Lauren Mascitti on ‘American Idol’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Lauren Mascitti is a singer-songwriter and one of the American Idol hopefuls for season 18 of the singing-competition reality show. She auditioned for the judges in Nashville.

Mascitti grew up in Ohio but later moved to Nashville. She brought Shawn Camp, a Grammy Award-winning country music producer with her to accompany her on the audition. According to Mascetti’s website, the two are engaged.

She has been working closely with Camp for years, and, together, they wrote songs about romance, small-town roots, heartbreak and self-discovery. Those songs are present on her most recent album God Made a Woman. 

Here’s what you should know about Lauren Mascitti:

1. She Recorded Her First Album at Seven Years Old

According to Mascitti’s website, she recorded her first album at just seven years old.

She began performing at the age of seven while being mentored by a Trinity Gospel Temple choir member Cheryl Jamison. She began recording her first albums of gospel music while she was still in elementary school.

She and her family moved to Branson, Missouri when she was twelve years old, by the time of which Mascitti had released four solo records. While in Missouri, she played six shows a week at the Americana Theater.

2. Mascitti Started Writing Songs When She was a Teenager

Mascitti wrote her first song when she was a young teenager; she used her background as a gospel singer and her love of poetry to inspire her to write. Her lifelong appreciation of country music was also inspiring to her.

By the age of 13, Mascitti was making weekly trips to Nashville where she studied with Brett Manning, a vocal coach.

At 15 years old, Mascitti recorded her first album full of original songs, including “Child of God,” which premiered at number 70 on the national Southern Gospel radio chart.

3. She is a Registered Nurse

Though she has always been a singer-songwriter, Mascitti graduated with a college degree as a registered nurse before moving to Nashville. Her website describes her experience as an RN.

“I work with people at different stages in their lives,” she said. “and I’ve heard so many stories. The whole experience has inspired me. I’ve learned a lot about people and what they’ve gone through.”

Mascitti worked as a nurse while still writing her own songs. That’s when she met her fiance, Shawn Camp.

4. Mascitti Was Raised by Her Grandparents

Mascitti was adopted and raised by her grandparents. She said in her audition that her grandmother was one of her biggest supporters. They lived in Louisville, Ohio when she was young before moving to Missouri.

Her grandparents influenced her love of music.

“I grew up surrounded by classic country music,” Mascitti told MCH News. “My papaw is a huge fan of the Highwaymen, especially Waylon Jennings, so Waylon became a big musical inspiration to me. My nana would let me stay up late to watch the Statler Brothers Show on TV, especially when Crystal Gayle was on.”

She said that music and lyrics have always been a way for her to express herself, and though she now sings all over the country, one of her favorite things to do is to go home to Ohio and perform.

5. She Mixes Gospel and Country Music

Mascitti mixes the classic sounds of her childhood in her newest album God Made a Woman. The music is a mix of traditional country and gospel music. She said she wanted to put a fresh spin on both genres for her album.

“I grew up with gospel and traditional country, but this album is about more than tradition,” she said. “I want to put a fresh spin on everything while still grounding it in an earthy, rootsy vein. God Made a Woman is a mix of the traditional and the fresh.”

Mascitti calls herself an old soul, but for her newest album, she pulled from experiences with church services, her grandmother’s favorite soul songs, her grandfather’s country cassettes and her many performances at Italian-American events.

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