Tasha Layton

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Tasha Layton
Born (1982-10-27) October 27, 1982 (age 41)
Genres Contemporary Christian music
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, author
InstrumentVocals
Years active2010–present
Labels BEC
Website tashalayton.com

Tasha Layton (born October 27, 1982) [1] [2] is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and author. [3]

Contents

Layton had her first CCM radio hit in 2019 with her debut radio single "Love Lifting Me". [4] However, her second radio single, "Into the Sea (It's Gonna Be OK)" released in 2020, has been labelled her breakthrough song, and has seen her elevated into the Billboard Top 5 Female Christian Artists in 2020. [5] [6]

In 2021, her single "Look What You've Done" became her first top ten single on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart and her first number one Christian Airplay single. [4] A Good Morning America segment introduced her as "one of the fastest rising stars in Christian music". [7]

In 2022, her debut album "How Far" was released in May. The title track has become her first top five single on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart and her second number one Christian Airplay single. [4] [8] [9]

Early life and education

Layton is originally from Pauline, South Carolina. [10] She grew up Southern Baptist and converted to Assemblies of God when she was young. [11] While she was a teenager, her church had undergone a split and she had struggles with her faith. She changed her college major from music to religion and tried out multiple religions. [12] [11] [13] She eventually returned to Christianity after attending a small church about an hour away. [11] After graduation from college, she moved to California and enrolled at The King's Seminary in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California where she got her Master of Divinity degree. During that time, Layton worked as a worship leader for four years and began working as a session vocalist in the city. [3]

Career

In 2010, she auditioned for season 9 of American Idol , [3] reaching the third round of its Hollywood week and was sent home. [2] [14] Shortly after, she auditioned for and landed a background singer position for Katy Perry, and spent the next four years doing session recordings and tours. She also worked on songs used at Disneyland, Cirque du Soleil, and Nickelodeon. [3] Afterwards, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a solo music career, and in 2013 become an instructor at Trevecca Nazarene University. [3] [12]

Layton signed to BEC Recordings, and on September 5, 2018, released her first single and lyric video, "I Belong to You". [15] In October, she released the single "Love Lifting Me". [11] [16] "Love Lifting Me" reached the top 25 on both the Billboard Christian Airplay and Christian AC Airplay charts. [17] [18]

In July 2019, she released her debut EP entitled Love Running Wild. [19] [20] [21] In April 2020, Layton released her second radio single, "Into The Sea". It reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart. [22]

In April 2021, she released the single "Look What You've Done", [23] and on June 11, an EP of the same name. [24] [25] [26] In December, the song reached number one on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart. [10] [27] [28]

Personal life

Layton is married to musician and producer Keith Everette Smith. [3] They have two children. [15] [29]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDetails
How Far
This is Christmas
  • Release date: November 11, 2022 [31]
  • Label: BEC Recordings
  • Formats: CD, download, streaming

Extended plays

TitleEP details
Love Running Wild
Into the Sea [32]
  • Released: September 18, 2020
  • Label: BEC Recordings
  • Format: Digital download
Look What You've Done
  • Released: June 11, 2021
  • Label: BEC Recordings
  • Format: Digital download
This is Christmas [33] [34]
  • Released: November 3, 2021
  • Label: BEC Recordings
  • Format: Digital download

Singles released to radio

TitleYearPeak positionAlbum
US
Christ.

[35]
US
Christ.
Airplay

[17]
US
Christ.
AC

[18]
"Love Lifting Me"2018282321Love Running Wild
"Into the Sea (It's Gonna Be OK)"20201299Into the Sea
"Comfort and Joy" [36] 3616This is Christmas
"Look What You've Done"2021712Look What You've Done
"How Far" [30] 2022412How Far
"God Made a Way"
with Brandon Heath
2562non-album single
"Never"2023
"Worship Through It"

(with Chris Brown)

20241211
TitleYear
"Things That I'm Afraid Of"
(Josh Wilson featuring Tasha Layton)
2022

Other charting tracks

TitleYearPeak positionAlbum
US
Christ.

[35]
US
Christ.
Airplay

[17]
US
Christ.
AC

[18]
"This is Christmas"20212216This is Christmas
"Giving Christmas Away"50


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References

  1. Layton, Tasha (October 27, 2019). "It's Tasha's birthday, which signals my semi-annual hack on her account to tell you about it! (This is Keith, Tasha's husband if you couldn't tell.)" . Retrieved November 6, 2021 via Facebook.
  2. 1 2 Brokaw, Joanne (February 2010). "American Idol Season 9 Christian Artists". Beliefnet . Retrieved November 8, 2021.
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  5. Longs, Herb. "Tasha Layton Soars Into Summer With Second Consecutive Top 10". The Christian Beat. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  6. "2020 Year-End Charts - Top Christian Artists - Female". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  7. 'American Idol' contender turns tragedy into hope. Good Morning America (Online video). ABC News. October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  8. "Hot Christian Songs | October 8, 2022". Billboard.
  9. "Christian Airplay Chart | October 8, 2022". Billboard.
  10. 1 2 Asker, Jim (December 1, 2021). "Tasha Layton & Jonathan Nelson Notch First No. 1s on Christian, Gospel Airplay Charts". Billboard . Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "10 Questions with ... Tasha Layton". AllAccess.com. All Access Music Group.
  12. 1 2 Cummings, Tony. "Tasha Layton: The Nashville-based singer with the "Love Lifting Me" radio hit". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  13. Woolun, Brandon (September 4, 2019). "Tasha Layton Shares Her Testimony". CCM Magazine . Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  14. "Tasha Layton". BEC Worship . Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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  18. 1 2 3 "Chart History - Tasha Layton - Christian AC Airplay". Billboard . Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  19. Cluver, Ross (July 10, 2019). "Tasha Layton Releases New EP 'Love Running Wild'". CCM Magazine . Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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  25. Worship Leader and Recording Artist Tasha Layton Talks to CBN's Studio 5 About Her New Single. CBN News. August 25, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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  29. "Tasha Layton Announces Birth Of New Baby". New Release Today. February 13, 2020.
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  31. "NEW ALBUM: This Is Christmas By Tasha Layton". April 18, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
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