NEW ORLEANS – Earlier in the month, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell asked Dick Clark Productions to remove Daigle from the line-up for the New Year’s Rockin Eve Celebration.
In a letter sent to executives with Dick Clark Productions, Cantrell said, “I cannot in good conscience support the involvement of singer Lauren Daigle, who just last month participated in an unpermitted live performance which placed my residents in danger and threatened the tremendous progress New Orleans has made in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In November, Daigle performed during a “Let Us Worship” event near Jackson Square. Cantrell said Daigle “should not be rewarded with national media exposure and a public spotlight.”
The Mayor maintains daigle put the people of New Orleans at risk of contracting COVID-19 and says Daigle, “strained” first responders in the midst of a public health crisis.
On Thursday afternoon, singer Laure Daigle responded to the mayor’s request for her to be excluded from the New Year’s Eve festivities.
Lauren Daigle’s full statement can be read below.
I love the city of New Orleans. Its music, culture and creative people are unlike any other, and its rich history should be celebrated. That is what my work within the city has always focused on – my deep desire to see New Orleans and its music scene flourish.
To be clear, I had no part in creating or planning the event that took place in the French Quarter last month. I was not scheduled to perform, and I was not a part of its promotion. Out riding my bike with a friend, I saw NOPD barricades set in place and uniformed police officers providing protection for a gathering of people that had come to pray. I was asked to sing. To me, that is the very moment when music serves its higher purpose. It’s what gives people encouragement, hope for a better future, and it’s what can usher joy into their hearts. My involvement was focused on lifting spirits, providing hope, and encouragement, during these polarizing times.
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. 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. 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.
I have a deep and profound love for the state of Louisiana, for the city of New Orleans and the people that reside here. I want to thank everyone who has offered kind words and support. They have been a balm for my soul throughout this process.
