On Sunday, May 18, was the grand finale of “American Idol.”  The Top 3, Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix, gave their final performances in a star-studded night with music legends and top stars. Then this year’s “American Idol” winner was revealed live after the coast-to-coast voting. Mississippi native, Jamal Roberts, was the night’s big winner.

Performing at the finale were the finalists and the Top 14 contestants. The judges teamed up for their first ever collaboration, singing Lionel’s hit song ”Stuck on You.”

Special guest performers also included Salt-N-Pepa, Good Charlotte, Kirk Franklin, Goo Goo Dolls, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Holliday, Jelly Roll, Myles Smith, PJ Morton, Patti LaBelle, Cody Johnson, The War and Treaty, and Brandon Lake.

Lake appeared on the show earlier this season as a guest of Jelly Roll. At the time he mentioned he was hoping to return to the show as a performer.

Speaking with TVMusic Network in a round table interview, Lake mentioned what it was like to be at the finale, duetting with Breanna Nix, advice for contestants and working with Jelly Roll.

“Exhilarating…Joy, I am with amazing talent and legends,” Lake said. “If you can share a stage with people that are just now starting on their journey of impacting other people through music and then those doing it for years, it’s an honor to be able to rub shoulders with them. That’s quite humbling.”

When asked about advice for not only the winner, but anyone in the Top three or Top five, Lake said, “Yeah, this is not a deal breaker. This is not the peak of your life or the lowest low of your life if you didn’t win. I think that blessings come from long faithfulness and just one foot in front of the other, staying faithful to your craft, putting in the 10,000 hours. I believe God has an amazing plan for every single one of them, and that is never realized in a single moment or a single show. It’s being faithful day after day after day after day. And so I just would encourage them that there’s amazing things.”

Lake had to think twice about what he would sing during an Idol audition.

“If I was auditioning I would probably sing a Goo Goo Dolls song, since they’re right behind me. (Goo Goo Dolls were also on the red carpet  doing press interviews at the same time).”

Lake has collaborated with artist in residence Jelly Roll on the hit song, “Hard Fought Hallelujah.”

“Working with Jelly Roll is amazing because he’s just an absolute bro,” Lake said on working with the Grammy nominated artist. “We hit it off before we talked about the song, we just became amazing friends. And he had already heard my song before I asked him to be on it, and kind of fell in love with that song. And so when I asked him to jump on it, he was like, Oh my gosh, yes. I’ve been praying for a song like this. And again, like I just said, it comes back to relationships more than the product. I don’t think it’s about the people, and he’s become like a brother to me, and but then now, getting to share that song in front of millions of people, getting to sing in front of 100,000 people, and at Stagecoach was like unbelievable, a moment I’ll never forget, a highlight of my life. And to be able to do it with somebody I truly believe in. [The song] has an amazing story.. that song is not fake for him…it’s a real life a song about struggle, a song about faith, but rap and struggle.  He’s lived it, and so it’s a real life testimony for the both of us. So it’s an honor. Thank you.”

Lake performed with Breanna Nix on his song “Daddy’s DNA” in a special performance that was heartfelt and delivered emotion.

“Duetting with Breana was incredible,” he continued. “She’s just more than an incredible talent. She’s a beautiful person so to be able to share at a moment with her like that, that was the honor for me. To be able to call her now a friend and somebody I really believe in. And so, yeah, amazing things to come for her.”

Brandon Lake is on tour all summer long with stops in Los Angeles, Nashville, Pittsburgh, with Phil Wickham &Brandon Lake Summer Worship Nights Tour and will be on the King of Hearts Tour this fall. For more information, visit: Brandon Lake Tour