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There’s no subtle way to put it:\u00a0Jelly Roll<\/a>\u00a0deserved more at the\u00a02025 CMA Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n When the nominees list came out on Monday (Sept. 8), he was shut out of every major category, despite the fact that his\u00a0Beautifully Broken<\/em> album was CMA-eligible, and he’s been touring and performing pretty much\u00a0everywhere<\/em> over the past year.<\/p>\n Even more shocking? The sharp decline from the 2024 CMAs, when Jelly was nominated for three trophies, including Entertainer of the Year.<\/p>\n Read More<\/em>: 2025 CMA Awards: Biggest Snubs + Surprises<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n But the statements he’s shared since the CMA nominees list came out show what Jelly’s real fans already know: He’s more interested in hyping other people up than he is in dwelling on his own disappointments.<\/p>\n Jelly scored one nomination in the Musical Event of the Year category, courtesy of “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” his duet with Christian artist Brandon Lake.<\/p>\n That’s a comparatively minor category for an artist who could (and if you ask us,\u00a0should<\/em>) be in the running for trophies like Male Artist and Entertainer of the Year.<\/p>\n But it was a special CMA Awards nomination, because it marked Lake’s first one ever.<\/p>\n Jelly recognized what a big deal that is, and he celebrated it. He posted Lake’s reaction video of himself watching the nominee announcements live and shared his duet partner’s excitement in the comments section.<\/p>\n “YEAHHH BUBBAAAA,” Jelly wrote.<\/p>\n Jelly’s said it himself: He’s all about supporting the underdog, and celebrating the milestone wins\u00a0\u2014 including Lake’s official foyer into CMAs history.<\/p>\n This team-up happened pretty organically, and Jelly was so excited about the song that he once joked he wanted to stop promoting his own single just to focus on it.<\/p>\n Lake wrote “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” and he decided to reach out to Jelly to ask about a collaboration, simply because he thought Jelly would be a good fit for the song and subject matter.<\/p>\n At the time, they didn’t know each other.<\/p>\n But surprise, surprise: Jelly had already heard the song, which was going viral on TikTok, and he was a\u00a0big<\/em> fan.<\/p>\n Read More<\/em>: Jelly Roll Says “Hard Fought Hallelujah” Changed Him: “I Needed That Record”<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n “I haven’t had a record touch me like that in so long,” he told<\/a> Lake in an early-2025 promotional video for the song.<\/p>\n “It’s been years since I worshipped the way that I worshipped to that song,” Jelly continued. “Because, like, I carry my faith with me, but I’m also struggling and very honest and open about that.”<\/p>\n When you put it that way, a CMAs win for this song might just be Jelly’s most special trophy to date.<\/p>\n The 2025 CMA Awards will take place on Nov. 19, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.<\/p>\nWas Jelly Roll Nominated for Any 2025 CMA Awards?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How Did Jelly Roll + Brandon Lake’s Duet Come to Be?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
40 Most-Played Country Songs of 2025<\/h2>\n