Jennifer Knapp could never have predicted what has happened this year. Since her first nationally distributed project, kansas, released on Gotee Records less than a year ago, her story has been unfolding in some amazing ways. Jennifer Knapp has been signed to the prestigious Creative Artist Agency home to artists such as Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay and dcTalk. Jennifer's debut release with Gotee Records entered the Soundscan chart at No. 5 and the Billboard heatseekers chart at No. 21. Kansas has spent 45 weeks in the Soundscan Top 20 while selling over 100,000 copies in the first six months. In addition to being a panelist at this year's Billboard Music Video Awards, Jennifer Knapp was awarded Best New Artist Christian Clip of the Year by Billboard for her debut video "Undo Me." This video was also the No. 1 video in the Christian market May '98. Jennifer has had three consecutive No. 1 singles and has crossed the format boundaries with her AC hit "Hold Me Now" reaching the Top 15. In addition to gracing the cover of the magazine Jennifer was voted No. 2 Female Artist and Favorite New Artist in this year’s Release Magazine's Reader's Poll. In addition to the incredible sales numbers and much success on the airwaves both at radio and video, Jennifer remains humble during the whole process. "I was really pleased by this project, but I certainly didn't expect it to be received like this," reflects Jennifer. "I'm surprised and extremely grateful."
Produced by Audio Adrenaline lead singer Mark Stuart, kansas is an eclectic mix of alternative folk rock. Jennifer's powerful vocals are a perfect match for the crisp, guitar-laden melodies she penned herself. "I've seen people around me lose their passion for God, even though they're in church," she says. "So that's an important thing for me to communicate, having that honesty with God, because that's what He wants."
1999 promises to be another exciting year, with a 60-city dc Talk tour in the spring, festivals in the summer, and the beginning of the long process of writing for a new record. In between writing and touring, Jennifer is excited about her fourth consecutive year in overseas missions. "The past three years, we've gone to minister in Eastern Europe, and that's been great. This year, we're preparing to visit the Dominican Republic to grab a hammer and try to play a small role in repairing the devastation wrought by Hurricane Georges. It's important to me to remember that my first priority as a Christian is to serve, not to be served. Missions makes that really obvious, because I'm serving next to people who care more about my ability to use a hammer than my ability to use a guitar."
Source: http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/Profile-JenniferKnapp2.htm
