Rebecca St. James

Rebecca Jean Fink (Smallbone; born 26 July 1977), known professionally as Rebecca Jean or Rebecca St. James, is an Australian-American Christian pop rock singer, songwriter and actress.

Rebecca St. James was born Rebecca Jean Smallbone on 26 July 1977 in Sydney to parents David and Helen Smallbone.

She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991.

St. James Rose to fame in the late 1990s with her RIAA certified Gold albums God and Pray, the latter of which won a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Rock Gospel Album, and her holiday album Christmas.

The albums spawned multiple singles, including "God", "Go and Sin No More", and "Pray".

Since then she has established herself as one of the most prominent musical artists in Contemporary Christian music (CCM), with five additional full-length studio albums: Transform, Worship God, If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something, I Will Praise You, and Kingdom Come.

Staple songs such as "Wait for Me", "Reborn", "Song of Love", "Alive", "Shine Your Glory Down", and "Battle Is the Lord's" have all been derived from these releases.

She has earned nine No. 1 hits on Christian radio and has sold nearly two million albums since starting her career.

St. James is also an accomplished author and actress.

To date, she has released over a dozen published books, narrated a documentary, and acted in nine films (including lead roles in Sarah's Choice and A Strange Brand of Happy), a musical stage show, and a VeggieTales episode ("An Easter Carol").

She is also an outspoken sexual abstinence and Pro-Life advocate, a spokesperson for Compassion International, the sister of Joel and Luke Smallbone, who comprise the band For King & Country, and the wife of Foster the People's former bassist Jacob "Cubbie" Fink.

In 1990, at twelve years of age, St. James opened shows for CCM artist Carman during his Australian tour.

The following year she released an independent album, Refresh My Heart, in Australia under the stage name "Rebecca Jean".

Soon after its release, her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, United States, in 1991, where her father received a job offer.

She and her family were in dire financial straits, but they were supported by neighbors who brought them food and their neighborhood Baptist church which gave them furniture after learning they were sleeping on the ground.

She was signed to ForeFront Records in 1993, releasing her major label debut the following year.

In 1993, after singing at First Baptist Church of Franklin (now Church of the City), she signed with ForeFront Records and took her stage name at the label's request.

In 1994 she released her major label debut: Rebecca St. James.

She also released the Rebecca St. James: Extended Play Remixes EP in 1995.

On 25 June 1996, St. James released her third studio album God, led by the title track.

The album took her music in a new direction, focusing more on rock.

It debuted to positive reviews and debuted at 200, and peaked at 168 on the Billboard 200.

It also charted at No. 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 6 on Billboard's Contemporary Christian chart.

To promote the album, St. James released a devotion book, 40 Days with God: A Devotional Journey, in 1996.

In 1997, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album for God and in 2005 the album was RIAA certified gold for selling over 500,000 copies.

In 1997, St. James released the sequel to her devotional book: You're the Voice: 40 More Days with God.

On 7 October of the same year, she released her fourth studio album and first holiday album, Christmas.

The album charted at No. 12 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and No. 14 on the Top Contemporary Christian chart.

On 20 October 1998, St. James released her fifth studio album, Pray, which debuted to mixed reviews.

The album managed to chart at No. 168 on the Billboard 200, and No. 5 on both the Heatseekers Chart and the Contemporary Christian Chart.

Also in 1998, St. James contributed to the CCM compilation album Surfonic Water Revival with the song "Gold Coast".

The album won a Grammy in 1999 for Best Rock/Gospel Album, and, in 2006, it was RIAA-certified gold for selling over 500,000 copies.

In 1999, St. James released "Yes, I Believe In God" to radio only, in memory of the lives lost at the Columbine shooting.

The song was later released on the album Wait for Me: The Best from Rebecca St. James.

Also in 1999, St. James released a video on VHS, No Secrets, featuring interviews of her and her family, behind-the-scenes footage and the music video for the song "Pray".

In addition to her own projects, St. James took part in a CD release, Heaven & Earth: A Tapestry of Worship, which featured female Christian artists such as Nichole Nordeman and Jennifer Knapp.

The album was released in November 1999 and features two songs by St. James; "As We Wait" and "River of Life".

She also contributed a remix of her song "Omega" to the CCM compilation Listen:Louder.

In June 2000, St. James released a cover of the song "Shout to the Lord" on the CCM compilation album Eterne: Never Be the Same.

The song was later made available on St. James' live record, Live Worship: Blessed Be Your Name, as an embedded hidden track.