Review: Amazing vocalist delivers music and hope during only NorCal concert

She gave them new songs. She gave them old ones. She gave them ones that rank somewhere in between.

Most of all, however, Lauren Daigle gave them reasons to feel hopeful as she performed a roughly two-hour concert that was filled with uplifting music and encouraging words.

“You have a purpose. You are here for a reason,” she told the roughly 10,000 fans in attendance at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tuesday night (Nov. 14). “And if you need to know that, this song is for you.”

With that intro, the 32-year-old pop star — who is blessed with one of the finest singing voices in all of music — unraveled a simply gorgeous version of “Valuable.” Each lyric came with a sense of purpose, dispelling guilt, shame and feelings of unworthiness and replacing them with warmth, kindness and compassion.

“I watch you from afar and think, ‘What a work of art,’ like the depths of the Grand Canyon or a canopy of stars,” Daigle sang as thousands sat transfixed by the sheer tenderness of the moment. “And if I had to place a bet, I’d bet there’s a little voice inside your head — lyin’.”

“Valuable” was one of at least a dozen amazing moments that took place during the only NorCal stop on Daigle’s Kaleidoscope Tour, which supports the singer-songwriter’s fourth full-length studio outing. Others included Daigle’s energetic take on “Still Rolling Stones” and the wonderfully reassuring ballad “He’s Never Gunna Change.”

Daigle drew strongly from her self-titled new album — which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian music charts back in September — devoting well over half of the 19-song set to those tunes. Most of them were quite good, with only a small handful coming across as second-tier offerings.

Fronting a 12-piece band, which included three horn players as well as a trio of backing vocalists, Daigle kicked off the show with three straight tunes from the new album — “These Are the Days,” “Waiting” and “New.”

The first number served as a powerful opener, as Daigle bounced along the the long catwalk that extended from the mainstage and out into the audience, smiling and waving to fans as she went. The horns were blasting along, helping to propel a bright, shiny mix of R&B, pop, funk and gospel that feels very true to Daigle’s Louisiana roots. She quickly followed with an equally enjoyable version of “Waiting.”

From there, however, the show slide off course a little bit as the ever-friendly Daigle invited a couple of women out of the crowd to come up onstage and dance. (“Just don’t do something that your mother wouldn’t want you to do,” Daigle advised the participants.)

It was a really nice gesture, but the segment went on too long, sabotaging any momentum that had been built by the two opening numbers. Chalk it up as an evidence that Daigle is still growing into the role of arena headliner and is not the most polished of performers (not necessary a bad thing).

What she might lack in polish, however, she more than makes up for in authenticity. Everything she does onstage feels just so real — from the words she sings to the messages she conveys to the crowd — and that, of course, pays huge dividends with comes to her connection with the fans.

The highlight of the early portion of the show came when Daigle delivered the title track to her 2018 breakthrough effort, “Look Up Child,” and then immediately followed with a powerful take of “Trust In You” from the 2015 debut “How Can It Be.”

Fans really connected with all the tracks played from those two earlier albums, which possess more of a “worship music” vibe than the latest offering. “Lauren Daigle” is still worshipful, mind you, yet with a more straight-ahead pop feel.

The two constants throughout her music remain the subject matter — faith in God — and the encouraging lyrics.

“He’ll always make a way for you, make the sun and rain for you,” Daigle sang on a great version of the new album’s “He’s Never Gunna Change.” He’ll never walk away from you. He’ll always take the blame for you. Always stay the same for you.”

Daigle was an absolute delight when she took time to address the crowd, candidly chatting about everything from her roots in “the swamp” (aka Louisiana) to her experience with counseling (“If you ever want to write a song with a bit of a tearjerker, jut to a counseling session first”).

She also spoke fondly of her time in Guatemala, where she sponsors a child in need. Child sponsorship is near to Daigle’s heart and she provides a platform at her concerts for ChildFund (childfund.org) to find new sponsors to help kids living in poverty in impoverished nations across the world. Sacramento fans really showed up for the cause on Tuesday, signing up to sponsor 529 kids — adding to a total that includes 14,000 who found sponsors during Daigle’s 2022 tour.

Daigle saved four of her best for last, moving from the powerful “Look Up Child” rocker “Still Rolling Stones” and a gorgeous version of the new album’s “Love Me Still” to a sweet rendition of “How Can It Be” that nicely set up the big finale of the blockbuster hit “You Say.”

Daigle, however, wasn’t the only amazing vocalist that fans got to hear on Tuesday. Those who were fortunate enough to arrive on time also got to enjoy an incredible opening set from Victory Boyd — whose combination of stellar vocals, stage presence and striking combination of folk, blues and gospel left this critic thinking that she could be a major star in the music world.

She came across on stage like a cross between Cassandra Wilson and Patti Smith — with the smooth, luxurious vocal delivery of the former and the conviction and power of the latter. I realize that might be hard to envision, so best to just experience the music for yourself at victoryboyd.com.

Boyd also made an appearance during Daigle’s set, joining the headliner for a duet on the old gospel hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

Setlist:
1. “These Are the Days”
2. “Waiting”
3. “New”
4. “Look Up Child”
5. “Trust in You”
6. “He’s Never Gunna Change”
7. “Valuable”
8. “Hold On to Me”
9. “Rescue”
10. “Salvation Mountain”
11. “Thank God I Do”
12. “Saint Ferdinand”
13. “Inherited”
14. “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”
15. “Kaleidoscope Jesus”
16. “Turbulent Skies”
17. “Still Rolling Stones”
18. “Love Me Still”
19. “How Can It Be”
20. “You Say”