Joel Smallbone

Joel Smallbone
Smallbone in 2016
Background information
Born	Joel David Smallbone (1984-06-05) 5 June 1984 (age 41) Sydney, Australia
Genres	Christian pop Christian country music alternative rock soft rock
Occupations	Singer actor
Instruments	Vocals piano harmonium drums percussion sampler
Member of	For King & Country
Spouse	Moriah Peters (m. 2013)

Joel David Smallbone (born 5 June 1984) is an Australian singer and actor. He is a member of the Christian pop duo For King & Country along with his brother Luke Smallbone.

Aside from his music career, Smallbone played James Stevens in the 2016 film Priceless and Antipater in the 2023 film Journey to Bethlehem . He directed the 2024 American Christian drama film Unsung Hero , and played the role of his father David Smallbone. ^{[1] [ unreliable source? ]}

Early life

Smallbone was born in Sydney, but moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991. ^[2] He is the brother of Luke Smallbone and younger brother of Christian recording artist and speaker Rebecca St. James. Smallbone is also the brother-in-law of Jacob Fink, former bassist for the band Foster the People. ^[3]

Smallbone's father was a music promoter, and Joel recalls, "going to these rock concerts, sitting on my father's shoulders, plugging my ears...Honestly, in a lot of ways I feel like music chose me and as I grew older, I made a clear decision to fully lean into it." ^[4]

Career

Smallbone with For King & Country performing at Kingdom Bound 2015

Smallbone provided backing vocals for his sister Rebecca in addition to light operation and stage management. ^[5] He collaborated with his brother Luke and in 2008 they released their first EP, A Tale of Two Towns, initially performing under the name Austoville. ^[2] The group was signed to Warner Bros. Records and later changed their name to For King & Country. ^[2]

Smallbone began his acting career in 2013 by playing King Xerxes in The Book of Esther and as Jake Reeson in Like a Country Song . ^[6] In 2016, Smallbone was cast in the leading role of James Stevens in the film Priceless . ^[7] In December 2025, he was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. ^[8]

Smallbone won two Grammy awards in 2014 and was nominated for another Grammy in 2016. ^{[9] [10]}

Smallbone performing at Rock the Universe in Orlando, Florida in 2022

Personal life

Joel married Christian music artist and actress, Moriah Peters (known professionally as MORIAH) in 2013.

Discography

Main article: For King & Country (band) § Discography

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2013	The Book of Esther	King Xerxes
2014	Like a Country Song	Jake Reeson
2016	Priceless	James Stevens
2023	Journey to Bethlehem	Antipater
2024	Unsung Hero	David Smallbone	Also director
2026	Young Washington	William Fairfax	Filming

References

1. "Unsung Hero". IMDb . Retrieved 19 February 2025.
2. "For King & Country: From Rebecca St James sidemen to CCM success". Cross Ryhthms. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
3. McPhail, Carol (23 January 2015). "For King & Country, touring with Winter Jam, draws on life-or-death scare in 'Run Wild'". AL.com. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
4. "Biography | for KING & COUNTRY". Forkingandcountry.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
5. Schmitt, Brad (2 June 2016). "For King & Country's Luke Smallbone nearly died from illness". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
6. "For King & Country: Impacting the US with their anti-trafficking film Priceless". Cross Rhythms. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
7. Leydon, Joe. "Film Review: Priceless". Variety. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
8. DisneyWorld.Com Candlelight Narrators 2025accessed 12/27/2025
9. "Joel Smallbone". GRAMMY.com. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
10. "Joel Smallbone of Christian music group For King & Country on being in film 'Priceless'". The Washington Times. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

External links

• Media related to Joel Smallbone at Wikimedia Commons
• Joel Smallbone at IMDb