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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 27 sepTember 2018

Lauren Daigle wants to break down walls to Christian music

BY KRISTIN M. HALL their faces. It was so pure.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Just that kind of sound was
Three years ago, Lauren so pure and rich. I loved
Daigle took home three the complement to the lyr-
Dove Awards for her debut ic that strings bring.
record, "How Can It Be," AP: You have a song called
and the Louisiana singer- "Losing My Religion," tell me
songwriter got her first taste about the meaning of that
of the weight of genre's song.
expectations on her shoul- Daigle: I had realized there
ders. The 2015 album, one are so many moments
of only a few Christian mu- where I let that expecta-
sic albums to have been tion dictate my ability to
certified platinum in recent perform, my perfectionism.
years, propelled her to the And as much as we want
top of the Christian music to create a white picket
charts. fence, it's not real. It's a fa-
"You're sitting there with cade. And I think the sooner
these awards and it's a we realize that people can
beautiful moment," Daigle be messy and people are
said. "But everything that fragile, the more we actu-
was happening in my ears ally start to see through the
was like, 'Oh my gosh, how eyes of God, or the God
do I maintain this responsi- that I know. We experience In this Sept. 5, 2018, photo, contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle poses in
bility, how do I uphold this kindness for humanity. We Franklin, Tenn., to promote her latest release “Look Up Child,” which debuted this month at No. 3
on Billboard’s all-genre album chart.
level of expectation?'" experience joy for human- Associated Press
Since then, the 27-year-old ity. And we run toward
has more than risen to the them instead of building
challenge of being an am- all these barriers. And so
bassador for contemporary that's what "Losing My Reli-
Christian music. She sang a gion" is. It's taking down all
duet with Reba McEntire on the boxes, taking down all
the Academy of Country the fences, and it's living as
Music Awards, recorded a pure and as whole as pos-
song for the "Blade Runner sible.
2049" soundtrack, earned AP: Has it always been your
two Grammy nominations goal to reach people be-
and toured relentlessly. yond the Christian music
Her follow up, "Look Up genre?
Child," debuted this month Daigle: We have this saying
at No. 3 on Billboard's all- in my team that's called
genre album chart and "Extend the tent pegs."
had the best first week And it's not to leave behind
sales of any Christian al- anybody that has listened
bum in nearly nine years, to this music so far and that
according to Billboard. has been along this journey
Daigle, who is performing with me because I am 100
at this year's Dove Awards percent grateful. So I don't
on Oct. 16 and is nominat- want to leave anybody be-
ed for an American Music hind, but how to do I also
Award, talked with The As- make music that people
sociated Press about why who might not listen to
she likes Chance the Rap- Christian music they can
per and breaking down also connect to? They can
the walls to Christian music. also relate to? That's super-
The following remarks have important to me to make
been edited for brevity. music that permeates all
AP: This new record has a the walls and just tear all
lot of strings and orches- the walls down. People
tration on the songs. What need love, people need
was that like in the studio? hope. People need joy
Daigle: We got to go into anywhere in life.AP: Do you
the studio and listen to all want to change people's
of the sounds that can be understanding of what
created from an orches- Christian music can be?
tra, from the strings. I re- Daigle: Chance the Rap-
member this moment, they per got to do stuff with all
were in a semi-circle and I these gospel artists. So pro-
sat in the middle and I had found. I love that, right?
some friends come in and And that was something I
sit there with me. And tears wanted to bring in as well.
just started falling down q