Different Kind of Free (2003)

Different Kind of Free is the third studio album by the Christian girl group ZOEgirl, released on September 16, 2003 by Sparrow Records. Tedd T. produced a majority of the album with musician Lynn Nichols co-producing the track "Unbroken" and Robert "Aurel M" Marvin producing the title track.

It was a musical transition for ZOEgirl as they traded in their bubblegum/dance/

pop sound of their first two albums for a pop rock sound, pretty much like Christian artist Rebecca St. James' transition in the mid-1990s when she released her 1996 album God. The track "Here and Now," from their last album Life, served as a map to their transitional sound as their lyrics are more mature and the electric guitars are up front. Each track with the lyrics on the CD has a theme verse from the Bible.

The lead single and music video "You Get Me" was written by group member Chrissy Conway-Katina and her husband James Katina of the Christian vocal group The Katinas. The lyrics are inspired by Psalm 139, describing how the God of Christianity is the only one who truly and intimately knows and understands the life of an individual. The song exists to encourage those who are struggling, especially Christians. "You Get Me" was an immediate hit on both the Christian CHR and AC charts. The song topped Radio & Records Christian AC chart and peaked at number two on both Billboard Hot Christian Songs and Christian Airplay charts. Their second single "Beautiful Name" was a Top 10 hit on the Christian radio charts as well. In 2004, their music video for "You Get Me" was nominated for a Dove Award for Short Form Music Video of the Year.

Different Kind of Free charted and peaked on the following Billboard album charts:

-#9 Top Christian Albums

-#4 Heatseekers Albums

-#149 Billboard 200 Albums

NOTE: before Mat Kearney made a name for himself as a mainstream singer and songwriter, he started in Christian music with this album by co-writing and rapping a verse on the title song "Different Kind of Free."

Track listing

1. Beautiful Name (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

Katina, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols) -4:47

2. You Get Me (Chrissy Conway-Katina, James Katina) -3:49

3. Inside Out (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

   Katina, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols) -3:17

4. Love Me for Me (Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols,

Jarod McBride) -3:33

5. Unbroken (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

   Katina, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols, Marc Byrd) -5:00

6. Wait (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-Katina, Tedd

Tjornhom) -4:35

7. Feel Alright (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

   Katina, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols) -3:10

8. She (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-Katina, Tedd

Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols) -4:50

9. Contagious (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

Katina, Lynn Nichols) -5:35

10. Different Kind of Free (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy

Conway-Katina, Lynn Nichols, Mat Kearney, Robert Marvin) -4:33

11. Lie to Me (Alisa Childers, Kristin Swinford-Schweain, Chrissy Conway-

  Katina, Tedd Tjornhom, Lynn Nichols) -5:49

Personnel

ZOEgirl:

Alisa Childers -vocals, additional guitar on track 5

Kristin Swinford -Schweain -vocals, additional guitar on track 5

Chrissy Conway-Katina -vocals, additional percussion on track 5

Production credits

Tedd T. -producer (track 1 -9 and 11)

Damon Riley -additional production (tracks 1 -9 and 11)

Lynn Nichols -co-producer (track 5)

Robert "Aurel M" Marvin -producer (track 10)

Radio singles

2003 "You Get Me" -#2 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#2 Billboard Christian

Airplay, -#2 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#3 R&R Christian CHR, -#1 R&R

Christian AC

2004 "Beautiful Name" -#10 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#10 Billboard

Christian Airplay, -#9 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#7 R&R Christian CHR,

-#5 R&R Christian AC

Previous release: Mix of Life (2002) (remix album)

Next release: Room to Breathe (2005)

Watch the music video of "You Get Me" here: