Jennifer Knapp | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | April 12, 1974 |
Origin | Chanute, Kansas, U.S. |
Genres | Folk rock, Christian rock |
Years active | 1994–2003, 2009–present |
Labels | Gotee, EMI CMG, Graylin, ThirtyTigers/RED, Righteous Babe |
Website | www |
Jennifer Lynn Knapp (born April 12, 1974) is an American-Australian [1] folk rock, and contemporary Christian musician. [2] She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album, Kansas (1998), and the song "A Little More" from her Grammy Award-nominated album, Lay It Down (2000). The Way I Am (2001), was also nominated for a Grammy. In total, the three albums have sold approximately 1 million copies. After taking a seven-year hiatus, Knapp announced in September 2009 that she was returning to music. On May 11, 2010, she released Letting Go with the single "Dive In". The album debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard 200 chart. Knapp's memoir Facing the Music (Howard Books / Simon & Schuster) and new album Set Me Free (Righteous Babe Records) came out in October 2014.
Knapp was born in Chanute, Kansas on April 12, 1974, [3] and was brought up irreligiously along with her twin sister Lori. Knapp's parents divorced when she was three and she spent an unhappy childhood with her remarried father until leaving home at 18. [4]
As a classically trained musician Knapp played trumpet in high school, and attended Pittsburg State University on a music scholarship. [5] It was there that she converted to Christianity and eventually incorporated spiritual themes into her music. [5]
From there, Knapp began performing throughout the Midwest selling her two custom recordings at shows. Her second indie album, Wishing Well, attracted the attention of Nashville label Gotee Records, who signed her the following year. [5]
Kansas, her critically acclaimed debut release, was received widely and eventually sold over 500,000 copies, becoming Gold-certified by the RIAA. She began touring America, singing primarily in churches, but also appeared at festivals such as the 1999 Lilith Fair, and at large venues including during her 2000 tour in which she opened for Christian music headliner Third Day. She won Dove Awards in 1999 for New Artist of the Year and Rock Song of the Year for her song Undo Me. [6] Lay It Down, her 2000 release, garnered a Grammy Award nomination in 2001. [7]
In addition to her own releases, she has collaborated with a number of artists on various studio projects and releases including lending an early studio version of the song A Little More from Lay It Down on Sparrow Records' 1999 compilation album Listen Louder.
In an interview from the January/February 2004 issue of Relevant Magazine , Knapp stated that she was taking a break from music for a while, leaving the future of her career in God's hands. [8] She had released two albums, Lay It Down and The Way I Am, in 2000 and 2001 respectively, which Knapp said caused a stressful touring schedule. [9] She said she'd already made the decision to take a break in mid-2001, but her schedule did not allow her to stop performing until September 2002, when she played the last concert of her tour. [9] "It was definitely time for a break," she said. "I was touring Lay It Down while recording The Way I Am, then went directly into touring that record. It got to where I was just doing shows to support the record, rather than having a record support the heart of the people I was supposed to be serving." [8] Knapp gave no indication of when new material would surface. "Truly, no plans and no promises of when," she said. "At this time, there's really not enough material and I don't want to force anything just for the sake of getting a record finished." [8]
On January 24, 2006, Gotee Records issued the album Jennifer Knapp Live with tracks from her three studio albums recorded live in concert. On February 26, 2008, Gotee Records re-issued a 10th anniversary edition of Kansas with re-mastered and additional tracks, including "Jesus Loves Me (Wishing Well version)" and other tracks from her 2006 live album. [10]
On August 28, 2009, Patrol Magazine reported that Knapp's management confirmed she is "starting to write and record again." [11] On September 18, Knapp issued a personal letter to fans on her website in which she discussed her hiatus and her plans to return to music. [12] Knapp returned from her hiatus on September 24 with a concert at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, California.
On February 4, 2010, Knapp announced that her new album Letting Go would be released on May 11. She also announced spring 2010 tour dates with Derek Webb and summer appearances on the revived Lilith Fair tour. [13]
Knapp began recording a new album in Nashville with producer Jacob Lawson in early 2014. [14] The album Set Me Free was released on October 14, 2014, on Righteous Babe Records. [15] In 2019, she announced she wanted to advocate for LGBT people of faith, and would begin performing Christian music again. [2]
Following the end of her 2002 tour, Knapp moved to Australia and has since taken up Australian citizenship. [1]
In simultaneous interviews with Christianity Today , Reuters, and The Advocate published on April 13, 2010, Knapp announced that she is a lesbian, and has been in a same-sex relationship since 2002. [9] [16] [17] She has said that her decision to leave the Christian music industry was not due solely to her coming out but to a number of factors including stress and burnout. [9] Despite criticisms based on her sexual orientation, Knapp says that she not only still holds to her progressive Christian faith, but feels that by being honest about her sexuality that her faith is actually enhanced. [1] However, she stated that Letting Go would not be marketed towards Christian radio. [9] The controversy surrounding her coming out made her the featured subject of an episode of Larry King Live, where she discussed her orientation and faith with Larry King, Bob Botsford, and Ted Haggard. [18]
In 2011, Jennifer launched Inside Out Faith, an advocacy organization for LGBT people of faith. [19] Through Inside Out Faith, Knapp speaks at churches and universities about her journey coming out to her faith community. [20]
Jennifer's memoir, Facing the Music: My Story, was released on Howard Books / Simon & Schuster on October 7, 2014. [21] Howard Books, an evangelical publisher, received some pushback for publishing Knapp's memoir; [22] however, Howard's VP and Publisher, Jonathan Merkh, stated that the company was not trying to take sides but simply "help [people] understand where someone may be coming from as they open up about their sexuality and their faith." [23]
Album | Year | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|---|
Kansas | 1998 | US Christian Albums (Billboard) [24] | 11 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [25] | 21 | ||
Lay It Down | 2000 | US Christian Albums (Billboard) [24] | 1 |
US Billboard 200 [26] | 77 | ||
The Way I Am | 2001 | US Christian Albums (Billboard) [24] | 10 |
US Billboard 200 [26] | 130 | ||
The Collection | 2004 | US Christian Albums (Billboard) [24] | 33 |
Letting Go | 2010 | US Folk Albums (Billboard) [27] | 3 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [28] | 15 | ||
US Digital Albums (Billboard) [29] | 19 | ||
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [30] | 25 | ||
US Billboard 200 [26] | 73 | ||
Love Comes Back Around | 2017 | US Independent Albums (Billboard) [28] | 50 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [31] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She began her music career in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Grant has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop".
Audrey Faith McGraw, known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American country singer. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold almost 50 million albums worldwide.
Rebecca Jean Fink, known professionally as Rebecca Jean or Rebecca St. James, is an Australian American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and actress. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. She was signed to ForeFront Records in 1993, releasing her major label debut the following year.
Kevin Michael McKeehan;, better known by his stage name TobyMac, is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. His road band is known as Diverse City. He was first known for being a member of the Christian rap and rock trio dc Talk, staying with them from 1987 until they went on hiatus in 2000. He has since continued a successful solo career with the release of nine studio albums: Momentum (2001), Welcome to Diverse City (2004), Portable Sounds (2007), Tonight (2010), Christmas in Diverse City (2011), Eye on It (2012), This Is Not a Test (2015), The Elements (2018), and Life After Death (2022) as well as five remixed albums: Re:Mix Momentum (2003), Renovating Diverse City (2005), Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project (2012), Eye'm All Mixed Up (2014) and The St. Nemele Collab Sessions (2019). He also has two full-length Christmas albums: Christmas in Diverse City (2011) and Light Of Christmas (2017). He became the third Christian artist to have a No. 1 debut on Billboard 200 chart with Eye on It.
Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, better known by her stage name Plumb, is an American singer-songwriter and author. Plumb has sold more than 500,000 albums and over two million singles worldwide, co-penned songs for numerous other artists, including Michelle Branch, Mandisa, Mandy Moore, Jaci Velasquez, and Natalie Grant, and had music placed in many films and television shows. Originally signed as a contemporary Christian music recording artist in 1997, Plumb is now known as well as or better in alternative rock and EDM, and for the use of her music in film and television than she is in the contemporary Christian music market.
Mandisa Lynn Hundley, known mononymously as Mandisa, was an American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist. She began her solo career as a contestant in the fifth season of American Idol finishing in ninth place. Her album Overcomer won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album; she was the fifth American Idol contestant to win a Grammy.
Grits is a Christian hip hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In the Spirit". GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, both of whom were DC Talk dancers.
Ayiesha Woods is a contemporary Christian musician signed to Gotee Records. She has released two studio albums on Gotee: Introducing Ayiesha Woods (2006) and Love Like This (2008). Woods is known for the hit songs "Happy" and "Big Enough" from her debut album. Her musical style is a distinct mix of several genres, predominantly including pop, soul, urban and rock.
Stephanie Smith is an American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter. She is signed to Gotee Records. Her first studio album, Not Afraid, was released on May 27, 2008, digitally and in stores on December 23, 2008. She received national attention on the Winter Wonder Slam tour with TobyMac.
Lay It Down is the second studio album by Contemporary Christian musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released on February 29, 2000, by Gotee Records. The album was nominated for "Best Rock Gospel Album" at the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2001. It peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart on March 17, 2000 and No. 77 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Kansas is the first major label studio album by Christian folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released in 1998 on Gotee Records. The album went on to sell 500,000 copies in the U.S., and was certified Gold.
The Way I Am is the third studio album from folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp, her fifth album overall and her final Christian rock album to date. It was released on November 20, 2001 through Gotee Records.
Jamie Grace is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. In 2010, TobyMac found her songs on YouTube and signed her to his label Gotee Records for two albums. She released the song "Hold Me" in 2011 which landed her a nomination at the 2012 Grammys and won the 2012 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year.
Janice Sue Meghan Myers, known professionally as Meg Myers, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Originally from Tennessee, Myers moved to Los Angeles to pursue music and met Doctor Rosen Rosen, who signed her to his production company. In 2012, Myers released her first EP, Daughter in the Choir. Later that year, she signed to Atlantic Records, with which she released the Make a Shadow EP (2014) and her debut album, Sorry (2015). She later departed Atlantic for 300 Entertainment and released Take Me to the Disco, her second album, in 2018. Her third album TZIA was released in 2023 on Sumerian Records.
Letting Go is the sixth studio album by Contemporary Christian music and folk rock singer Jennifer Knapp. The album was released on May 11, 2010, on Graylin Records.
American singer-songwriter Nichole Nordeman has released five studio albums, one live album, four compilation albums, one extended play, one soundtrack album, eighteen singles, and three music videos. In 1998, after winning a contest sponsored by the Gospel Music Association, Nordeman was signed to Star Song Communications and Sparrow Records and began to work on her debut studio album, Wide Eyed. The album was released in September 1998 and entered the Billboard Christian Albums and Billboard Heatseekers Albums charts at number 16 and 29, respectively, both of which marked her chart debut. Wide Eyed spawned four singles, "To Know You," "Who You Are," "I Wish the Same", and "Wide Eyed", and has sold 130,000 copies in the United States. In May 2000, Nordeman released her second studio album, This Mystery, which charted on the Billboard Christian Albums chart at 12. Three singles, "This Mystery," "Fool For You" and "Every Season", were released from This Mystery. Nordeman's third studio album, Woven & Spun, was released in September 2002. The album entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 136 and at the Billboard Christian Albums chart at number five. All three of Woven & Spun's singles, "Holy", "Legacy", and "Even Then", became top forty hits on the Billboard Christian Songs chart. "Holy" spent 10 weeks at number one on the Christian AC radio charts. In May 2003, Nordeman released her first live album, Live at the Door, which was recorded at The Door music venue in Dallas, Texas. In May 2005, she released her fourth studio album, Brave. The album entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 119 and at the Billboard Christian Albums chart at number two, marking Nordeman's career highest charting debut. Its lead single and title track became her first Billboard number one hit on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, while its two succeeding singles, "What If" and "Real to Me", became top twenty hits on the chart.
A.K.A. is the eighth studio album by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on June 13, 2014, by Capitol Records and was her only release on the label. Lopez started working on the album in February 2013, after the end of her first worldwide tour, the Dance Again World Tour. Originally scheduled to be released in November 2013, Lopez postponed the album release to 2014. Undecided between Same Girl and A.K.A. as the album's title, Lopez eventually chose the latter as the title.
Set Me Free is a 2014 album by Jennifer Knapp, released on Righteous Babe Records. The folk rock album is the second full length released by Knapp after a public declaration that she is a lesbian and choosing to market her music outside of the Christian music industry. The album has received positive reviews.
Ryan Dale Stevenson is an American Christian music singer, musician and guitarist, who primarily plays a contemporary Christian music and worship style of music. His record label is Gotee Records, co-owned by Christian music artist TobyMac. He released three extended plays, Yesterday, Today, Forever, with BEC Recordings, Champion of the World, independently, and Hold Nothing Back, with Gotee Records. His first studio album, Fresh Start, was released on September 18, 2015, with Gotee Records. He's had five songs chart on the Billboard charts, "Holding Nothing Back", "The Human Side", "Not Forgotten", "All Yours" and "Eye of the Storm".
Holly Marie Wilson, known by her stage name Hollyn, is an American Christian music singer and songwriter. Hollyn sings a mixture of pop, R&B, and Christian music. She was a contestant on American Idol during season 12, where she made it to the Hollywood rounds. She released her EP, Hollyn, in 2015, and the album One-Way Conversations in 2017 and Bye, Sad Girl, in 2019, both with Gotee Records. Hollyn often sings with Tobymac.