Almost Christian Artists

Nick Jonas wasn’t even 12 when he was signed by Nashville’s INO Records based on a demo of a song he penned with his dad. The track, “Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer),” first got some traction when the budding Broadway star (he had roles in Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast, among others) performed it at a Broadway AIDS benefit show in 2002. INO saw a star in the making and released the track as a single.

After that, no one was quite sure what to do with the pint-sized preteen with such potential. As he worked on a solo project, the self-titled Nicholas Jonas, Columbia Records joined the party, co-signing the younger Jonas. When they later heard the music he was making with his brothers on the side, Columbia decided to sign the trio instead, a decision that would impact the lives of millions of tween girls around the globe.

The Jonas Brothers eventually made the switch to Hollywood Records and broke bigger than anyone could have ever imagined, but these home-schooled boys continued to put their faith first, taking a lot of teasing for their “purity” rings and conservative values. Only now, after a few years of stratospheric success, is Nick getting back to his original plan to record solo, with Who I Am by Nick Jonas and the Administration scheduled for release in February.

Katy Perry was a clean-scrubbed preacher’s kid with mousy hair and an earnest acoustic sound when she arrived in Nashville. Too young to even get a driver’s license, the Santa Barbara teen went to work writing and recorded a self-titled debut for under-the-radar indie Red Hill Records. Katy Hudson (Perry’s birth name) released to critical acclaim when she was just 16, but her sultry voice already had that two-pack-a-day quality that made her sound years older (think a devout Fiona Apple).

While this early debut was decidedly different from her current material, there was always a theatrical quality to Katy’s music. Early tracks like “Faith Won’t Fail,” “Growing Pains” and “Search Me” gave Christian music fans no clue that they’d lead to songs like “I Kissed a Girl” or “UR So Gay.” Then again, when Perry performs in those crazy costumes, covering every inch of the stage with the fervor of a TV preacher, the faithful can’t help but think her Pentecostal roots are showing!

Jessica Simpson almost went the Christian music route, too. While still in high school, she signed with Proclaim Records. The teeny-tiny label went bankrupt before her album, Jessica, could be released, but she managed to book a few dates with gospel acts like Kirk Franklin, God's Property and CeCe Winans.

In the mid-‘90s, Simpson headed to Nashville to meet with the bigger Christian labels in hopes of finding a recording home. They loved her voice but didn’t know what to do about the Texas teen’s devilish curves. It may sound silly, but can you blame them? Even Jess’ dad has famously commented on his daughters “assets.” In the end, she found a more fitting label and gained fame by playing up those curves that cost her a Christian music contract.

For some the Christian music industry is a jumping-off point. For others it’s a detour. For still others, it’s home. Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Sixpence None the Richer have all found mainstream fame with songs that explore issues of faith and albums that originated from within Christian music labels. Joy Williams signed to Christian label Reunion Records as a teen, and her career continues to thrive. At 28, she may not be a household name, but her music has been covered by American Idol contestants and featured on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and in Oscar Mayer ads during the 2010 Golden Globes. Her new act, a duo with John Paul White named the Civil Wars, gained instant critical acclaim, proving that talent, no matter where it’s found, will continue to shine.