Popular contemporary band for KING & COUNTRY's music was essentially the soundtrack to my childhood (Their songs also carried me through many tough days in my early teen years). From their songs "Middle of Your Heart" to "Shoulders," there's something beautiful and nostalgic about the band's music. Although their music has been a part of my life for years, I wasn't a fan until I saw them in concert for the first time in Phoenix, Arizona. They gave an electrifying performance, and I've been hooked ever since.
Brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone formed for KING & COUNTRY over 10 years ago. And together, they've released four studio albums. Their fourth and most recent record, What Are We Waiting For? features the newer hits "Relate," "Together," and "For God Is With Us." The 13-track album marks a new era for the band, and soon they'll be entering into one of their busiest seasons yet.
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Luke about their new album, upcoming tour, and stories behind some of their recent singles.
You and your brother, Joel, formed for KING & COUNTRY over 10 years ago. Looking back, what has this journey been like for you?
Unexpected would be the word that I would use. You always start in music because you have a love of music and writing songs, but you don't know the twists and turns it's going to take. And you don't even know if you're ever going to get to make a second album. So, Joel and I feel quite privileged and honored that we've been doing this for 10 years and can release a fourth studio album.
There's a lot of work that goes into releasing music, and there are a lot of people that we work with. So, being here, 10 years later, I'd say it's been an unexpected journey. It's a great season of new music and new stories, and hopefully, they'll impact and encourage people.
Your fourth studio album, What Are We Waiting For?, was released in March 2022. Tell me about the writing and recording process and the message behind the album.
At the beginning of 2021, we went into the studio and treated it like a nine-to-five job. We weren't touring; we were just making music. We would go in, write songs, come out, sleep on it, wake up, and go at it again the next day. It was a special time. Most of the songs on our other albums were written while we were out on the road touring, which can be hectic. So, this is the first time that we've made an album--essentially from home.
The theme of What Are We Waiting For? is globally, spiritually, and family-oriented. We have songs based on those three themes. And they came from having lived through the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, the entire world went through a lot of turmoil (it was a global experience). Spiritually, songs like "For God Is With Us" and "Benediction" talk about the longings of our hearts. And as far as familial songs go, we wrote songs like "Cheering You On," "Unsung Hero," and "Hold On, Pain Ends," which are all about family.
You mentioned "Unsung Hero," which is a tribute to your parents. Talk about that.
One day, I came to Joel with an idea. "Hey, what if we write a song about Dad" (since he manages and co-owns the band with us). Joel responds, "No, I think we should write a song about Mom." So, ironically enough, we compromised and wrote "Unsung Hero" about our parents.
It's easy to discredit the number of conversations you have as a child with your parents and how they direct your everyday life. But some of the conversations you have when you're seven or eight years old could be the reason why you're in the occupation that you have now or why you're making some of the decisions you're making now.
You may not feel like those conversations are making an impact when you're a teenager or in your early 20s. But later, you realize that these people--that is, your unsung heroes--are usually the ones who are helping you through life. Whether it's your grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters--or, in this case, parents--they're the people who become your hero.
Talk about your song, "Harmony," which features vocalist Ryan O'Neal of Sleeping At Last. What was it like collaborating with him?
We've never met Ryan in person before, we've always looked on from afar. But we've texted and become more acquainted with him online. He probably has one of the most emotional voices of anybody I've ever heard sing. So when we thought about doing a tag-on for "Unsung Hero," we wanted to convey that emotion, and I knew Ryan could do it. He did a fantastic job, and we enjoy trying to mimic him when we sing "Harmony" live because he did such a good job.
What's the story behind your latest smash single, "Relate"?
"Relate" was written in the middle of the pandemic. One thing that struck me at the time was how people would argue with friends on social media. People would say things like, "That person unfriended me, and I've known them for 15 years." It's sad that we've come to that point. I thought, "What if we could have more empathy and compassion for one another?" That's what "Relate" is all about. It came from the question, "Can I show compassion and empathy to others even if I don't agree with them?"
I liken it to a child who has a special toy that they sleep with every night. And if they lose that favorite toy, they're devastated. As adults, we quickly say, "I'll just get you another one. It's not that big of a deal." But you can tell that toy meant everything to them, and you can see the pain and hurt in their eyes. When I look into that child's eyes and see the pain, I realize I may not fully understand why they're so upset about the situation, but I know that look of pain and hurt. And so for that, I can give them compassion.
In Spring 2022, you, as well as gospel singer Dante Bowe, will be touring the U.S. promoting What Are We Waiting For? You always put on an incredible show, and I'm sure it will be no different this time. What can fans expect from this tour?
Since it's a new tour, we're going to have a new stage design, and we'll be playing our new songs. We don't make albums quickly, so having new songs out is a gift. We've probably put more time and preparation into this tour than any other tour we've done previously. We're excited about it, and we have high hopes. But I don't want to give away too many secrets, so come on out, check it out, and let us know what you think.
What's next? What does the rest of 2022 look like for you and Joel?
Aside from our spring tour, we'll be playing some festivals during the summer, and then take some time in the fall to maybe work on our upcoming film, Unsung Hero. It tells our parents' story of them coming from Australia to America. After that, we'll do a Christmas tour and then take a little break. But that's what's on the horizon as we speak.
As you enter this busy season, how can we be praying for you?
Always be praying for sustainability and our families. Life can get hectic, and it's easy to get distracted by many different things. We want to be people who keep our eyes on the prize and understand who we are under God. Please be praying that we will keep that perspective.
Grace Chaves has been a fan of all things Christian music since 2016. She is NRT's news editor, and one of NRT's youngest writers. Homeschooled, Grace is an author, loves Jesus, concerts, and road trips.
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