For Grammy Award-winning Christian-pop singer Rebecca St. James, songwriting is a way to get in touch with her true feelings.
"I have never regretted writing my songs," St. James said by phone from her home in Nashville. "But I have written songs that come from deep within. All my songs are very personal but some are more deeper than others. When I was writing songs for my album 'Pray,' and for my latest album ('If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something'), I was writing from a very trying time in my life.
"I don't give it a second chance about how much about myself that I write. People can tell when it's real. There's something in the singing and the emotion. I think with the popularity of reality TV that people are hungry for real things."
Although St. James, an Australian native, writes her own songs, she said she rarely goes into the studio prepared to record a whole album. "That's never been my style," she said with a laugh. "I always write songs in the studio. I always change things around. But, to me, that's part of the creative process. And I enjoy it."
St. James grew up listening to Christian music. "I loved Petra, Whitecross and even Stryper. My father was a Christian concert promoter, and I think I attended my first Christian concert when I was 6 months.
"Since it was in my life at such an early age, I think it was inevitable that I wanted to be a Christian-music singer. There is a need for uplifting music with what's happening in the world today."
Music is being used to spread the Christian word today — even in the heavy-metal scene, with such bands as Underoath, As I Lay Dying, Still Remains, P.O.D. and Norma Jean. "God can use any method or any means to reach people. And music, all styles, is a powerful medium. It's a culture, and if the message is sincere it will touch people."
St. James is also venturing out in different ways to reach people with the Christian message. She's written books. She's acted. She's done character voice work for animation. And she is a spokeswoman for True Love Waits, an international Christian group that supports sexual abstinence until marriage. "Sometimes a book or a public address delve deeper than a three-minute song. I also get inspired for my music when I'm writing a book and vice versa. It keeps me fresh. And I've learned by trial and error, and I'm still trying to learn, to say no to the good things and yes to the great things.
"There is always a chance for burnout. And that's really the only major challenge in my job."
If you go
What: Rebecca St. James, Delirious, Vicky Beeching
Where: Cottonwood High School Auditorium, 5715 S. 1300 East
When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
How much: $18.50 to $32.50
Phone: 800-325-7328 or 801-814-4645
E-mail: scott@desnews.com