Christian singer Lauren Daigle thanked fans, her team, and God after being named Billboard’s top Christian artist of 2023. The 32-year-old Grammy and Dove Award-winner released a self-titled album in May, her first new music since 2018. Daigle’s new album and songs dominated Christian charts and also appeared on the mainstream Billboard 200.

“It’s been an incredible year,” Daigle told Billboard after learning she’d taken top honors. “New creative collaborators, a new producer, new writers, and most of all new friends. Our fans on the road have been so incredible, and we can feel their love and their energy every single night, and for me that connection [to our music] is inspiring.”

“Thank God I Do,” the lead single from Daigle’s self-titled album, had the most sales among Christian digital songs. It also became her fifth Christian Airplay chart-topper. According to Billboard, Daigle is the only artist to date who’s had two No. 1 Hot Christian Songs that topped the charts for 20 or more weeks. Her previous smash single, “You Say,” is from her 2018 album “Look Up Child.”

On Billboard’s Top Christian Albums year-end ranking, Daigle’s self-titled album finished at No. 7.

Lauren Daigle Delights in Using Music To Reach Souls

In a video posted to Instagram, a smiling Daigle holds the Billboard trophy and expresses gratitude. “This is the award that I treasure from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “I love it so much because it’s not a popularity contest. The Billboards are because fans show up and show support for the thing I love to do.”

Daigle added that it’s a “sheer delight” to get to put art that she loves into the world. “To put music out that reaches the souls of man, that’s the thing I want to do for the rest of my life,” she said.

As ChurchLeaders has reported, Daigle shared that mental health challenges helped shape her self-titled album. The artist described hitting “rock bottom” due to struggles with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Creating her new music was a type of “rebirth process,” she explained in a May 2023 interview with People magazine.

Speaking to podcast host Sadie Robertson Huff in September, Daigle explained that God used the pandemic downtime “to reposition my heart, reset my mind and my thinking.” She added, “I needed to surrender so many things.”

Billboard Highlights Other Notable Christian Artists

In its year-end recap, Billboard pointed out other noteworthy Christian performers from the year. Brandon Lake, whose song “Gratitude” topped the Hot Christian Songs list for 2023, was named Billboard’s top male Christian artist.