Though she was one of Christian music’s most popular artists for close to a five-year span, Jennifer Knapp walked away from her successful career in 2002. Despite the Dove awards, Grammy nominations, and over a million albums sold, she says she needed a personal hiatus from the rigors of recording and touring. Now fans can rejoice after a long 6-8 years of hopes and doubts: Jennifer Knapp has finally decided to return to music.

 

Of course, that news comes tempered with the recent announcement about Knapp’s sexuality, which has undoubtedly alienated many in her predominantly Christian fan base or at least left them wondering what to make of the acclaimed singer-songwriter. This controversy quickly excluded her from Christian radio and retail, but then Knapp had already expressed the intention to write music for a broader audience than the church. Nevertheless, by all accounts, her faith remains intact and remains an important part of her life and music.

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Seven years ago, Jennifer Knapp walked away from her highly successful music career with hardly a peep. Rumors abounded, from talk of her marrying some businessman in the UK to speculation that her sexual orientation was in conflict with her target Christian audience.

 

Now with a new album finally on the horizon, the mystery is over. Reuters and The Advocate have reported that Knapp is indeed a lesbian, and she discusses it in a candid interview with my former employer.

 

How many are surprised? I’ve never been one to fuel the rumors, but I’ve also been hearing them them from several reliable sources over the years. Interestingly, Knapp still maintains that burnout was really the reason she walked away from her career, not because of her relationship.