Alaine approaching one-year anniversary in Christianity - Says she has no regrets about giving her life to Jesus

Singer Alaine Laughton says she has always had a deep connection with God, so when she felt the nudge to get baptised last July, she made the leap of faith without hesitation. Almost a year into her Christian walk, the singer says she has no regrets, as nurturing an even closer relationship with God has blossomed into a love she’s never known.

“I have always loved Jesus Christ. I grew up going to Church, and so I was always fascinated and grateful for the love of God. I always felt the presence of God in my life. Was I walking very closely with God all the time? No, but at the end of the day there was always something in my spirit that said to me ‘you are mine, you belong to me’,” she told The Gleaner. “The truth is that nothing has been able to satisfy me like the love of God, nothing at all even comes close.”

She recalled the encounter with actress Camille Davis, at last year’s Youth View Awards, which led to her making what she now describes as the best decision of her life. “That time she had been baptised already, and had started going to Pure In Heart Ministry, and she said ‘you should visit my Church’. I said ‘ok that sounds like a good idea’ and like a month after that I went. Wayne Marshall and I went the first time, and from I stepped through the door, the presence of the Lord was just so ‘present’. It was just very real. I didn’t have to pretend to be anything I was not, I was myself and I really loved it,” she said. “I went there for a few months and then, one Wednesday night, the Holy Spirit just imparted on my heart that it was time to get baptised. I wanted to follow Jesus and to be in his will. So after church I just went to pastor and said, ‘I would really love if you baptise me’. He said, ‘OK’, and so on the 21st of July, I was baptised at Hellshire. My parents came out, and my best friends, and it was a time of great joy.”

Not faking it

Alaine, who has been known in the music industry for more than a decade, says her transition has been relatively smooth. She says that as a singer whose material was mostly inspirational, she did not have to make any significant adjustments to suit her new way of life. “I have always sang songs that I am proud of. I have always been led to write inspirational songs, and since being baptised, I am singing songs I’m comfortable with. I can sing a love song, as long as its not too raunchy – but that has never been me,” she explained. “I want the things that I create to inspire people and talk about God, and lead people to something that’s greater than themselves. But if I try to be something I’m not, people are going to see it, especially the Jamaican audience, because we are the hardest audience to impress in the world.”

She continues, “If I come out there faking it (Gospel career), people can tell and then it just doesn’t work. I try to maintain a level of authenticity in the music I put out now, because I think it is important that you be true to yourself,” she continued.

Alaine says she remains dedicated to her music career. “I am doing a lot of recording, I have a lot of writing to do now and so many projects that I’m working on. One of the songs that came out earlier this year that I still want to talk about is Better Life and its on DJ Frass’ ‘Made in Jamaica’ riddim. That song’s about giving thanks for everything and not taking one single breath for granted. I have a new song called You Give Me Hope, that I just got the final edit for the video. I also just released another song called, We Are The Blessed Ones, on Mr G’s ‘Culture Box’ riddim,” she said.

Although she is enjoying a peace she has never experienced before, the journey has not been without its low moments. She revealed that since getting baptised, she’s had to face tremendous disappointments, but says that with every disappointment, God opens a door bigger than the one that was closed. “Career-wise, some things have fallen through since getting baptised, but I give thanks for the journey. It has been a blessing and a lesson. The way how God works is that when he does something, you can’t question whether or not its Him, because you know for sure it is. I see where things are lining up in ways I never expected they would, and I am grateful,” she said. “I trust that all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord, and are called according to His purpose, and I have to trust that. He knows the plans He has for me, so whatever is falling down, He’s raising something up that’s better. I am standing on my faith and I know that He’s leading me.”