Christian music star Lauren Daigle is celebrating a moment of redemption as she prepares to perform “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl pregame show this Sunday at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. For the Grammy-winning singer, the high-profile performance is more than just an honor—it’s a full-circle moment of vindication after being canceled by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell in 2020.
Daigle, a Louisiana native, is set to join jazz musician Trombone Shorty for an unforgettable rendition of the patriotic classic. But this performance carries extra significance for the Christian artist, who was publicly criticized and shut out of a major televised event in her home state just a few years ago.
In 2020, Daigle unexpectedly became the subject of political controversy when she gave an impromptu performance at an outdoor prayer rally and worship event hosted by Christian musician Sean Feucht near Jackson Square in New Orleans. The event, part of Feucht’s “Let Us Worship” movement, was a response to COVID-19 restrictions on churches. It drew hundreds of worshippers, many of whom were unmasked, in defiance of public health orders at the time.
Following the event, Mayor Cantrell publicly rebuked Daigle and even sent a letter to “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” producers urging them to remove her from their New Orleans broadcast lineup.
Daigle later explained that she hadn’t planned to perform at Feucht’s event—she was simply riding her bike when she stopped by and was asked to sing. Still, the controversy escalated, and she never received an official invitation to perform on the New Year’s Eve special.
Now, as she prepares to sing on one of the biggest stages in the world, Daigle is reflecting on how the journey has come full circle. Speaking on the “Arroyo Grande” podcast with Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo, she shared how much this Super Bowl opportunity means to her.
“To get this moment years later, I would say for anybody watching that has had their reputations smeared in any sort of way, and they are just waiting for the moment of vindication—sometimes it only takes five years,” Daigle said.
She also recalled the emotional toll of being publicly ridiculed in 2020.
“I went home to Lafayette, and I got in my parents’ bed, and I pulled the covers over my head as an adult. I was like, ‘Gosh, here we are again.’ Because now there’s no amount of public ridicule that is fun.”
Despite the painful experience, Daigle said she has gained a new perspective on the situation.
“What I learned is that when people need an element of hope, coming together is one of the most beautiful things,” she said. “And I think to take that away from people is so disheartening, especially in a time like that.”
Daigle’s excitement about this performance is undeniable. She admitted she was in disbelief when Trombone Shorty called to invite her to sing with him at the Super Bowl.
“I picked up the phone, and there was a little bit of, ‘Is this real? Is this actually going to happen?’ I want to know that it’s real,” she recalled.
According to Daigle, Trombone Shorty carefully crafted an arrangement of “America the Beautiful” that honors both New Orleans and her hometown of Lafayette.
“He said, ‘You know, I wanted to give a hat tip to New Orleans because we’re here. But I also know you’re from Lafayette. So, I wanted to give a hat tip to Lafayette.’ So, he came up with this arrangement that rhythmically suits both places.”
But beyond the musical elements, Daigle says she is approaching this song with a deep sense of faith and purpose. As she prepared for the performance, she prayed about how to deliver it in a way that would resonate with people in today’s climate.
“How can I use this song to cut through to people who might be jaded toward our country or might not love what we have in this country or what we’ve built in this country?” she pondered.
One lyric in particular stood out to her:
“God shed His grace on thee.”
“That line, it just really gripped me to the core in a way,” she said. “When you see a song that is meant for something else, and it still includes the power of God in it … it’s meant to honor our nation and show the beauty of our nation. But they also know God has done something for this nation.”
For Daigle, this Super Bowl performance is not just about music—it’s about faith, redemption, and standing firm in her identity as a follower of Christ.
Though her own city’s leadership once canceled her, she will now stand on the Super Bowl stage in New Orleans, singing a song that proclaims God’s grace over the nation.