NEW YORK – Fifteen miles south of Sin City, Brandon Lake is seated backstage at a packed arena in Henderson, Nevada. In a matter of hours, he will perform an energetic, “family-friendly” show, as he tells The Associated Press, for thousands of people. He's on the road with his latest album, 2025's “King of Hearts,” a Christian music release that spans genre — pop, rock, country, hip-hop — a mixture not always associated with worship music.

Its eclecticism is one of the many reasons why his music is connecting. The album peaked at No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, an undeniable feat for a contemporary Christian music (CCM) release, and earned Lake his first Top 40 hit: “Hard Found Hallelujah” with country singer Jelly Roll .

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