Rebecca St. James, actually Rebecca Jean Smallbone, was born on July 26, 1977 in Sydney, Australia, to David and Helen Smallbone. She is the oldest and only one out of seven children. Her father, David, was a Christian concert promoter, and through this, Rebecca had the opportunity to sing with Carman on one of his tour stops in Australia when she was thirteen.
A short time later, David Smallbone was offered a job in the United States. The family moved to Nashville, TN and unfortunately the job fell through. The Smallbone family lived out of their family van and did whatever possible to earn what little money they could. (Do not despair, however, remember God has a plan for everything!) They earned money by raking lawns and cleaning houses, a job that Rebecca finds most fulfilling. They had the means to get a little house and whenever the family had hard times coming up with grocery money, an anonymous donor would leave groceries on the front steps. How awesome is God. Through Rebecca's church, in Franklin, TN, an opportunity came up that allowed her to sing. What came of this was amazing.
At age 16, Rebecca began recording with ForeFront Records. Her first album, a self-titled pop release, earned Rebecca a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year. Her second album simply titled God, thrust Rebecca full-force to the top of Christian alternative-pop(having currently sold over 350,000 copies), earned her a Grammy Nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year, and a string of radio and video hits. Readers of Campus Life, CCM, and Release magazines named her Favorite Female Artist in their polls. In 1997, Rebecca released Christmas and her second best-selling devotional book, You're The Voice-40 More Days With God, a follow-up to the successful 40 Days With God. Her family, one of the most important things in her life, travels with her on the road and her sibling help in various ways with the shows.
At age 24, Rebecca is one of the most active voices of our generation. Her message is clear: "Live radically for God, pray, read the Bible, stand up for what you believe in and make a difference in this world." This has become the anthem for many youth of today. Her passion for the Lord is real and true, something that the youth in the world are crying out for. She is committed and encourages her generation to live a life focused on God. Living such a hands on life is the heart of Rebecca St. James.
Transform is the fifth album from Rebecca St. James and is her most anticipated album yet. The first single from Transform,"Don't Worry" spent a number of weeks on Christian radio charts. Another song, "Wait For Me" has inspired many young people to stay pure until marriage. Her next album will be a worship album that is set to come out in February. It's called "Worship God" and you can order it on the RSJ News page!
