Laura Huval

Bio

Laura Huval is a Grammy-nominated recording artist and composer, seasoned music minister, Catholic school music educator, keynote speaker, cultural advocate, and founder of Joyful Noise Ministries. She inspires and engages all audiences with her powerful music, life-changing workshops and love for God.

Laura is a native of the culturally rich community of Cecilia, Louisiana, located in the region of Acadiana. She is a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church and has served as a music minister for over 20 years. She was brought up in a home filled with music and love for the Lord. Her father, the late Grammy-nominated Cajun musician, Al Berard, along with her mother and sisters were all members of the St. Joseph Church Choir.

Laura taught music for eight years at St. Genevieve Catholic School in Lafayette, LA and was named Educator of the Year in 2015. She has served the Church in many capacities. She served on the Diocesan Pastoral Council as the Youth Representative (Diocese of Lafayette). At her home parish, she serves as the Faith Formation Coordinator, Communications Director and Music Ministry Coordinator. She has also served as a youth choir director, parish convocation team leader, ministries fair organizer, parish-wide workshop facilitator and a faith formation teacher.

In 2021, Laura's band, Sweet Cecilia, was nominated in the Best Regional Roots Music Album for A Tribute to Al Berard, exactly 30 years after her father was nominated. Laura also has a bustling solo career. She was nominated for the 2021 OffBEAT Magazine “Best of the Beat Awards” in two categories: Best Gospel Artist and Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Artist.

In February 2021, Laura released her first devotional book, Scripture and Song: 40 Day Reflection Devotional. It is a culmination of her gifts of ministering and teaching through faith-based music. This devotional is a prayer companion for her 2020 album, It's Never Too Late.

In 2019, Laura founded Joyful Noise Ministries with the mission of “spreading the Gospel one song at a time.” In 2020, she became a published artist at Oregon Catholic Press (OCP). She has been a guest on Can I Getta Amen podcast, Many Hail Mary’s At A Time and has been the featured guest speaker for various events. She was also a contributing writer for the Pursuing Peace devotional journal released by the Light Project.

Laura was a featured songwriter during the 2019 SOLO Songwriting Festival and wrote songs with Nashville greats, Jim Lauderdale and Rusty Tabor. She has shared the stage and collaborated with legends Don Helmes, Jimmy C. Newman, D.L. Menard, Vin Bruce, Zachary Richard, Sonny Landreth, Roddie Romero, Buckwheat Zydeco, Louise Goffin, Lil Buck Senegal and many others. She has been featured on albums by Brother Dege Legg, Bas Clas, Bonsoir Catin (Grammy-nominated album, 2015), Lane Mack, Major Handy, Blaine Roy and Second Wind, Ken Holloway, Cameron Dupuy (Grammy-nominated album, 2021) and many more.

Laura has performed with Sweet Cecilia at Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette, LA; the world famous Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in Breaux Bridge, LA; French Quarter Festival; New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in LA, and many other venues across the gulf coast.

In 2018, she was a featured storyteller for the Lafayette Storytellers Night, where she shared the stories and inspiration behind her song, “Red Bird Flies”, which has garnered national attention.

She is an advocate for the Cajun/Creole Culture in St. Martin Parish. In 2018, she became the co-chair of the Cecilia et Les Alentours Cultural District, which established her hometown, Cecilia, as a hub of cultural activity in the state of Louisiana.

She also performs with her husband, accordionist, Adrian Huval of the Louisiana based group, The Bluerunners. She and her husband have two sons, Nate and Rex, and reside in Cecilia, LA.

In 2023 Laura Huval will be releasing a new OCP collection titled, Raised in the Choir Loft, featuring prayerful renditions of classic OCP songs like “Turn to Me,” “Here I Am,” and “Isaiah 49.”