How Can It Be (Deluxe Edition) Review: A Soulful Debut Worth Owning

Lauren Daigle's debut album is the kind of record that wins Grammys and fills arenas for a reason. The Deluxe Edition gives you the full experience—four or five additional tracks that round out what was already a cohesive project. If you've heard 'How Can It Be' on the radio and wanted more, this is where you get it.

The album sits in that contemporary pop-gospel space where the songwriting is accessibility-first without completely abandoning theological depth. Songs like the title track wrestle honestly with doubt and longing—'I am undone, I am afraid, I have lost my way'—while tracks like 'O Lord' pivot toward surrender and trust. There's a genuine vulnerability in the lyrics that resonates whether you're a longtime believer or someone quietly exploring faith for the first time. The Dove and Grammy wins weren't accidents.

Daigle's voice is the draw here, and it genuinely is a remarkable instrument—rich, soulful, with a hint of the blues influence she grew up on. The production supports that voice without overpowering it, favoring warmth over polish. The deluxe tracks give you a few more mid-tempo moments and one quieter, more intimate closer.

That said, this is firmly contemporary worship. If you're looking for hymnography, complexity, or arrangements that challenge you musically, you'll want to look elsewhere. This is an album for the car, the kitchen, the gym—music that's easy to return to, not necessarily one that demands close attention. The theological content is solid but surface-level; it's not a substitute for deep Scriptural engagement.

The physical or digital deluxe edition is worth choosing over the standard if you're a fan. The extra tracks justify the upgrade without feeling like filler.