Former Christian music star Jennifer Knapp released her latest album, Set Me Free, Oct. 14 under Ani DiFranco's Righteous record label. Directly prior to her album's debut, Knapp released a full-length memoir, Facing the Music, on Oct. 7. Knapp found a home for herself under this new label after an eight-year hiatus from her musical career.
For Knapp, joining Righteous Records "just made sense," as the label is known for supporting artists with a particular message. For Knapp, joining this label was liberating. In her search for a label that suited her drive towards an independent mindset, she was connected with the label through a series of fortunate events.
Since signing with the record label, Knapp expressed that Righteous Records has respected her faith and sexual orientation, and simply supports her work on a daily basis. Through this label, Knapp has been able to express herself artistically as being both Christian and lesbian.
"It feels like a legitimate step-up into the mainstream world" said Knapp.
Knapp is particularly proud of her latest album, "Set Me Free." She has been able to create music in a more open and receptive space.
"From an artistic sense it really feels like I've cemented my way back. This record for me feels like I actually have a right to be here [as a musical artist]. I think we've put together and amazing record — it's some of the most vulnerable stuff I've ever written" articulated Knapp.
In addition to her music, Knapp published her memoir earlier this month with Howard Books; an Evangelical imprint. In producing her memoir through a faith-based publisher, Knapp was able to produce a conversation around what is allowed in the genre. Howard Books came under scrutiny for supporting Knapp, but maintained that the memoir fell within its values and guidelines.
Despite the struggles Knapp faced in publishing her memoir, by publishing under Howard Books imprint she was able to give the book a particular platform to allow the book to be within reach of people familiar with Knapp and her musical career.
In 2002, Knapp left the Christian-music industry pining over what it meant for her as a lesbian to be a Christian artist.
"I think the temperature at the time made me confused as to what message I was really sending" said Knapp.
With her identity a paradox in the climate of the genre, Knapp expressed a feeling of alienation within Christian music. She also felt that within the genre artists are expected to be almost Jesus-like—feeding into a contentious identity that she decided needed to be reconciled.
During the nine years between record releases, Knapp formed a relationship with her now partner and eventually built up to the idea of getting back into music. Knapp had difficulty deciding whether or not to face coming out on a public scale.
Coming out on that level was bizarre for Knapp. "To walk in a room and 'Oh there's Jennifer the lesbian,'" Knapp said jokingly.
Since her hiatus and coming-out, Knapp's growth is reflected in her art and personal life. Knapp can now comfortably have conversations about sexual orientation that "inevitably comes every time I walk into a room."
"When I first did the interview with The Advocate [in 2002] it was really hard" revealed Knapp in reference to coming out in 2010 which invoked media coverage and requests for interviews. "I didn't even know how to call myself a lesbian half the time let alone to try to trip into a territory where I could say out loud that I don't think homosexuality is a sin. Now I can unequivocally say that and not worry about the fall out."
Knapp founded Inside Out Faith ( IOF ), an organization dedicated to telling stories to faith-based groups to create a dialogue around sexual orientation. IOF starts dialogue with faith communities by exposing them to a variety of narratives told by LGBT authors, clergy, and artists, etc. Knapp's goal beyond creating these conversations is to debunk the myth that all faith-based groups are anti-gay.
"Nowadays if you see me there at church, I'm definitely having the conversation—and boldly so," said Knapp.
Visit www.jenniferknapp.com and insideoutfaith.org/ .
