The 2023 K-LOVE Fan Awards marked 10 years of the Emmy®-winning fan-voted event. Yet, even a decade in, this year brought about several firsts. Sibling trio CAIN hosted the ceremony for the first time. Brandon Lake walked away the evening’s biggest winner, taking home inaugural trophies for Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year. In addition, Phil Wickham became a first-time K-LOVE Fan Award winner, with fans awarding Wickham’s “On Our Knees” Book Impact honors. Furthermore, while the K-LOVE Fan Awards has long been known for its innovative collaborations since its inception in 2013, this year, every single performer was paired with another artist, songwriter or personal testimony for a one-of-a-kind night filled with collaborations from start to finish.
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New for 2023, every vote helped take the Gospel around the world. Thanks to a partnership with Open Eyes, every 100,000 votes unlocked a new level of resources, supplies and transportation that will be dispatched specifically in Nepal and Mexico to the organization’s “mobile messengers,” who are equipped and sent to remote villages to tell others about the life-saving hope of Jesus.
Heading into this year’s award show, Wickham led nominations with five nods, though he was unable to attend due to an unexpected family emergency. Lake followed with four recognitions on the strength of “Gratitude,” and the Charleston, S.C., native topped the night’s leaderboard with his trio of wins. Meanwhile, for KING & COUNTRY and Lauren Daigle both continued their undeniable reigns, securing the titles of Artist of the Year and Female Artist of the Year, respectively.
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Leading up to the star-studded event at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House, fans enjoyed an entire weekend of live music, artist interactions and unique experiences at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. TobyMac treated attendees to a full 90-minute set as he headlined Friday night’s Kick-Off Concert. Meanwhile, Jon Reddick hosted the all-new Worship in the Round event on Saturday morning that also featured Lake, Tasha Layton, David Leonard and Josh Baldwin leading one another’s songs together. In addition, Saturday’s highlights included the return of the Emerging Artist Showcase, hosted by Brandon Heath; a podcast taping with Podcast Impact nominees Levi and Jennie Lusko; and the beloved Songwriters Showcase, hosted by Steven Curtis Chapman. Chris Tomlin led this year’s Sunday Morning Worship.
The 10th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards aired exclusively on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Friday, June 2, and is available on the TBN app. The show is slated for an encore performance on Saturday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET.
