Former American Idol contestant and Christian pop star Lauren Daigle is responding to news reports that she had been ditched from the lineup of the Ryan Seacrest hosted New Year’s Rockin’ Eve which airs on ABC.
Reportedly, Lauren was uninvited after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell raised concerns about the singer’s appearance at Sean Feucht’s “Let Us Worship Rally” and concert last month in Lauren’s hometown, New Orleans. Rockin Eve plans to film its central time zone countdown there.
Feacht, a rabid Trump supporter, held the event without a permit in the New Orleans French Quarter and violated public health guidelines in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The mayor felt the event put city residents in danger, and hampered progress fighting the virus during a pandemic.
But Lauren denies that ABC ever hired her for the gig. She told The Advocate that she had never been confirmed to appear on the show.
“I would have been, and still would be, honored to represent our city on New Year’s Eve and although I was aware of discussions regarding my involvement, an offer was never made,” she said.
“I have wept, pleading for this chaos to dissipate and for harmony to return. We need unity when people are desperate, suffering, starving or out of work,” she added.
In a blistering letter to Dick Clark Productions, published by New Orleans radio station WWL, Mayor Cantrell wrote last week that she could not “in good conscience” support Daigle’s involvement in its broadcast.
“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,” Cantrell wrote.
A video tweeted Nov. 7 by Feucht shows Daigle singing the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” at the demonstration in New Orleans. Nobody appeared to be wearing masks or social distancing.
What the heck…
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS OVER AMERICA tonight in New Orleans with @Lauren_Daigle ????? pic.twitter.com/B6piHkmH7u
— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) November 7, 2020
After speaking with Lauren, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has said the whole thing is a misunderstanding.
He claims that she was not officially apart of the event and is not responsible for the maskless crowd of a few hundred who gathered in the French Quarter. She explained to Nungesser that she had been riding her bike nearby when she heard people praying for hospitality workers and stopped to join them. (hmmm….)
Lauren says that when she was asked to sing, she said yes because she felt music could serve a “higher purpose” giving people encouragement, hope and joy. “I’m disappointed that my spontaneous participation has become part of the political discourse and I’m saddened by the divisive agendas of these times,” she said.
The Lt. Governor in a statement described the mayor’s actions as “retaliation” against Lauren and worried that they could cost Louisiana the opportunity to be part of New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
But, it’s not. A city spokesperson told WDSU the production still planned to broadcast from New Orleans. ABC has not yet announced a local host.
