For King and Country’s Joel Smallbone reflects on ‘most epic year,’ taking hiatus in 2025
Shares family's Christmas miracle
For King and Country’s Joel Smallbone is coming off of what he describes as “the most epic year” of his life thus far, from the release of “Unsung Hero,” an award-winning film about his family’s life, to a chart-topping album and sold-out shows worldwide.
And the perfect conclusion to this year, the 40-year-old, who makes up the band with his brother, Luke, told The Christian Post, is their latest album, A Drummer Boy Christmas (LIVE) and Fathom Theatrical Concert Event of the same name, hitting theaters nationwide Dec. 5-9.
“Something we’ve had such a blast crafting over the last six or eight years is our Christmas tour,” Smallbone told CP. “We thought, ‘What if we take the cinematic film crew from ‘Unsung Hero,’ and we put them in a Toyota in Houston, Texas, with 12,000 folks, and we capture this up close and personal, sonic cinematic experience that we could ultimately put in theaters in 2024. Thanks to Fathom and the kindness of God and a great team, from capturing it to editing it to marketing it, here we are.”
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Smallbone, with his parents and six siblings, moved from Australia to Nashville, Tennessee, as a child. He said Christmas holds a charm shaped by the contrasts between his Australian roots and his American experiences.
"Christmas in Australia is so different from what people here in the Northern Hemisphere imagine," Smallbone said. "It's summer, so the idea of Frosty the Snowman or chestnuts roasting on an open fire is totally baffling. We'd sing those songs, but we'd be sweltering under the sun, wondering what they were even talking about."
The singer shared how the family's first American Christmas was both a challenge and a revelation.
"My mom sat us down and told us there wouldn't be any gifts that year. Santa didn't know where we lived, or maybe we just couldn't afford it," Smallbone recounted. "I was so confused — Santa Claus isn't supposed to be limited by financial situations."
However, a local first-grade class learned about the family's struggles and decided to sponsor their Christmas. "It was such an oxymoron," Smallbone said. "We didn't have a car; we were sleeping on beds made out of clothes, but we had more presents that year than ever before."
Adding to the magic, it was Smallbone's first time experiencing a snowy Christmas. "My little boy brain fell out of its head, because I was like, 'This [is] what all those songs are about, this makes so much more sense," he said. "The fact that Santa Claus pulled through the way he did, it was pretty amazing."
With nearly 100,000 tickets sold weeks before its release, Smallbone called the new Christmas project a "pinch-yourself moment," adding: "We're pretty excited about it. It feels like a perfect gift to give folks at the end of what's been maybe the most epic year of my life so far."
The band's Christmas album features a set list including holiday classics like "Little Drummer Boy" and "In the Bleak Midwinter" and hymns including "Silent Night," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and "Angel We Have Heard on High."
Smallbone, whose wife, Moriah, is also a singer-songwriter, is no stranger to balancing a rigorous music, film and live performance schedule.
Last year, Smallbone starred in "Journey to Bethlehem" and co-wrote, directed and starred in "Unsung Hero," on top of releasing music and touring. The band will host residencies this Christmas season at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the Beacon Theatre in New York and the OVO Arena in London.
"We'll be able to celebrate Christmas as a band and as a family and as people more than we ever have this year," he said, adding that amid the busyness of the season, it's his focus and faith keeping him grounded.
"At first glance, it looks like there's so much happening — albums, tours, movies — but when you boil it down, it's all within a focused ecosystem," he explained. "It's music and movies, all tied to the same mission. Where I start to feel torn is when responsibilities conflict. So I've learned to prioritize — loving God, loving my wife and family, and pursuing these creative projects."
Looking ahead to 2025, For King & Country will take a year-long break from touring to focus on new music and film projects. According to Smallbone, taking a hiatus is a difficult but necessary step to recharge creatively.
"We love touring, and we really struggled through the concept of taking time off, particularly a year," he said. But the economy of touring is that you're … creating a moment with each other, but it's very hard to actually create a new song or a new movie when you're in these environments and you're putting out so much. You get home and you're creatively exhausted."
"After a lot of deliberation, thought and prayer, we determined to … take a year off of touring to work on some new music and work on a new movie. … It's going to be very creatively inspiring. My hope is that in 2026, you'll have For King & Country 2.0."
Despite the enormity of the projects this season, Smallbone said his focus is singular. "I can't even think about 2025 right now because I'm so focused on Christmas," he said.
"I don't just want Christmas this year," he said. "I feel like I need Christmas. And I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that. We need to be reminded of what it means to be human — this idea of extravagant, self-sacrificial love, exuberant joy, the redemption of mankind, and the great story of an infant God who came into humanity and turned the world upside down."
For King & Country's A Drummer Boy Christmas – Live Album releases Nov. 22. The cinematic concert event runs in theaters Dec. 5-9.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
