Christian singer Lauren Daigle has made some major headlines in the music world after her new album “Look Up Child” debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. She beat out names as big as Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Drake, and Nicki Minaj.
The two artists ahead of her are Paul McCartney and Eminem, holding slots 1 and 2, respectively.
Unsurprisingly, “Look Up Child” hit number 1 on the “Top Christian Albums” chart, selling 115,000 equivalent album units in one week. This debut marked the best sales week for a Christian album in nearly nine years.
“That’s the largest overall week for a Christian music album in 2018, and the biggest for any Christian set since the charts began ranking albums by equivalent album units in late 2014,” according to Billboard.
Part of Daigle’s charm is that her music has crossover appeal with the secular market, which she said her music was designed to do.
“[I wanted to bring] elements where people who weren’t necessarily church people, or Christians, or whatever the title is, who don’t really dive into that kind of music can hear something and it be compelling enough and it be strong enough to where they are drawn in and feel welcomed and invited,” said Daigle.
“We have this saying in my team that’s called ‘Extend the tent pegs,’” she said in an interview with the Associated Press. “And it’s not to leave behind anybody that has listened to this music so far and that has been along this journey with me because I am 100 percent grateful. So I don’t want to leave anybody behind, but how to do I also make music that people who might not listen to Christian music they can also connect to? They can also relate to? That’s super-important to me to make music that permeates all the walls and just tear all the walls down. People need love, people need hope. People need joy anywhere in life.”
Daigle promoted the record with performances on “Ellen” and even the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” This helped her gain even more success with the larger secular market.
“Look Up Child”, which was released on Sept. 7, is the third studio album for the 27-year-old Daigle, from Lafayette, Louisiana, following her wildly successful first set, 2015’s “How Can it Be”, which topped Top Christian Albums for 12 weeks.
The singer-songwriter is Billboard’s Top Christian Artist for 2018. She is also the top female Christian artist, while Look Up Child crowns the year-end Top Christian Albums recap.
“If there is anything I have learned in this life, it is that nothing is ever guaranteed,” Daigle told Billboard after hearing the news of her achievement. “We have to take in each moment as one of a kind and refuse the habit of taking things for granted.”
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