Christian recording artist and Louisiana native Lauren Daigle has been removed from Dick Clark Productions’ annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve celebration after the New Orleans mayor demanded the singer be scrubbed from the event because she led a song at an outdoor worship event in November.
Democrat LaToya Cantrell said the “You Say” singer-songwriter should be removed from the national event as a punishment for violating public health guidance, CBN News reported earlier this week.
In a letter sent to executives with Dick Clark Productions, Cantrell wrote:
She harmed our people, she risked the lives of our residents, and she strained our first responders in a way that is unconscionable — in the midst of a public health crisis. This is not who we are, and she cannot be allowed to represent New Orleans or the people she willfully endangered.
Daigle’s sin was her impromptu participation in a “Let Us Worship” event hosted in the French Quarter last month by praise leader and former political candidate Sean Feucht. The “Look Up Child” singer said she actually happened upon the event when she was riding her bicycle near the French Quarter, close to where she lives.
The 29-year-old recording artist led those gathered at the outdoor event in the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, a Republican, told WWL-FM the entire situation is a misunderstanding. He said Daigle stopped at the “Let Us Worship” rally because she heard people praying for hospitality workers. He went on to explain Daigle only sang a hymn after being asked to do so, noting the entertainer wasn’t responsible for the crowd that had already gathered.
Nungesser rebuked Cantrell for her “horrible, nasty, mean” work to block Daigle, suggesting the ordeal throws the entire New Year’s Eve event into jeopardy.
“Our big chance to promote Louisiana and New Orleans … to have the rug pulled out from under us by such a hateful, horrible, nasty, mean, unbelievable act,” he said. “You can’t put words to it.”