Lauren Daigle on the red carpet for the 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards at Allen Arena, Lipscomb University on Oct. 15, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn.
Annette Holloway/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesLauren Daigle's Look Up Child logs its milestone 100th week at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart, extending its record for the most time atop the tally in the list's 41-year history.
On the survey dated Aug. 28, the release returns to the summit with 5,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 19, according to MRC Data.
Daigle's third full-length arrived at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart dated Sept. 22, 2018, with 115,000 units. It concurrently started at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200, boasting the largest week for a Christian music album since the latter began ranking by equivalent album units in late 2014.
The set has earned 1.9 million equivalent album units to-date, including 800,000 in album sales. It has been bolstered by the multi-genre hit "You Say," which dominated the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs list for a record 132 weeks. The song also led Christian Airplay for 17 frames and crossed over for a two-week stay atop Adult Contemporary.
As Look Up Child claims its 100th week at No. 1 on Top Christian Albums, Billboard caught up with Daigle for her reaction, as well as to find out what new music she has planned.
Lauren, first, a big congratulations. This album arrived before most of us knew what "pandemic" meant. As the album was released in what was essentially a different world, and as it's still No. 1, why do you think it has resonated?
The thing that is so special about music is that it really can be timeless. Throughout the record-making process for Look Up Child, I remember saying I just wanted it to be a timeless body of work. I want it to be something that even in 20 years, 30 years, people can still pull up and listen to.
I think that's the beauty of music as a whole. It can impact you in one way for a certain season or period of time, and then it can mean something completely different in seasons or years that follow.
It can be the same exact song, but it just hits you a different way due to whatever your circumstances are. I think that's what this record is doing for people. It's bringing them to a place of home that they remembered back in 2018, reflecting on good memories and good moments. They're finding a sense of home in the lyrics and in the sentiment of the record. I feel like when tragedy strikes or when chaos strikes, it's a beautiful thing to return home and to remind yourself that there is still good out there, and I think that's what people are doing with this record.
Did you have any idea at all that the album would be so successful, and what's the best part of that? Many listeners may have heard their first faith-based album because of your work.
This kind of successful, no. I guess it all depends on what your level of success is and what success means to you. If we're talking about charts, I would definitely say that this record surprised.
But when you're making a record, you hope that it would be something that's palatable, and tangible, and livable with people. To see these charts and to see the things that have come from the [commercial] success of this record is really beautiful because it means people are still holding onto it or finding it for the first time.
It's amazing to me,. It really blows my mind. I would say I had desired that it would be successful, but to see how effective it has become has been really beautiful. The best part of that is seeing how people have used the album and how it's walked with them through a really difficult time or beautiful season. That's the best part of this type of an accomplishment.
Are you writing or recording or planning a follow-up album?
Plans on the new record … yes, I've been writing and I'm in the process of seeing what the theme is going to be. Like, what are some elements that stand out from the songs I have written? But I still have a ways to go. The goal would be 2022 that a new record drops, but we shall see. I am writing, but we're about to go on tour so I'm taking a pause from writing and then I'll start back up.
A$AP Rocky has been quiet during his legal battle. The rapper has not said a word entering the court or a word during his trial. Barring some brief praise for his friend and blog rap peer Kendrick Lamar. A$AP has made sure to be careful when it comes to what he says. His facade dropped, however, during a shocking exchange on Friday. The rapper told a witness not to answer a question during an interrogation. It was a shocking moment on several front, and is generally considered a bad sign during a criminal trial.
The awkward moment was captured on film. A$AP Twelvy, a member of Rocky's A$AP Mob, was being asked what the meaning of a specific photo was. The rapper made it clear he wasn't sure what it meant, but in the midst of his answer, Rocky spoke out. Prosecution interrupted the line of questioning and then redirected the focus to A$AP Rocky's question. "Did you hear the defendant when asked question loudly say," he asked. "Do not answer it." Twelvy admits he heard something but claimed he wasn't sure what was said from Rocky's side of the courtroom.
The prosecution suggested that A$AP Twelvy was being coy about his knowledge due to the fact that A$AP Rocky told him not give an answer. The rapper attempted to downplay Rocky's comment, saying he didn't even hear what was said. Prosecution doubled down, and attempted to get an answer out of the A$AP Mob member. The video account of the exchange is cut off when the judge decides to take a break from the interrogation.
Twelvy's controversial exchange is an unexpected development. The rapper appears to be on A$AP Rocky's side, and even testified that he did not open fire on A$AP Relli the way that Relli is claiming. Twelvy told the court that Rocky actually fired a starter pistol that he kept on him during the alleged encounter with Relli. "He walked around with a prop, like a starter pistol," Twelvy stated. "I seen it on several occasions." The rapper then claimed that the gun was clearly identified as fake before said confrontation went down. "He told him to shoot that fake-ass gun," Twelvy added.