If CBS News wants to be a news organization that represents all Americans, profiles such as one that closed Tuesday’s CBS Mornings with chief legal and national correspondent Jan Crawford being given nearly five minutes to air a profile of Christian music star Brandon Lake with unapologetic mentions of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Featured co-host Vladimir Duthiers gave it top billing in two teases, informing viewers that “Brandon Lake is one of the biggest stars in faith-based music” and he’s “the mega popular artist who’s redefining Christian music.”
Later, here was how Duthiers cued up Crawford’s piece following a soundbite from a performance of his new hit, The Author.
WATCH: Before the final day of Supreme Court opinions, Tuesday's 'CBS Mornings' ended with an incredible profile by the great @JanCBS Crawford of Christian music sensation @BrandonLake.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 2, 2026
God and Jesus proclaimed on national TV in a positive light -- something we need more of! pic.twitter.com/6Qr2E4HBHE
Notice how it was both straightforward and didn’t seek to sugarcoat or tear down Christianity:
That is Brandon Lake’s song The Author from his new live concert album, King of Hearts in the Room. Lake is one of the biggest names in Christian music. The six-time Grammy winner has collaborated with artists like Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson. Jan Crawford caught up with him on tour in San Antonio. She learned how a preacher’s kid is finding new fans.
The piece started with Lake saying his career “isn’t just about entertainment,” but “an encounter” where “people’s lives are changed” and “walking out better than they came in.”
Crawford finally came in, asking: “Would you say that music is, in a way, your ministry?”
“I feel like music is what God has called me to, the gift that He’s given me, and that’s how I’m able to share this message and reach people,” Lake replied.
With a clip of Lake singing another hit King of Hearts, Crawford said Lake’s “message of hope and redemption and praise...is helping redefine Christian music” through “more than four billion streams and sold-out arenas for shows he calls a joy bomb, bringing people of all ages and ethnicities closer to Jesus.”
Lake praised his parents (including his father, a pastor) for having “made [singing] fun, and I think what church is supposed to really be about, and that’s community and sharing in everything that you have.”
Following discussion of how Lake went as far as having last names tattooed on a thigh to fund his first record a decade ago, Crawford shared Lake was mentally struggling in his initial waves of success before realizing he “leaned on God, and his friends, and family” (click “expand”):
CRAWFORD: The hits on Billboard’s Hot Christian Song Chart came quick, six number one songs.
[LAKE SINGING GRAVES INTO GARDENS]
CRAWFORD: But as his career was skyrocketing, Lake found himself mentally at the bottom.
LAKE: When I didn’t have the next song write, invite, or I didn’t have the next song I was excited about, or the next show, I started to panic, but I was too prideful to tell my wife what I was experiencing. So, I was having some weird thoughts, dark thoughts, like this is not who I am, and I’m on the mountain top right now, my dreams are coming true, and it’s just crazy. I guess, I’d say a lot of people’s lowest moments come from a low moment, and mine came from a high moment.
[LAKE SINGING HELP!]
CRAWFORD: He says he leaned on God and friends and family, finding balance on his farm in South Carolina with his wife and three sons[.]
Crawford added that “he saw how everyone struggles, and you can see that compassion in his music, and his community is continuing to grow” with many of his “high moments involve collaborations” with names such as Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, and Lainey Wilson.
Questioned why he’s expanded his music to include more duets, Lake aptly said that while “the songs are cool,” the real message is “God loves collabs” when His people come together.
Johnson spared a moment to tell Crawford that, from his perspective, Lake’s career has “not only help[ed] shape people’s lives,” but collaborations with country music stars have “help[ed] him kind of segue into the country music realm.”
Speaking of segues, this went into Crawford’s final question to Lake about what he would like his music to mean to non-Believers (click “expand”):
CRAWFORD [TO LAKE]: There are people out there that they would never consider them religious or even believers.
LAKE: Right.
CRAWFORD: Like, what would you say your music offers them?
LAKE: The best thing I can do is offer my story, what God has done in my life, and allow God to do the rest. Like I’m not out here trying to, like, you know, beat people with a Bible, and you know, fire and brimstone. Like, I don’t think that’s effective. I think my songs are offerings, and they’re open doors.
[LAKE SINGING THAT’S WHO I PRAISE]
Back live, Duthiers remarked he “love[d] the fact that you know he says that his music is an open door to everybody” and “being honest” while co-host Nate Burleson said it was “beautiful” in sharing “that everybody struggles.” Filling in as co-host, Inside Edition’s Eva Pilgrim concurred that he would be so “honest” that “at the height [of his career], he didn’t feel great.”
Along with an increased focus on stories such as welfare fraud and having balance in segments such as one Duthiers had Thursday with Gen Zers, CBS now has more than a few examples to build a roadmap to an outlet that respects all Americans.
To see the relevant CBS transcript from June 30, click here.
