Former Katy Perry Backup Singer Tasha Layton Turned Down Secular Music Career To Pursue Christian Music

“More than anything, I just want people to know how loved they are by God and to press in to not let fear get the best of them,” Layton said.

Tasha Layton’s Extensive Career in Music

Born in South Carolina, Layton was said to have come “out of the womb singing.” She began singing in the church. “Music in the church was a place where I felt like I belonged,” she said.

According to her website, Layton’s voice was heard across the country—even before she began recording. She shared her voice with productions for Disneyland and Cirque du Soleil. In 2010, Layton reached the third round of “American Idol” (Season 9).

She appeared on Good Morning America and shared how she turned “tragedy into hope.” Layton was wounded in the church and struggled with her faith while in college. “I changed my major from music to religion, and I went searching,” Layton said. She tried many religions other than Christianity.

After a significantly low point of depression, Layton realized, “Jesus had been the only one who offered any true power to transform in my life.” She confidently went back to music.

Layton spent much of her energy helping other aspiring artists find and refine their voices. She served as an instructor for Trevecca Nazarene University’s National Praise and Worship Institute. She is also featured in “The Ultimate Guide to Singing.”

In 2020, Layton was named one of Billboard’s Top 5 female Christian Artists of the Year after the release of her hit, “Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK).” And just a year later, she was at the top of the charts again with “Look What You’ve Done.”

*Correction: Layton credits the Apostle Paul for saying “You can gain the world and lose your soul,” but it’s actually Jesus who says so in Matthew 16:26.

Jesse T. Jackson contributed to this article.