Christian singer Lauren Daigle has made some major headlines in the music world after her new album \u201cLook Up Child\u201d debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. She beat out names as big as Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Drake, and Nicki Minaj.<\/p>\n
The two artists ahead of her are Paul McCartney and Eminem, holding slots 1 and 2, respectively.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, \u201cLook Up Child\u201d hit number 1 on the \u201cTop Christian Albums\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s 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,\u201d according to Billboard.<\/p>\n
Part of Daigle\u2019s charm is that her music has crossover appeal with the secular market, which she said her music was designed to do.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I wanted to bring] elements where people who weren\u2019t necessarily church people, or Christians, or whatever the title is, who don\u2019t 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,\u201d said Daigle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have this saying in my team that\u2019s called \u2018Extend the tent pegs,’\u201d she said in an interview with the Associated Press. \u201cAnd it\u2019s 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\u2019t 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\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daigle promoted the record with performances on \u201cEllen\u201d and even the \u201cTonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.\u201d This helped her gain even more success with the larger secular market.<\/p>\n
“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\u2019s “How Can it Be”, which topped Top Christian Albums for 12 weeks.<\/p>\n
The singer-songwriter is Billboard\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is anything I have learned in this life, it is that nothing is ever guaranteed,\u201d Daigle told Billboard after hearing the news of her achievement. \u201cWe have to take in each moment as one of a kind and refuse the habit of taking things for granted.”<\/p>\n