open now at klovefanawards.com. Each person may cast one vote per category per email address, and winners are chosen by public vote as weighted by fans and K-LOVE. Voting continues through May 23, so you have more than two weeks to make your voice heard - but the earlier you vote, the sooner your favorite artist feels the support.
Categories include Artist of the Year, Male and Female Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, Song of the Year, Worship Song of the Year, Film Impact, TV/Streaming Impact, Podcast Impact, Book Impact, and Sports Impact.
For believers who have found their faith deepened, their worship stirred, and their hard seasons carried by the music coming out of this community - this is the moment to honor the artists who made that possible. Proverbs 3:27 puts it simply: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
Vote tonight. Your favorite artist is counting on you.
Related Article: The 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards Are 18 Days Away: Here's Everything You Need to Know Before You Vote
