Brandon Lake has quietly staged a major move into country music, convening a high-profile songwriting camp that produced dozens of tracks in a matter of days. The sessions, shared on social media this week, underline a growing crossover between contemporary Christian music and mainstream country—and could reshape playlists and award-season conversations in the months ahead.
On Jan. 21 Lake posted a short video showing writing-room sessions that included names from both scenes. Over five days he gathered more than 25 artists and songwriters, mixing established country figures with collaborators from the faith-based world to co-write nearly 50 songs, he said in the post.
The roster linked to the sessions reads like a map of current country radio and streaming success: Lainey Wilson, Thomas Rhett, HARDY, Russell Dickerson, Dan + Shay and Bailey Zimmerman all appeared in the footage. Lake also tagged several Christian-music writers and producers who joined the effort, including Benjamin William Hastings, Micah Nichols, Hank Bentley, Trannie Anderson and Jacob Sooter.
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Why this matters now: Brandon Lake is not new to crossover success. His duet with Jelly Roll, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” landed mainstream attention and earned a CMA nomination; he also recently recorded with Cody Johnson. The latest songwriting camp signals a deliberate push to expand those ties, potentially feeding both country radio and Christian playlists.
- Camp scope: Five days of co-writing, involving 25+ participants and roughly 43–50 songs created.
- Notable collaborators: Lainey Wilson, Thomas Rhett, HARDY, Russell Dickerson, Dan + Shay, Bailey Zimmerman, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson.
- Faith-music contributors: Benjamin William Hastings, Micah Nichols, Hank Bentley, Trannie Anderson, Jacob Sooter, Pat Barrett (co-writer on Lake’s recent hits).
- Recent credentials: CMA nomination for a country-leaning collaboration and ASCAP recognition in Christian music for songwriting and song of the year.
Lake framed the initiative as an effort to encourage and collaborate with country artists, saying the sessions grew out of relationships and a desire to support the country music community. He described the output as unexpected in its volume and born of genuine friendship between artists from different musical backgrounds.
The practical impact could be significant. Cross-genre co-writes like these often feed a steady stream of singles, co-billing opportunities and playlist placements that boost streams across both markets. For Christian artists, working with mainstream country names can open new radio formats; for country stars, faith-tinged material can broaden audience reach.
Industry observers will be watching how, and when, those songs are released. Lake and the other participants have not announced a formal release plan, so timing and ownership details remain open. That said, the scale of material suggests multiple single or album opportunities for several artists involved.
For now, the camp reinforces an ongoing trend: genre boundaries are loosening as artists seek fresh songwriting partnerships and new ways to reach listeners. Brandon Lake’s five-day convening makes that trend visible—and creates a slate of material that could surface across country and Christian music throughout the coming year.
