For King + Country, brother duo Luke and Joel Smallbone are touring Down Under! After a five-year absence, they are keen to share songs and stories from their fourth studio album, What Are We Waiting For? and sneak peek footage from their feature film, Unsung Hero, which honours their parents, David and Helen Smallbone. They’ll also be performing the re-imagined Michael W. Smith classic hit song, Place in This World, from the Unsung Hero soundtrack, Checking In featuring Lee Brice, and many more of your favourite songs.
Luke and Joel Smallbone were born in Sydney, Australia and migrated to Nashville, USA, as children. Following in their sister Rebecca St. James’s footsteps, they also had huge success, winning four Grammy® Awards, an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, 10 GMA Dove Awards, and 17 K-LOVE Fan Awards.
Luke joined Robbo and Leah on Rise and Shine for an exclusive interview to discuss For King + Country’s upcoming Australian Homecoming tour and the feature film Unsung Hero, scheduled to be released in Australia on 30 May.
Unsung Hero Film
Unsung Hero tells the story of the Smallbone family’s journey after the collapse of their father, David Smallbone’s successful music company in Australia. In search of better opportunities, David relocated his pregnant wife, Helen and their six children to America. Those were very tough days when they struggled to put food on the table. It was Helen’s strong faith that inspired her husband and children to push through the challenges.
‘The importance of family has never been more so than it is today. Yet, the world values family less and less. And so we have to tell stories about why families should stick it out, why family matters,’ said Luke. ‘Our family is not a perfect family. It’s actually quite messy. But all families are functionally dysfunctional, and you fight for the functional part in the family. And that’s what this story represents. I hope people will go home and start saying things like, I want to be a better dad. I want to be a better mom because it matters that much to people’s lives.’
Luke’s brother Joel portrays his father, David Smallbone, in Unsung Hero and is credited with co-writing and directing the film with Richard Lee Ramsey. Joel has acted in multiple roles, including Journey to Bethlehem, Priceless, and The Book of Esther. Australian actress Daisy Betts plays Helen Smallbone, Kirrilee Berger plays Rebecca Smallbone, who rises to fame, as Rebecca St. James. Luke and Joel later formed For King + Country and experienced their own success.
For King + Country’s latest album, What Are We Waiting For? includes Unsung Hero, the song they wrote to honour their mother and father.
‘We get asked in interviews who are the people that influenced you the most in life?’ said Luke. ‘It’s almost always your parents because they’re teaching you things without you even realising you’re being taught. My parents taught me, to the best of their ability, the difference between right and wrong. You have no idea how much that changes the course of the trajectory of your entire life. Just something that simple. And, what it means to be a truth-teller. Those things absolutely matter so much. … I’m very grateful to Mom and Dad. They spurred me on and pushed me to do things that I didn’t think I was capable of doing. Even the fact that I’m sitting here as a musician and someone who writes songs. If you looked at my life 20 years ago, it would have been very unlikely that I’d be having this conversation. And some of it is because of their guidance.’
Vanilla Slice and Coffee!
Luke is very much looking forward to coming back to Australia after a five-year absence. The first thing he said he always looks for at the airport once he lands in Australia is a coffee shop that sells vanilla slices.
‘This is what I do every single time. I look for a vanilla slice. I know it’s not the most fancy or the most decadent, but to me, it’s just sweet,’ said Luke. ‘And I agree that Australia actually does have the best coffee, in my experience, in the entire world. It is so unbelievably good. So, I’ll have a good coffee with a vanilla slice. I look forward to it.’
The Homecoming Australian Tour will start in Perth, Western Australia on the 20th of May and conclude on the 2nd of June in Brisbane. To book tickets, click this link.
To listen to Luke’s interview with Robbo and Leah on Rise and Shine, click the link below:
To watch the Unsung Hero movie trailer, click the link below:
Related articles:
for KING & COUNTRY’s Family Journey – Vision Christian Media
The Parents Behind For King & Country and Rebecca St. James – Vision Christian Media
