Kim Walker-Smith (born December 19, 1981, as Kimberlee Dawn Walker) is an American singer, songwriter, worship leader, and recording artist. She produced her first solo album, Here Is My Song, which was released in February 2008 through the Jesus Culture record label.[1][2] Walker-Smith was best known as the worship leader for the Jesus Culture Band and Jesus Culture events, and as a worship pastor for Bethel Church in Redding.[3]
Kim Walker-Smith | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Walker-Smith in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kimberlee Dawn Walker |
| Born | December 19, 1981 Albany, Oregon, U.S. |
| Origin | Redding, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Contemporary worship music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter and worship leader |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | Jesus Culture |
Her rendition of the John Mark McMillan song "How He Loves" has been viewed over 26 million times on YouTube.[4] Her rendition of Brian Johnson's and Jon Mohr's song "Where You Go I Go"[5] has over 11 million views on YouTube.[6]
Early life
editKim Walker was born in Albany, Oregon, and "raised in a small farm town called Klamath Falls, Oregon."[7] Her parents divorced when she was four years old. Her family moved frequently, causing her to be shy and withdrawn as a result of always being "the new kid". Walker stated that her family "for generations has been very musical and my mom put me on a stage when I was three. I grew up singing and was very involved in musical theater."[7] Walker gave her life to God when she was eighteen years old. During a challenging season in her life while attending Bethel, she received a vision about the love God had for her, and was a changed person after that encounter.[8]
In her early adulthood, Walker moved to Redding, California, to attend a Christian college, but was struggling with her grades and wasn't happy attending university. One night while driving around she cried out to the Lord, and came across a 24-hour prayer house that had been recently set up by Bethel Church. Venturing inside, Walker was captivated and attended their church service the following Sunday. After a year she left university to attend the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). She graduated from the BSSM after completing their two-year program, and after two more years was hired by the church as a worship pastor.[7] Walker has stated that the "greatest desire of [her] heart is to see God's kingdom and power manifest for people to be set free, healed, and radically changed as they encounter God in worship."[9]
Musical career
editIn 2005, Walker's "powerful voice won her $25,000 cash in an American Idol type of competition called So You Want to Be a Star, which aired on Chico television station KRVU. [She] is considered by many to be a forerunner in a new kind of worship referred to as prophetic worship."[10] Walker has cited Misty Edwards of the International House of Prayer and Suzy Yaraei of Morning Star Ministries, both prominent worship leaders in the evangelical community, as her greatest musical influences.[10]
In 2009, Walker married worship leader Skyler William Smith, and has since released music under the name Kim Walker-Smith instead of her maiden name.[10][11][12] In addition to her career of solo albums, she is also a member of the band Jesus Culture, which began as a youth worship band at Bethel, but now hosts multiple worship conferences around the country and produces a live record each year, in addition to frequently leading worship at Bethel.[13] In 2010, Walker-Smith stated that she was "at Bethel once to twice a month right now. We travel about three to four times a month. About 40 percent of that is Jesus Culture."[7] She has also expressed a desire for her music to expand into the secular community, expressing a passion for social justice and "to see the arts and creativity restored and a new standard set".[9] "I've always looked at music as a vehicle to get me to people".[10]
On July 16, 2013, Walker-Smith and her husband Skyler released Home, their first album together.[14] In December 2016, Walker-Smith announced she was working on another Jesus Culture album.[15] In early March, Jesus Culture announced that Walker-Smith would be releasing her first solo album since 2013, titled On My Side, on April 21.[16] The album reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart as of May 13, 2017.[17]
Personal life
editWalker-Smith and Skyler Smith have three children together, two sons and a daughter.[18][19][20]
Political views
editIn 2020, Walker-Smith released "Worth the Fight," which served as the theme song for The Trump I Know, a film released during the 2020 presidential campaign.[21]
In 2022, Walker-Smith expressed support on her social media accounts for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade.[21]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [22] |
US Christ. [23] | ||
| Here Is My Song (as Kim Walker) |
|
— | — |
| Home (with Skyler Smith) |
|
47 | 2 |
| On My Side |
|
68 | 1 |
Live albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [22] |
US Christ. [23] | ||
| Still Believe |
|
39 | 2 |
| On My Side (Live) |
|
— | — |
| Wild Heart |
|
—[A] | 12 |
| Let Us Worship – Azusa (with Sean Feucht) |
|
— | 33 |
| Revival Nights |
|
— | — |
EPs
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Christ. |
US Latin Pop | ||
| No Temeré |
|
- | - | - |
Holiday albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [22] |
US Christ. [23] |
US Holiday [25] | ||
| When Christmas Comes |
|
95 | 7 | 8 |
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. [26] |
US Christ. Airplay [27] |
US Christ. Digital [28] |
US AC [29] | |||
| "Carols of the Bells" | 2014 | 25 | 31 | — | 13 | When Christmas Comes |
| "Throne Room" | 2017 | 17 | 22 | 3 | — | On My Side |
| "Love Came Down" | 2018 | 34 | 28 | — | — | non-album single |
| "Just Be" | 2019 | 42 | — | — | — | non-album single |
| "Insatiable" | — | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| "Worth the Fight" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| "Teu Espírito" (with Gabriela Rocha) |
— | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| "Seu Nome É Amor" (with Gabriela Rocha) |
— | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| "Boxes" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| "Let Revival In" | — | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| "Trample" | — | — | — | — | non-album single | |
As a featured artist
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. [26] |
US Christ. Airplay [27] | |||
| "In The River" (Jesus Culture featuring Kim Walker-Smith) |
2016 | 27 | — | Let It Echo |
| "Alive in You" (Jesus Culture featuring Kim Walker-Smith) |
2017 | 39 | 33 | |
| "Love Has a Name" (Jesus Culture featuring Kim Walker-Smith) |
38 | 40 | Love Has a Name | |
| "Freedom" (Jesus Culture featuring Kim Walker-Smith) |
2018 | 31 | 25 | Living With a Fire |
Other charted songs
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ [26] | |||
| "On My Side" | 2017 | 33 | On My Side |
| "Fresh Outpouring" | 45 | ||
| "Glimpse" | 47 |
Awards and nominations
editKim Walker-Smith, with her worship band, Jesus Culture, was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards for their album, Living With a Fire.[30]
Notes
edit- ^ Wild Heart did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at No. 84 on the Top Album Sales chart.[24]
References
edit- ^ "Here Is My Song > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
- ^ Kyra Goldman, Special to the Record Searchlight. "Kim Walker Releases Solo Album". Redding.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ "Elevation to partner with Jesus Culture Music in UK and Europe". Christian Today. February 13, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ "How He Loves Us – Kim Walker-Smith / Jesus Culture". Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Where You Go I Go".
- ^ "Where You Go I Go". YouTube. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Cummings, Tony (March 12, 2010). "Cross Rhythms Jesus Culture: Kim Walker Smith speaks about the powerful worship ministry from California". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ "Jesus Culture: 'Raising Up Revivalists' – Today's Christian Woman".
- ^ a b "Kim Walker-Smith". Jesus Culture. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Kim Walker-Smith Biography – Facts, Life Story, Music Career". LyricsHall.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. "Your Voice Work ID No. 888542188 ISWC No. T9165070440 IPI No. 719618811 (SMITH SKYLER WILLIAM)". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2015. Work ID No. 888542188 ISWC No. T9165070440 IPI No. 719618811 (SMITH SKYLER WILLIAM)
- ^ "Skyler Smith". Jesus Culture. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ "Jesus Culture Band Main Artist Page :: JESUS CULTURE MUSIC". Jesusculture.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ "Home with Kim Walker-Smith and Skyler Smith". The Christian Broadcasting Network, CBN.com.
- ^ Longs, Herb (December 8, 2016). "Jesus Culture's Kim Walker-Smith Is Expecting". Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ^ "Jesus Culture's Kim Walker-Smith Set to Release New Solo Album on My Side". Niagara Frontier Publications. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith Earns First Top Christian Albums Leader". Billboard. May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith". Jesus Culture. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ^ "Jesus Culture's Kim Walker-Smith Talks Tragic Loss Leading Up to New Album". CP Entertainment. January 17, 2016.
- ^ Thomasos Christine (June 12, 2017). "Kim Walker-Smith Debuts Pictures of Newborn Daughter". The Christian Post. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Payne, Leah (January 4, 2024). God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music. Oxford University Press. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-19-755526-2.
- ^ a b c "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Top Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ a b "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Christian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Walker-Smith". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. December 5, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.