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via BreatheCast/The ChristianPost:

Elvis Presley, Jennifer Hudson and Katy Perry are just a few examples of artists who started off singing in church and went on to have massive mainstream success.

While many secular singers release gospel albums at some point in their careers, we wanted to look at what has happened to four of today’s well-known Christian artists after they crossed over into mainstream music. Did they flounder or did they maintain their popularity among their Christian fanbase as they gained a following with secular audiences?

Switchfoot

Grammy Award-winning rock band Switchfoot has managed to straddle the Christian/mainstream line since their mid-2000s hit songs “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move” hit the scene.

Song placements in movies such as “A Walk to Remember” and “Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” have helped the San Diego-based group gain notoriety for their down to Earth modern rock style. Switchfoot has never been known to broadcast their faith, but their contemplative God-centered lyrics have consistently revealed the purpose of their words

Amy Grant

Someone who knows all too well what it’s like to be loved by some and hated by others in the faith-based community is Amy Grant.

As of 2009, the six-time Grammy Award-winning Christian pioneer had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was the first to ever release a Christian album that went platinum.

Lecrae

Hip-hop artist Lecrae is another artist who understands the pressure that comes with being in both the Christian and mainstream music industries.

With almost two decades of success under his belt, the Grammy and Dove Award-winning Reach Records founder, decided to link arms with the major mainstream label, Columbia Records in 2016.

Before signing with the well-known company, Lecrae achieved massive success on his own. His 2014 album Anomaly, released on his own label, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Charts, making him a known name in the secular hip-hop community.

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What Happens When Christian Artists Go Mainstream?  was originally published on praisecleveland.com