A few questions with... Jennifer Knapp

A few weeks ago, I was sent a digital copy of the new record from singer-songwriter Jennifer Knapp.  The album is called Letting Go and will be released on May 11.  I wasn't familiar with her work at that point, but I've really been enjoying the album.  Since then, I've sought out her three previous records and am really intrigued by her music.  For readers of my blog, I can tell you that Letting Go has a lot in common with some of my favorite singer-songwriters (note her mention of Patty Griffin in the interview).

The record marks her return to recording after a few years away from recording and touring.  Knapp is currently on tour with Derek Webb, though she played a solo show here in Houston last Friday.  I had hoped to have this interview posted in time for the show, but our schedules didn't quite sync up in time.

Note:  This Q&A was conducted via email, perhaps not the most interactive format.  Many thanks to Jennifer for taking the time to answer my questions.

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Ramblings:  I imagine much will be made of the fact that you've been on seven-year hiatus from recording and touring. So let's get this one out of the way: Why the lengthy absence and why did you choose to return now?' 

Knapp:  Simply put, I was tired and had lost the enthusiasm for being a musician. I felt I was missing the joy I had always found in music. Everyone around me called it a 'hiatus' or a 'sabbatical'...I called it quitting and never coming back! In the long run, I think the length of time is indicative of just how used-up I was feeling, just how far removed I had gotten from why I started writing and playing in the first place. It took about 5 years, but I finally picked up my guitars and started writing again. I had missed it so very much. There's really no "Why now?" to returning other than the fact that I've got some music I'm excited to play and share. I'm stunned that there are people still wanting to listen. 

The recording industry has struggled to keep pace with technological changes over the past few years. As you've returned to recording and touring, what challenges - and opportunities - do you see for yourself and fellow artists? 

Finally now, maybe we'll get past this notion that in order to be a legitimate musician, one needs to have a record label and make lots of money? If money is what you're after, surely there are easier ways to get it? If number of records sold is an indicator of artistic impact, then how do I explain the fact that Patty Griffin changed my musical life forever, and Elvis inspires me to eat bacon & peanut butter sandwiches? (Don't get me wrong, Elvis is awesome!) In the end, I'm glad that music is being challenged to be more than just a commodity, it gives me hope that what I and other artists create WILL matter culturally and socially. It should. Even if we don't get paid well for it, I bet we'll still paint of cave walls! 

A friend of mine described your previous albums as "theologically conservative." Broadly speaking, does that sound like a fair assessment of where you were on those records? Do you hear some differences between the beliefs expressed on your prior records and the new album? 

I don't know you're friend, so I'm not sure how we're defining 'theologically conservative'...If anything I would argue that much of my previous work, as a whole, desperately reached for some understanding of how a Christian God and I could live gracefully with on another. For me, grace is not conservative. It's nasty, dirty business that requires accepting what you've got to work with and moving on. In whatever ways I began exploring my Christian faith while songwriting, I had no clue that I would later be encouraged to adopt a specific language subset in order to be deemed valid in speaking of my spiritual journey. I desperately cling to writing, I will do it whether others choose to listen or not, and in that reason alone, I am the same musician as I have always been: not seeking to proselytize but to share the journey of living. 

I'm guessing Letting Go will be labeled your first "secular" album.  Though many themes from your previous records are certainly present, are you specifically looking to engage an audience outside your traditional Christian music base?  Do you worry about alienating your longtime fans?

Could we not fill an entire article with a discussion of what delineates Secular vs. Sacred music? 

If anything, I'm specifically seeking to engage listeners, however they come. I still wonder if I've ever had a 'traditional Christian music base'? I suspect that most fans are broad and demanding listeners who expect their artists to be relevant and honest to their own journey despite where on the theological continuum they may fall. It would be truly disappointing to me if anyone mistook this latest record to be a denial of my past work simply because it was not written for use in the church. There's no pre-requisite here, I do not expect a single fan to buy the next record simply based on my past work or based on the merits of my spiritual life. The albums that have changed my life have met me where I am, however I am, regardless of genre or beliefs of the author. Whether it's U2, Tracy Chapman, Mozart or Ashley Cleveland...that's all you can ever hope for, that a recorded work will meet people where they are, however they are. 

Several of the songs on the new album feature pretty rocking arrangements (for lack of a better term). Do you generally walk into the studio with the arrangements fully-formed in your mind, or is recording a process of discovering how you want to present the songs on the album?

It depends on the song really. Some songs are fierce and produce themselves, others are more fluid, and open to more interpretation. Going into the studio, I always like to have a general idea about what I'd like to walk out with on the other side, but attempt to be aware enough to recognize the moments of that call for spontaneity. For example, 'Want For Nothing' was a song that I had labeled as a steady album cut, solid, but not too bold. I had only ever played it acoustically, but when we started playing it live in the studio, the song exploded into a radio-single. I'm too much of a control freak to go in unprepared and unaware of what I hope to accomplish, but at the same time, I'm learning that letting the music carve it's own way once in a while is a good-value risk. 

You're currently on tour with Derek Webb, but the Houston show is part of a small run of solo shows following your appearance at South By Southwest. What should audiences expect for these solo shows, and what can we expect in the way of touring for the rest of 2010? 

Not to sound boring, but vintage Jennifer Knapp, really. For most of this spring you'll catch me in small venues, just me and my Taylor 810ce. For now, I'm just getting used to being on stage again and singing full-time. Hopefully, after the record releases I'll crank it up a notch and get a band together. 

How do you foresee your older material sitting alongside these new songs in a live setting? 

I've been pleasantly surprised. I thought all the 'old stuff' would self-segregate itself out, but there are a few that still seem to want to hang around. I switch it up pretty regularly to try and keep it feeling fresh. Some songs off 'Kansas' are over 15 years old and I've sung more times than I care to count. Still, I have a sneaking feeling that there are a few songs that are truly written on my heart and I may never lose them...others, well, they may have to wait their turn more than some.

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(You can download the track "Dive In" from Letting Go here.)

Comments

[Matt Nightingale]

So great. Thanks, David and thanks, Jennifer... Looking forward to the Tulsa show.

[Ellen]

Huge fan and thrilled she is back.