Does Lauren Daigle still consider herself to be a Christian artist?
Grammy-nominated singer Lauren Daigle, who had a successful 2018 with her album Look Up Child, recently discussed whether she still considers herself to be a Christian artist.
During an interview with 104.3 MYFM the popular singer was asked what she “called herself,” specifically if she still considers herself to be a Christian artist as her music goes mainstream.
"I feel like those labels get put on you by other people,” Daigle said during the interview on Friday. “I was reading articles, I read them here in there, and one of them said Christian artist and the other ones said just artist. But I think part of me is just an artist because it encompasses everything. That's kind of how I see myself."
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When asked if she's more “cautious” now as she gains notoriety with mainstream listeners, she replied: “No,” adding that in her opinion “risk is the best” and “a beautiful thing.”
Look Up Child debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart following its release in September 2018, beating out popular secular musicians such as Drake, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B that week. Since its success, she was also featured on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Jimmy Fallon's late night NBC show and had one of her song's played on the hit series “Grey's Anatomy.”
“Why we were making this record we were constantly studying the greats that came before — Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Andre Crouch, Lauren Hill — there's just a plethora of artists that we listened to, over and over,” Daigle told 104.3 MYFM.
"I remember talking so much about, ‘Let's just make sure that we make music that we believe in that's pure, true sound and something that we love, and it'll transcend wherever it's supposed to go. But let's make sure that it's pure authentic to who we are,'” she added.
The Louisiana native said she believes her music is connecting to so many people because of the sincerity behind it. Adding that she hopes people are opening up to what she's about because of the messages in her music. "I chose the same producers and the same writers for the first record that I did for the second, so that goes to show that I'm not necessarily changing, but it's beautiful to see how wide these songs are going and how much it's covering," Daigle said last week.
Daigle’s new conversation on the radio immediately came under fire by those who believe Daigle is shedding her Christain image to appeal more to the world because her comments come on the heels of another interview she had at the end of 2018 on "The Domenick Nati Show" for iHeart radio, where the 27-year-old answered vaguely about her stance, as a Christian, on homosexuality.
“I can’t honestly answer on that, in the sense of I have too many people that I love and they are homosexuals,” Daigle told the celebrity publicist.“I can't say one way or the other, I’m not God. When people ask questions like that, I just say, ‘Read the Bible and find out for yourself. And when you find out let me know because I’m learning too,’” she replied.
Daigle’s comments caused an uproar in the Christian community and many challenged the singer's assertion by sharing Bible verses that say same-sex relationships are sinful. But others slammed Nati for even asking such a provocative question.
In a past interview with The Christian Post, however, the “You Are” singer said she's not afraid to appeal to the world with her message of hope because it’s her mission in life.
"[My music] is having crossover appeal, but it doesn't mean that I'm leaving one for the other or that I'm going to be swept up by one thing or the other. For me, it's like, 'Oh, everything just got even more clear.' Everything just got clearer as to why it is that we go and love people who are outside of the walls of our church, outside of the walls that we're comfortable with," Daigle assured.
