Worship artist Kim Walker-Smith on why she took a break from music, how God inspired her to return
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With over 400 million streams and a combined social media following of almost 2 million, Kim Walker-Smith was on top of the highly instrumental praise and worship music movement in America and worldwide.
Through 20 years of worship leadership, Walker-Smith has become known for her spirit-led worship anthems that have touched the hearts of so many near and far.
But then, in 2020, as COVID-19 began to rage, Walker-Smith, her husband and two children made the bold decision to leave California for the more simple vibes of Montana. She put her music career on hold as she and her family adapted to this new paradigm.
"It felt like I was missing something," said Walker-Smith, perhaps best known for her time as a member of the band Jesus Culture. "I felt like I was doing something wrong. I'm forgetting something. We could feel ourselves, almost like we had been living in this tension. And now, this slow pace of life that is so valued here is just forced upon you. And suddenly you find yourself in the slow pace of life. And as a creative person, it is so refreshing."
Now, more than three years later, Walker-Smith has released an original new album. Titled Trample, the project includes 12 tracks, including the already-released songs "Boxes," "Let Revival In" and "Mama."
While many of Walker-Smith's previous offerings came from a place of dryness and difficulty in her life, Trample is a compilation of songs written from a place of victory. Victory is not expressed purely and only with joy but also expressed with humility and understanding of what is needed to continue moving forward.
"This album is really just prayers that I have prayed and put words, lyrics, and melodies too," says Walker-Smith, who will be touring this fall in support of the album. "My prayer is that it helps people and encourages people. But I think with this album, the thing that feels different to me is that I hope it speaks prophetically. That it's something that moves us out of complacency. I hope that it's even a little bit challenging."
Walker-Smith joins the "Crossmap Podcast" to discuss why she took a break from music several years ago and how God inspired her to return. Listen as she shares why it is vitally important to introduce worship to children at a young age and the foundational roots of what became Trample.
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