Grammy nominee Rachael Lampa says her son’s Down syndrome ‘differences are actually superpowers’ 

Grammy-nominated artist Rachael Lampa says her emotions ran the gamut when she learned her newborn son had Down syndrome. 

She even cried.  

Today, though, she is simply grateful – for a young boy, Leo, who daily brings her joy, who lights up every room, and who – she says – sees the world without “filters.” 

Earlier this year, Lampa released a song in his honor, Superpowers, which celebrates his boundless energy, contagious joy and tender heart – traits she calls his greatest strengths. “Whatever they said was wrong about you; couldn’t have been more wrong about you; standing up to all the doubters; you’re the one with superpowers,” the song declares. 

Lampa has become an informal spokesperson for the Down syndrome community, regularly posting pictures of Leo and reminding the world that every child is a gift, worthy of love and celebration. 

“He’s two years old, and he has just changed our world like crazy,” Lampa told The Lion during an interview at the K-Love Fan Awards in Nashville. 

Leo is “still the baby I’d always hoped and dreamed of – he’s just a little bit more,” she said on Instagram. “Some would think he’s growing and developing slower, but to us he’s exactly right, and maybe we are the ones who moved too fast in the first place.”  

Leo “sees the world without the filters” and has taught her to “see people with more compassion, with more joy,” she also said. 

Just as important, Leo has shown her that everyone, “no matter how many chromosomes they have, matters.”  

Lampa told The Lion that what some might view as Leo’s flaws – his need for physical and speech therapy, for example – actually create space for the most “beautiful, superpowery things” about him, such as “slowing down, making a moment really feel like a moment, and letting joy lead any situation.” 

“He’ll make us stop and pause and find joy,” she said. 

Asked what advice she would give to a pregnant mother whose baby has been diagnosed with Down syndrome, Lampa didn’t hesitate. 

“I’ve been there. I have been in that exact spot,” she told The Lion. “And I let myself cry, and I let myself have that phase… And then, when that wave was over, it was, ‘Alright, let’s get to work. Let’s start reading up. Let’s start figuring out what’s next.’ And then after that, was just this wave of joy and excitement and peace.” 

It is essential, she said, to let “God speak to you in each phase of your process.” 

“You can be sad, you can be mad, you can be frustrated, you can be excited,” she said. “You can be all the things.” 

Meanwhile, Lampa remains an advocate and encourager for parents on similar journeys. 

“All of his differences are actually superpowers.”