Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Lauren Daigle will mentor the American Idol Top 6 in Sunday’s show. (ABC Photo)

It will mark the second straight week the Season 17 cast will be mentored by a former Idol contestant.

Yep, Grammy winner Lauren, now a star is Christian music, once competed on Idol, though her run on the show certainly wasn’t as celebrated as last Sunday’s mentor, Adam Lambert.

Lauren earned a golden ticket in Season 9 (2010) and Season 11 (2012). She made it to the Top 46 the first time; the Top 70 on her second try at Idol.

In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, Lauren recalled getting a no from Simon Cowell and leaving the judgment room with tears streaming down her face.

“I remember thinking my whole plan just flipped upside down,” Lauren says in the interview, adding she was determined not to let that no determine the court of her life.

Now 27, Lauren released her debut album three years later after her second try at Idol. It hit number one on the Billboard Christian album chart and included three singles that became number one Christian hits.

Since then, she’s won seven GMA Dove Awards presented to Christian artists. She picked up three Billboard Music Awards Wednesday, for top Christian artist, top Christian album and top Christian song. Her Grammys came earlier this year for the single “You Say” and the album “Look Up Child.”

That album also hit number one on the Christian chart and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest charting album for a female Christian artist in more than 20 years.

Daigel will mentor the Idol Top 6 on their “inspirational” song selections. Each remaining contestant will also sing a song performed at Woodstock 50 years ago.

Check back Sunday for song by song grades as the Top 6 perform on American Idol.

See also …
Ranking the Top 6 on American Idol
Gabby Barrett returning to American Idol
Woodstock 1969, American Idol style