Singer/songwriter Lauren Daigle has always had plenty to sing about. But these days, with three Dove Awards, a Grammy nomination, and (just this week) two Billboard Music Awards nominations (Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Album), the contemporary Christian artist has been making her mark in the music business. On the road touring and busier than ever, Daigle is loving her whirlwind life and staying grounded in the process. I caught up with her for my podcast Whine At 9 to talk about her rapid rise to the top of the charts and the motivation behind her music.
Listen to the conversation with Laura Daigle on iTunes.
From the beginning, Lauren Daigle always had a song to sing. “When I was little I would sing all around the house. I loved Celine Dion. I loved Whitney Houston and these big powerhouse vocals. And you know, my mom was always an advocate of me singing, although my brother was like ‘Can you stop already? We’re all tired of it,’” Daigle says. “I think [Mom] had some insight into the desires of my heart before I was even able to recognize that. And it was pretty sweet.”
It wasn’t until age 16 that Daigle would step out and showcase her talent. At 18, she finally let her singing dreams go public. Explains the 24-year-old singer, whose 2015 debut album How Can It Be, quickly turned her into an award-winning artist, “You have to know your identity. It’s the biggest thing in wanting to pursue creative dreams. Because once your identity is secure, then when people come up against you and say, ‘Oh you can’t do that,’ you have to know- ‘Actually, I can do that. There’s a promise in this pursuit.’” Her approach seems to have worked, as Daigle is quick to challenge her own self-doubt and keep her ego in check.
While attending a music workshop in the mountains, the young artist was asked to sing with a band after their lead singer was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy. That’s when Daigle felt the shift. “So I sang lead. And it was one of those moments where it’s really surreal. And it felt like the room was spinning. Nobody was there—but everybody was there. It was just this moment that I remember thinking, ‘What is happening right now? Something’s about to change.’ And I flew home from that trip, and told my parents, ‘I’m gonna go to Nashville to write for a season.’ So I went up there for a week, and after a week of writing I said, ‘OK, I’m gonna move here. I’m kind of an ‘all in’ girl…And from that, the [record] label ended up signing me. And we started the recording process. So it’s kind of crazy.”
It may be crazy, but Daigle seems to be rolling with her big life change, record-breaking record sales, and those mega-music nods. It doesn’t hurt that, at the top of her ‘to-do’ list, is the need to keep everything in perspective. The fasting-selling new artist in Contemporary Christian music in the past decade, she’s even maneuvered the red carpet at the Grammys without emotional casualties—which frankly, is something to applaud.
“There were moments, even while I was at the Grammys…you know, the atmosphere of Nashville, it’s completely different than the atmosphere of L.A…..And there were moments, even on the red carpet, that I had to tell myself, ‘Remind yourself who you are. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t get wrapped up in looking at this person, and looking at this person, and then comparing yourself. Remain whole in your identity of who you are…’”
The deluxe edition of Daigle’s debut album, How Can It Be: Deluxe Edition will be released May 6.
Her approach to singing focuses on the need to convey to others the power of hope, faith and perseverance. “And it takes the focus off of yourself in that moment, because your concern for others is greater than your concern for your platform, or your ego, and things like that. So I really think that the spiritual content of the songs has kept me grounded along the way.”
In a business that likes to showcase numbers and awards, Daigle is aware of the dangers of getting caught up in the competition. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, but when it takes over the joy in the the moment, and the joy in the journey, then that’s where there’s an internal tension. And I have to surrender that.” There should be an award for that.
Listen to highlights from Nancy’s interview with Lauren Daigle on iTunes or WhineAt9.com and follow the podcast on Facebook.
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