Christian singer asked for an EXORCISM to stop her being gay
To those gathered in the pews, arms raised and swaying with exultation, Vicky Beeching's brand of Christian music was the epitome of a wholesome Christian life.
However, she knew that if she told the truth about her sexual orientation, she would watch her successful career serving up faith-led rock music to America's bible belt falter.
Now out as a proud lesbian woman, the 38-year-old has been speaking out in support of the UK government's plans to ban gay conversion therapy - and has revealed how, as a teenager, she underwent an exorcism in front of 4,000 people to try and rid herself of 'the demons of homosexuality'.
Scroll down for video
Vicky Beeching began writing and performing Christian music as a teenager growing up in Kent; her career took off in America's bible-belt and she moved to the US...but spent much of her teenage years and twenties feeling deep shame about her sexuality
Beeching, now 38, told ITV news that she asked for an exorcism as a young teenager - and it was performed in front of around 4,000 people with people trying to pray away her homosexuality
Beeching has added her voice this week to support plans by the UK government to ban gay conversion therapy completely
Ministers this week pledged to bring in new laws to prevent charlatans from advertising 'abhorrent' treatments that offer to 'cure' people of their homosexuality.
Thousands of gay people have been offered the therapy, which claims to be able to make them heterosexual, a survey for the Government found.
The Government's LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) action plan – backed by £4.5million from Whitehall – also promises to hold a consultation on making it easier for people to legally change their sex.
From the age of fourteen, Beeching had been travelling to the US to perform the religious music she wrote at her family home in Kent.
Speaking to ITV News she revealed how she'd experienced both the subtlest and most dramatic forms of gay conversion therapy.
I was taught that being gay was actually damage, damage that had been done to me because I was born straight... Vicky Beeching
She explains: 'By the age of 14, church teachings had already made me feel so much shame about my gay orientation that I went looking for help.
'The first port of call was a Catholic priest, I went to confession. Two years later, I was so desperate that I actually underwent an exorcism in a large venue, with 4,000 people.
'I found the courage to go to the front and have a prayer ministry session where people would shout that the demons of homosexuality would come out... because I'd been told being gay was caused by demons.
Conversion therapy left Beeching 'broken', she says and in hospital with stress and an auto-immune disorder
The singer has now written a book about her experiences and her fight for acceptance
As Beeching entered her twenties, she says she 'engaged in more subtle forms of conversion therapy where you are prayed for and they try and find traumas and damage - maybe sexual abuse or problems with your parents.
'I was taught that being gay was actually damage, damage that had been done to me because I was born straight.'
Eventually, Beeching ended up in hospital with stress and an auto-immune disorder, saying the years of shame 'broke' her.
She adds: 'I'm living proof of the damage that it can do.'
Beeching eventually came out as gay in 2014 and says she was ostracised by her church mentors shortly after.
She says she also lost her record deal and was blacklisted by several radio stations while receiving a torrent of abuse and death threats.
'I can't say I believe same-sex relationships and marriage are sinful,' she told the Sunday Times.
'I have decided it will take too long for the church to change on this. I can't move into that role with the infighting, the disciplinary measures going on for LGBT clergy who step outside the lines.'
Undivided, by Vicky Beeching is out now