Christian music star Lauren Daigle says one conversation with a music executive made it clear just how much pressure exists in the entertainment industry for artists to distance themselves from their faith.
According to Fox News, during the 13th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, Daigle recalled a meeting in New York City when a mainstream industry executive questioned why she continued identifying as a Christian artist despite her growing crossover success.
“You’re a superstar. Why do you have to be Christian?” the executive asked her, according to Daigle.
The singer said she immediately understood what the woman was implying.
“It was this moment of me laughing so hard because I knew what she was trying to say,” Daigle explained. “Like, we could really do something with this if you weren’t Christian. And, but I love the fact that I get to share this message.”
Daigle made the comments while speaking with Fox News Digital at the K-LOVE Fan Awards, which she co-hosted alongside “Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson Huff at Nashville’s OPRY House.
The singer acknowledged that balancing success in mainstream entertainment while remaining rooted in Christian music can create pressure from multiple directions.
“I feel like pressure can exist both ways. Like, are you staying Christian enough for the Christians? Are you cool enough for mainstream world, you know?” Daigle said.
“All of the pressures can be spinning. But I think if you stay authentic, those pressures get a lot smaller,” she continued. “They decrease in intensity, and that’s what I actually delight in.”
Daigle added that surrounding herself with the right people has helped her stay grounded as her career expanded beyond Christian radio.
“And then you get the right people around you. If you get the right people around you, then you’ll steady the course,” she said.
Daigle first broke onto the Christian music scene with her 2015 debut album, “How Can It Be,” which topped Billboard’s Christian albums chart and featured songs including “Trust in You,” “First” and “O’Lord.”
Her popularity later expanded into mainstream music with the release of “Look Up Child” in 2018. The album included “You Say,” which became one of the most commercially successful Christian crossover songs in recent years and landed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Robertson Huff also spoke about the atmosphere surrounding the K-LOVE awards show, saying it feels far different from most entertainment industry events.
“It doesn’t feel like anybody’s striving. It doesn’t even feel like you’re here to perform or just celebrate, be together, worship together,” Robertson Huff said.
“And that’s really rare, you know? That’s really weird in an award show, but I really feel that here, and that’s very exciting,” she added.
The 13th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards are set to be broadcast on May 29 at 7:30 pm ET on Trinity Broadcasting.