After a five-year hiatus, one of the great Christian chick rockers is making a comeback
Several weeks ago, she updated her official website, which had been stagnant for years. And her MySpace page has, for several weeks, included notice of a single show coming up next Friday in Los Angeles with another CCM veteran, Phillip LaRue.
Knapp's management confirmed to CT recently that she was making music again. "After a well needed hiatus, Jennifer has started writing/recording again and playing select shows," said her manager, Dave Hopper. CT's requests for an interview with Knapp were denied, though Hopper said she might grant one later.
This afternoon, Knapp made her first official statement on the matter on her website, starting off a brief entry with the words, "Yes, it’s true. I am the REAL Jennifer Knapp and I’ve been doing a little music lately."
Knapp wrote that she keeps running into old friends who are asking all sorts of questions about her "comeback." "We've been flooded with e-mails and phone calls simply by putting up a humble little homepage. So much for my little holiday. It’s looking very much like it may be over."
She didn't say why she left music in the first place (in 2004, she told Relevant that she was tired of touring one record while recording the next, and "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"), but she did say she spent much of her time away "traveling mostly."
She wrote: "I have wasted too many days sulking about how strange life is and many more discovering just how truly beautiful people can be. My experiences have been both wildly exotic and extraordinarily mundane. But mostly I will say that I have had a chance to get my feet under me. I took that time to discover more about myself and my own faith without the veil of expectations to a cause. Without writing a novel at this point, I’ll just say that I’m starting to think that I might actually be a songwriter, musician, or artist of some kind . . . So, maybe I should do something about it?
"I know that many of you have persisted at hope that I would return to music. Why you have wanted or even cared has been one of the greatest mysteries to me, at the same time, a complete and utter blessing as it has always been. Thank you for your support. I can only hope to repay you with what you have waited for . . . music."
And to whet fans' appetites, Knapp has posted a new song, "Letting Go," on her MySpace page.
Personally, I'm thrilled about this news, and am somewhat bemused that Knapp is surprised that people "even cared" about her absence. I think she's one of the best things to have happened to Christian music in the last 15 years, and her albums are among my favorites. And I had the privilege of getting to know her a bit back in the 1990s when we worked together on a regular column (a few samples) for what was then Campus Life magazine (the now-defunct Ignite Your Faith), and have always enjoyed her honest, direct, sometimes even in-your-face approach to life. (A lot like me!) That outlook came through loud and clear in her music, which was as honest and confessional as anything you'd hear on Christian radio. Her music has always been good for the soul, and her return is good for it too.
Posted by Mark Moring on September 18, 2009 4:13PM
Comments
I'm so glad she's back!! 'Can't wait to hear the next album of songs of the heart.
Posted by: Danielle M. at September 19, 2009
I enjoyed her music years ago and applaud Jennifer's return. Go Kansas girl! And Mark, why don't you just ask her to marry you? :)
Posted by: Jim Swaney at September 21, 2009
Welcome back, Jennifer. We've missed you. We still love your music, and we're looking forward to whatever new release are forthcoming :)
Posted by: John Reid at September 22, 2009
I have prayed for Jennifer for several years. I wept when I learned of her come back. She is my favorite CCM artist and I believe the most uniquely gifted song writer of our generation.
Her songs take us from the depths of despair when confronted by our own sins, then straight through the forgiveness and mercy offered at the cross of Christ, and finally up to the joyous heights reaching to heaven's gates.
Posted by: Steve at September 23, 2009
I've been checking out the new song on her MySpace page, "Letting Go" - and oh yeah, she's back. Jenn's been my favorite CCM artist ever since I first laid ears on her, and then when I got to see her live and experience her powerful witness .... wow. I was heartbroken when she went on the extended hiatus. I'm so very excited by the news of her return, and as a devoted fan, I really think this new song is as good as anything else she's done, if not better.
Posted by: Dave at September 27, 2009
Have you read the concert review? It doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to cause one to wonder whether who her fans perceived as the "old Jennifer" is actually back. If any of you traveled the road with King's X as a fan...this sounds familiar. Before everyone gets all warm & fuzzy over "returns" of favorite CCM artists, just don't be shocked when the (figurative) voice they sing with isn't the same one you fell in love with.If you're old as dirt like I am and have seen this too many times already you begin to see the signs and simply sigh that what lies ahead barely resembles that which came before that you loved so much. Whether it be a singer, an actor,an author or a religious leader, if we look to them for our image of Jesus and become a follower of...Appollos or Paul...we miss the point.Just my 1.1 cents.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/news/2009/jenniferknappcomeback.html
Posted by: Claude at September 29, 2009
Although a very under played and under acknowledged song, "Hold Me Now" is so incredibly amazaing and probably my favorite tune from Knapp. I'm so glad Knapp is back! I cannot figure out how to get this message of appreciation to her so I will leave it here in hopes of her seeing it eventually and realizing in her heart, mind and soul how much God has spoken to me thru her music...thanks for listening to God's promptings Jennifer!
Welcome back Jennifer!
Posted by: KK at October 1, 2009
To the reviewer who was expecting "old Jennifer" to be back, you got to remember she is a artist, to grow as artist requires change, also to grow as a human requires change, so of course the "old Jennifer" won't be back.
Posted by: DOC at October 6, 2009
Agreed. I'm very much not expecting that.It just seemed to me that some including perhaps the author of the original blog are expecting that. I guess what I was trying to say was that fans are surely welcome/expected to cheer the return of an artist they clearly love. But...do not necessarily assume things pick up where they left off, in pretty much any area. Some "flags" just seemed familiar in the concert review to other instances I've seen with artists who started out in the..."ccm community," took a sabbatical and then came back to music but not necessarily to the aforementioned community. I'm not saying whether that's good or bad or anything else just...don't assume either way. I'll try not to either.;)
Posted by: Claude at October 7, 2009
Hoping that the ugly rumor is not true!? I am a huge fan and it was related to me that Jenn had entered into a lesbian relationship?
I hope that this is not true!
God bless
Posted by: Dwight habsrouck at November 17, 2009
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