Not only are her lyrics raw but Baldridge also uses the word “raw” to describe the sound of the album. “I recorded everything at home on my USB mic on my laptop,” she told Religion News Service (RNS). “Now it’s a little embarrassing because I didn’t think this many people would hear it.”
Baldridge, who describes herself as “a faithfully skeptical Christian,” told RNS that while she hesitated at first to designate her album as a “Christian” album, that is truly what it is, and she did not put it in that category as a “gimmick.”
“All these songs—their common thread is they’re about faith,” she said. “This is an expression of my faith. This is where I am as a Christian right now. This is a Christian record.”
Derek Webb, who is the former lead singer of Caedmon’s Call and who has since deconstructed from Christianity, tweeted his praise of Baldridge’s album:
i can’t even talk about @GraceBaldridge’s new ‘preacher’s kid’ EP yet, but once i start i may not be able to stop.
— derek webb (@derekwebb) February 11, 2021
DC Talk member Kevin Max praised the album as well, saying, “It’s high time Christian music got a shake up with a message of reality & hope beyond the homogenized CCM.”
Excited for you and for this breakthrough @GraceBaldridge … it’s high time christian music got a shake up with a message of reality & hope beyond the homogenized CCM … kinda historic, definitely amazing.
— kevin max (@kevinmax) February 10, 2021
Jon Steingard also praised Baldridge, saying he “couldn’t be more inspired.” Steingard is the former lead singer of Hawk Nelson who made waves last year when he announced he no longer believes in God.
The #1 iTunes charting artist in the Christian genre today is my dear @GraceBaldridge.
Who gets to decide what Christian means? Who says who’s in and who’s out?
Today a queer artist expresses her faith, sexuality swearing and all, and I couldn’t be more inspired. pic.twitter.com/9eue1qk4Ng
— Jon Steingard (@jonsteingard) February 9, 2021
