Lauren Daigle stepped back onto the American Idol stage—the very one that once told her “no”—with a voice that now echoes across the world. Years ago, she was just 17, standing in front of the judges with a dream and a song, only to be turned away. But rejection didn’t silence her. It fueled her. Now, she returns not as a hopeful contestant, but as a chart-topping, GRAMMY-winning powerhouse, performing her multi-platinum anthem “Look Up, Child.” The same song that shattered records by holding the top spot on the Billboard charts for an unbelievable 125 weeks. It wasn’t just a performance. It was a full-circle moment, a quiet triumph, a reminder that sometimes the biggest “yes” comes after the loudest “no.” And as the spotlight shone down, it was clear—both the Christian and pop worlds are only beginning to see what Lauren Daigle is truly capable of.

Twenty-nine-year-old singer Lauren Daigle continues to command the attention off audiences in the secular and Christian music scenes alike. After placing third on the Billboard 200 chart in 2018, ahead of huge names like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Drake, the artist has been on everybody’s radar as she spreads the the Gospel to the churched and unchurched.

Christian Artist Lauren Daigle Took to the ‘American Idol’ Stage and Sang Christ’s Words to the World

That same year, Daigle claimed the top spot on the Christian charts AND the best sales week for a Christian album in nearly nine years with her release of “Look Up, Child.”

Her platforms have run the gamut from stages inside maximum security prison walls to the stages of Jimmy Fallon and Ellen.

On Monday night, the award-winning singer returned to American Idol to perform her hit song “Look Up, Child.” It was a particularly special moment for Daigle, who first appeared as a contestant on the show over a decade ago.

At the time, the hopeful 17-year-old was denied by the judges, but that didn’t stop her singing career from soaring to maximum heights. Her hit single, “You Say” set the record as the “longest-running number one song of any genre by topping the weekly Billboard Hot charts for a stunning 125 weeks.”

As a multi-platinum artist who’s already claimed two GRAMMY Awards in her young career, both the Christian and pop music genres expect to see big things from Daigle in the years to come.

Watch Lauren Daigle’s stunning American Idol performance below: 

She sang “Look Up Child,” a favorite Daigle hit for many fans. The authentic and poetic lyrics include:

Where are You now
When darkness seems to win?
Where are You now
When the world is crumbling?

Oh I, I-I-I, I hear You say
I hear You say

Look up child, ayy
Look up child, ayy

Where are You now (where are You?)
When all I feel is doubt?
Oh, where are You now
When I can’t figure it out?

You’re not threatened by the war
You’re not shaken by the storm
I know You’re in control
Even in our suffering
Even when it can’t be seen
I know You’re in control