Two-time Grammy, seven-time Billboard Music Award and four-time American Music Award winner Lauren Daigle brought her inspirational ‘Kaleidoscope Tour’ to Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
The Louisiana-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter had the all-ages crowd on their feet, clapping their hands, singing along and enjoying her dynamic vocal range and show production, which included a handful of touching and emotional moments.
“How y’all doing, Detroit? Thank-you for being a part of our night,” Daigle told the crowd.
“This is awesome. I’m so glad you all came to join us. It’s going to be, what we call in Louisiana the ‘joie de vivre’, the joy of living. I can’t wait. Tonight is going to be special.”
Reflecting inspirational light from the kaleidoscope
Not only was the evening special, Daigle’s performance was a refreshing breath of positivity, unity and inspiration.
Known for her interactions with the audience during her performance, Daigle pointed to a sign held by a fan near the stage, which included a message for the fan’s grandmother.
She told Daigle that her grandmother was in hospice, battling brain cancer.
“That is the whole point of touring right there,” Daigle said.
“You find community, you find people. Not everybody saw this, but the second she said that the lady next to her just gave her a big ol’ bear hug. And they don’t know each other, which is what I love.”
Daigle paused for a few moments, as thousands of fans in the packed arena began to embrace each other.
“You can walk in here and be the loneliest person, but take a moment to hug your neighbor, take a moment to say you are valuable, you are worth a hug, even if you don’t know them,” she said.
“It’s a good thing. It’s what happens when you just get to be with each other, it’s so sweet, it’s so dear. It shows that the world can be unified.”
Daigle explained this notion of unity was an important theme on her album Kaleidoscope and why she called her current run of shows ‘The ‘Kaleidoscope Tour’.
“When I was a kid my aunt had this kaleidoscope collection and I thought it was so cool because I would get lost inside a world of wonder,” she told the audience.
“Here I am a little hippie girl, I could see colors in all dimensions. I remember I put those kaleidoscopes up to the light and they were so unique to me because they were different shapes, colors, sizes, some of them were fragmented glass and some of them were smooth beads. There were all these different pieces, but the second you put that collection of shapes to the light and allowed the light to come in, there was a unique picture that only happens for that moment and that moment only. The second you turn that dial, it becomes something completely different.”
Daigle added: “That’s what touring feels like. Every single night we come together and all of you bring your stories. It is like this beautiful picture, we get to sit all together, some of you are coming in with a heavy load, it might be your past, it might be what you’re currently going through or it might be what you’re feeling as you look forward to the future. Some of you are light as a feather, life is good and there is nothing that is going to get in your way. Some of you are carrying a world of sorrow, you’re picking up the pieces of your heart on the floor and wondering if potentially they are ever going to fit back in your heart again.”
Daigle reiterated this is the beauty of touring and being together.
“It’s because we get these moments and we say ‘God, we are going to take all of our stories and we’re going to put them up to your light’ and we’re going to say ‘how are you going to shine the glory through us here?’” she said.
“A beautiful picture, that is so rich and so vibrant that it spills out of this place onto the street. The healing becomes a part of our testimony. Some of you are weary, so overwhelmed and you need refreshment tonight.”
Daigle added: “I believe that God comes with a rest, and with peace and with joy, and with kindness and with patience. I believe that there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. No angel, no demon. No debt, there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God.”
A star is born
Maybe it was a touch of the divine?
An epic case of manifestation?
Or maybe it was a lucky, ‘right place, right time’ occasion?
Either way, an 11-year-old fan from Detroit named Olivia stole the show on Wednesday in an amazing and heartfelt moment.
While Daigle and a number of her bandmates made their way to the end of the extended stage, a young fan caught Daigle’s attention.
After some back-and-forth interaction with the young girl, which revealed to the audience that she had sung one of Daigle’s songs during a recent competition she had won at church, Daigle invited Olivia on stage to sing with her.
With the crowd roaring with applause, a clearly emotional Olivia accepted a couple of hugs and words of encouragement from Daigle before she took the microphone and began addressing the crowd.
“I love Lauren Daigle so much,” Olivia said.
“I’ve loved her my whole life and I’ve always wanted to come to a tour and I got this as a Christmas gift. I was so excited. For a whole year I was like ‘Mom, Mom we need to get tickets to the Lauren Daigle tour, I don’t care how much it is.’”
The young girl had the entire arena hanging on her every word, cheering, clapping and reacting to each part of her story, from her competition win, to getting bullied at school.
However, when Olivia began to sing, the collective jaws of the audience hit the floor in astonishment.
“Holy, moly,” Daigle said, after Olivia passionately belted out a few lines from the song ‘These Are The Days’.
“Girl, you are a treasure. I have to explain something, too. When you’re out here and you don’t have these ‘in ears’, the fact that she could stay in pitch, stay in the same key, it’s amazing. I feel like you’re singing from a space that is really, really special.”
Daigle added: “You keep it up, I’m telling you. I feel like we’re going to know you in the future. I’m so honoured to meet you. Keep being kind to people no matter how unkind people are to you, it will change people’s lives.”
Daigle was a bit lost for words after the impromptu guest appearance.
“Oh my goodness, okay, we can go home now,” she said.
“That was the best this show is going to get, let me tell you. I mean, we like to sing and all, but that is just joy and that is so pure, so pure.”
Giving back
A philanthropic tone for the concert was set right out of the gate on Wednesday.
After the opening act and before Daigle took the stage, motivational speaker Jeremy Willet graced the stage to share information about ChildFund International.
Utilizing powerful graphics and videos on the big screen, and music from Daigle’s touring DJ, Willet shared some passionate stories about sponsoring children in Guatemala through the ChildFund organization.
He explained how donations have helped these communities to build new water wells and other necessary amenities.
Willet said Daigle has been an incredible supporter for the program and he shared that he has been joining her on the entire ‘Kaleidoscope Tour’ to help raise awareness and funds for ChildFund.
Toward the end of his speech, Willet announced to the crowd that a team of ChildFund volunteers were in attendance in Detroit on Wednesday and would be coming throughout the arena with forms, which would allow people in attendance to sign up and sponsor a child on the spot, from their seat.
Willet challenged the crowd, saying he was hoping to get 500 children sponsored during the evening.
“I love ChildFund so much,” Daigle said later during the concert.
“I got to go to Guatemala with them and it was beautiful. It was one of the most rich experiences, just meeting those kids and that community. It was so powerful.”
Daigle also announced that the Detroit crowd sponsored 457 kids on Wednesday at the show.
“Amazing,” she said.
“If you were able to give with your resources tonight, we appreciate it. If you can’t give with your resources but you can give with your prayers, we like those, too. We know that is a powerful thing.”
More information about ChildFund can be found at https://www.childfund.org/.
The show goes on
Daigle wasn’t alone on stage for the duration of her performance, as she was flanked by a huge 12-member band, which included: two percussionists, a DJ, bass guitarist, lead guitarist and a full horn section.
Daigle pointed out one of her backup singers, Kennedy, was from Detroit and had invited approximately 40 people to attend and enjoy the show.
“Thank-you for sharing her with us,” Daigle said.
The stage production provided captivating, colorful visuals for the audience. Part of the band performed at the back of the stage, while other members joined Daigle on the mainstage and the extended stage, which reached out toward the centre of the arena, and was frequented often throughout the performance.
As previously mentioned, Ellie Holcomb was the opening act for the show.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter filled the arena with her powerful vocals and heartfelt tunes.
Holcomb later joined Daigle onstage for the song ‘Be Okay’.
Here is the full setlist from Daigle’s Detroit show:
1. These Are The Days
2. Waiting
3. New
4. Look Up Child
5. Trust in You
6. He’s Never Gunna Change
7. Be Okay (With Ellie Holcomb)
8. Valuable
9. Hold On to Me
10. Kaleidoscope Jesus
11. Rescue
12. Salvation Mountain
13. Saint Ferdinand
14. Everything/Do It Again/Good Good Father/Thank God I Do/How Can It Be
15. O’ Lord
16. Turbulent Skies
17. Still Rolling Stones
18. You Say
Daigle will stay busy touring this year, with upcoming shows across the United States,a July 27 show in Toronto, and multiple shows in Europe, New Zealand and Australia.
Stay up to date on her official website https://www.laurendaigle.com/.
Photo credit: Jeremy Cowart