Christian Music Star Jennifer Knapp: "I'm gay"

Posted by Mitch Michaels on 04.14.2010

Turns out the rumors are true...

Jennifer Knapp, once a rising star in the Christian Music world, is back from a seven year hiatus with her new album, Letting Go (out May 11th).

The album contains a few surprises for Knapp's fans. For one, she seems to be leaving the Christian Music genre behind in favor of regular rock and pop. And second, Knapp has now revealed that she is a lesbian.

The rumors had been swirling since 2003, when Knapp suddenly left the public eye and the country, traveling to Australia, where she eventually settled down. After ten years of abstinence, she entered into a same-sex relationship. But Knapp is private about her private life, and says her American girlfriend has no desire to become famous.

Knapp, now 36, dated men during her college days, and is braced for a backlash from religious fans who faithfully shot down the rumors about her sexuality over the years.

Still, she said, "I'm definitely getting a lot more friendly winks from the girls than I have in the past!"

The lifestyle change is the biggest reason for Knapp's musical change in direction, too. "I just wouldn't find it respectful at all to say, 'Hey, this is something that you want in your store next to your Jesus statue,'" she said. "It would just be disingenuous to try and convince someone that they needed to do that."

Knapp says she still considers herself a "person of faith". "I hope that the defiance does come across as humble," she explained. "If there's any frustration, it's trying to politely break the yoke of being asked to be something that I just can't be, and with all humility go: 'Just please be kind when you discover the truth.' It's kinda all you can do."