Lauren Daigle

Lauren Daigle Bio

Lauren Ashley Daigle, born on September 9, 1991, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter whose soulful voice and crossover pop appeal have earned her a wide audience. Signed to Centricity Music, she first gained national attention with her 2015 debut album How Can It Be, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Her third studio album, Look Up Child (2018), produced the global crossover single “You Say” and brought her mainstream chart success, along with two Grammy Awards. Daigle has become one of the most awarded artists in contemporary Christian music, recognized for bringing the genre to wider pop audiences.

Early Life and Background

Lauren Ashley Daigle was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and grew up in nearby Lafayette. She was raised in a region steeped in zydeco, blues, and Cajun music, traditions that helped shape her early musical instincts. Her mother used to call the family home “the music box” because Lauren was always singing, a habit that foreshadowed her future career.

Daigle did not consider music as a serious path until she contracted cytomegalovirus at the age of 15, a diagnosis that kept her out of school for roughly two years. During that recovery period, she began taking voice lessons, which gave her both a creative outlet and a new direction. She later completed high school early through a charter school, took a year off to do mission work in Brazil, and went on to attend Louisiana State University, where she studied Child and Family Studies.

Path to Music

While at Louisiana State University, Lauren Ashley Daigle continued singing in her choir and eventually led the LSU choir. Encouraged by her family, she tried out for American Idol in 2010 and again in 2012. She advanced to the Hollywood round in 2012 before being cut in the first Las Vegas round, experiences that sharpened her resolve to pursue music professionally.

She made her earliest recorded appearances on North Point InsideOut’s album Hear and later on North Point Music’s North Point Beginnings, recording tracks at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. After filling in last-minute as a vocalist at a Centricity Music workshop and contributing to Jason Gray’s single “Nothing Is Wasted,” she was signed to the Centricity Music label in 2013. Her first solo single, “Light of the World,” appeared on the 2013 holiday collection Christmas: Joy to the World, and in September 2014 she released the EP How Can It Be, setting the stage for her full-length debut.

Lauren Daigle Career

Early Career (2010-2014)

Lauren Ashley Daigle’s earliest professional steps were tied to her American Idol auditions and her appearances on North Point community recordings. Her contributions to North Point InsideOut’s album Hear and to North Point Music’s North Point Beginnings introduced her voice to church audiences and to worship music listeners. The 2013 Centricity Music workshop performance opened the door to a record deal, and the 2014 EP How Can It Be previewed the sound of her debut album.

Her debut single, “Light of the World,” from the 2013 Centricity holiday collection, built an early fanbase and earned attention across the Christian music scene. That same year, she joined the Morning Rises Fall Tour alongside Aaron Shust and Mikeschair, giving her first major exposure on the Christian touring circuit.

Breakthrough (2015-2017)

Lauren Ashley Daigle’s debut full-length album, How Can It Be, arrived on April 14, 2015, and opened at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart while also breaking into the Top 20 on the all-genre Billboard 200 at No. 16. The album logged six weeks at No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart, was eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA, and produced three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart: “First,” “Trust in You,” and “O’Lord.” A deluxe edition followed in May 2016, adding acoustic versions and a live recording of the title track.

The success translated quickly into industry recognition. Daigle won Worship Song of the Year for “How Can It Be” at the 2015 K-LOVE Awards, was named Best New Artist at the 2015 Dove Awards, and earned Song of the Year and Contemporary Song of the Year honors that same year. In 2016, she was named Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards, along with Songwriter of the Year and Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for “Trust in You.” The album won Top Christian Album at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, while “Trust in You” brought her a second Grammy nomination in 2017. In October 2016, she released her first Christmas album, Behold: A Christmas Collection, which reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart.

Breakthrough (2018-2022)

In July 2018, Lauren Ashley Daigle released “You Say” as the lead single from her third studio album, Look Up Child, which followed on September 7, 2018, via Centricity Music. “You Say” reached No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs chart and spent a record-setting 132 weeks atop that chart, and it peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 after being pushed to mainstream radio by Warner Bros. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 115,000 album-equivalent units, making it the highest-charting Christian album by a woman in more than two decades.

Look Up Child and “You Say” each won Grammy Awards at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, taking Best Contemporary Christian Music Album and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. She performed on Austin City Limits in 2019 and sang the national anthem at the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship in New Orleans. Her growing mainstream profile also included a guest vocal on Needtobreathe’s “Hard Love” from The Shack soundtrack and a feature on the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack with “Almost Human” in 2017.

Breakthrough (2023-Present)

In March 2023, Lauren Ashley Daigle released “Thank God I Do” as the first single from her self-titled album, followed by the promotional singles “Waiting” and “New.” Atlantic Records, in partnership with Centricity Music, released the first volume on May 12, 2023, and the complete self-titled album on September 8, 2023. The album debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 with 25,000 album-equivalent units and opened at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart, her fourth consecutive chart-topping album.

“Thank God I Do” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart and No. 11 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, also crossing to Hot AC radio. Daigle performed “America the Beautiful” with Trombone Shorty at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in 2025, and in December 2025 she served as a guest narrator at Disney’s Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World, continuing her crossover presence.

Notable Works and Milestones

Lauren Ashley Daigle’s signature works include her Platinum-certified debut How Can It Be, the record-breaking single “You Say,” and the Grammy-winning album Look Up Child. She is the first artist to spend more than 100 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart, and her albums have collectively spent years atop the Top Christian Albums chart, cementing her as one of the defining voices of contemporary Christian music in her era.

Lauren Daigle Award Nominations

Lauren Ashley Daigle has earned multiple Grammy Award nominations since her debut, beginning with a 2016 nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for How Can It Be, followed by a 2017 nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Trust in You.” She has also collected numerous GMA Dove Award, Billboard Music Award, and American Music Award nominations across categories such as Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, and Top Christian Artist.

Lauren Daigle Awards Won

Lauren Ashley Daigle has won two Grammy Awards, twelve GMA Dove Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, and four American Music Awards. Her Grammy wins came at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, where she won Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Look Up Child and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “You Say.” Her Dove Awards include Best New Artist (2015), Artist of the Year (2016), and multiple Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year honors tied to her early singles.

Lauren Daigle Family

Lauren Ashley Daigle grew up in a close-knit household in southern Louisiana, where music was a constant presence. Her mother, who affectionately called the family home “the music box,” encouraged Lauren’s early singing. Public details about her parents and siblings are limited, and she has kept the specifics of her extended family largely private.

Personal Life

Lauren Ashley Daigle has generally kept her personal life out of the spotlight, and verified public details about long-term partners or children are limited. She has spoken openly about how her faith and her upbringing in Louisiana continue to shape her music and her career choices. Beyond recording and touring, she has participated in mission work and faith-based community events, including youth and worship initiatives connected to her label and church background.