Transform (Rebecca St. James album)
Encyclopedia
Transform is the sixth studio album
by Christian pop and rock
singer Rebecca St. James
. It was released on October 24, 2000 and debuted at #166 on the Billboard 200
. The album spawned two of St. James' biggest hits, "Wait for Me" and "Reborn
".
The song "Wait for Me", a track about sexual purity, was solely written by St. James. It has become one of her staple songs, being featured on every compilation album released by the singer to date. Rebecca talked about the song, saying "The idea for this song came from letters that I have written to my future husband, that I will one day give to him. I sing it not just to him but on behalf of young women today, encouraging the future husbands of our generation to stay sexually pure, to wait for us." "Stand" was written in the Pontiac
Silverdome
, and "Lean On" was penned with the band Earthsuit
. Rebecca described "My Hope" as "a worship song that points to Jesus as the Hope for us all."
The album was chiefly produced by Matt Bronleewe, who produced eight out of the thirteen tracks, including "Reborn", "Don't Worry", and "For the Love of God". Frequent Rebecca St. James collaborator Tedd T. produced the songs "Wait for Me" and "Universe". Other producers who worked on the album were Dann Huff and Pete Kipley. The album's strings were performed by The London Sessions Orchestra and The Love Sponge String Quartet. Rebecca described the process by saying, "Recording the strings with the London Sessions Orchestra... was a moving experience that I will never forget." A song called "Vision" that was featured on a pre-release of the album was taken off for unknown reasons. It is a very rare song and extremely hard to find.
said "This is easily Rebecca's biggest, most dramatic, and most mature production to date." Billboard
also enjoyed the album saying "Transform has textured production, Top 40 resonance and inspiring lyrics".
in October 2000. It also made appearances on the Christian Albums and Heatseekers charts at #14 and #7 respectively.
.
(North America)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Christian pop and rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
singer Rebecca St. James
Rebecca St. James
Rebecca St. James , is a Christian pop rock singer, songwriter, musician, author, and actor. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. In 1993 she was signed to the record label ForeFront Records and released her major label debut a...
. It was released on October 24, 2000 and debuted at #166 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The album spawned two of St. James' biggest hits, "Wait for Me" and "Reborn
Reborn (song)
"Reborn" is a single by Christian artist Rebecca St. James. It features an electronica dance beat and Christian lyrics, which describe how a person is "reborn" when the put their faith in Jesus.-Music video:...
".
Writing and development
Like her previous albums, Rebecca co-wrote the majority of the album, with the exception of "One" and "In Me". "For the Love of God" was written after Rebecca attended a missions trip to Romania, while the song "Reborn" was written about a friend coming to know Christ. Rebecca stated that "To see the joy and excitement in her new 'reborn' life is beautiful." Rebecca commented on the meaning of "Don't Worry" by saying "I am really quite a dramatic person and this song is a drama, a story, that challenges me to truly give things to God and not 'take them back' by worrying." "Merciful" was inspired by a book titled The Mitford Years, while "Universe" was penned after she took a walk by a creek next to her house, in which she was inspired of God's love.The song "Wait for Me", a track about sexual purity, was solely written by St. James. It has become one of her staple songs, being featured on every compilation album released by the singer to date. Rebecca talked about the song, saying "The idea for this song came from letters that I have written to my future husband, that I will one day give to him. I sing it not just to him but on behalf of young women today, encouraging the future husbands of our generation to stay sexually pure, to wait for us." "Stand" was written in the Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
Silverdome
Silverdome
The Silverdome is an indoor sporting and entertainment venue located in Launceston, Tasmania built in 1984. The Silverdome was built at an estimated cost of A$4 million, as the Tasmanian Government "proposed a world class facility" to replace the run down velodrome in the Launceston suburb of St...
, and "Lean On" was penned with the band Earthsuit
Earthsuit
Earthsuit was a short-lived New Orleans-based Christian rock band formed in 1995. The band consisted of guitarist Dave Rumsey, keyboardist/vocalist Paul Meany, bassist Roy Mitchell, drummer David "Hutch" Hutchison, and vocalist Adam LaClave...
. Rebecca described "My Hope" as "a worship song that points to Jesus as the Hope for us all."
The album was chiefly produced by Matt Bronleewe, who produced eight out of the thirteen tracks, including "Reborn", "Don't Worry", and "For the Love of God". Frequent Rebecca St. James collaborator Tedd T. produced the songs "Wait for Me" and "Universe". Other producers who worked on the album were Dann Huff and Pete Kipley. The album's strings were performed by The London Sessions Orchestra and The Love Sponge String Quartet. Rebecca described the process by saying, "Recording the strings with the London Sessions Orchestra... was a moving experience that I will never forget." A song called "Vision" that was featured on a pre-release of the album was taken off for unknown reasons. It is a very rare song and extremely hard to find.
Music structure and lyrics
Transform has a more electronic drive to the album. Songs such as "For the Love of God" and "Merciful" are rock-driven songs backed by string arrangements, while "Reborn" is a dance-groove track. "One", "Wait for Me", and "All Around Me" all offer different outlooks on the album as well, with funk, pop, and rock repspectively. Lyrical content includes topics on salvation, worrying, unity, hope, and sexual purity.Critical reception
Transform received generally positive reviews from critics. JesusFreakHideout gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying the album "marks yet another step and progression for Rebecca", while Christianity TodayChristianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
said "This is easily Rebecca's biggest, most dramatic, and most mature production to date." Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
also enjoyed the album saying "Transform has textured production, Top 40 resonance and inspiring lyrics".
Chart performance
Transform debuted and peaked at #166 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in October 2000. It also made appearances on the Christian Albums and Heatseekers charts at #14 and #7 respectively.
Singles and popular songs
- Although never released as a physical single, "RebornReborn (song)"Reborn" is a single by Christian artist Rebecca St. James. It features an electronica dance beat and Christian lyrics, which describe how a person is "reborn" when the put their faith in Jesus.-Music video:...
" was released to Christian radio in 2000. It was successful enough that it made an appearance on WOW 2001, Christian music's biggest year-end compilation album. - "Wait for Me" was released to Christian radio in 2001. It made an appearance on WOW Hits 2002WOW Hits 2002WOW Hits 2002 is a compilation album of 30 contemporary Christian music hits plus three bonus cuts from the year 2001. It peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2001 and 2002, and also climbed to number two on the Top Contemporary Christian chart in both years...
. The song was released as a double A-side physical single with "Song of Love" (from Worship GodWorship GodWorship God is the seventh studio album by Rebecca St. James, released on February 26, 2002. It is her highest charting album to date, peaking at #94 on the Billboard 200. The album produced the hit singles "Song of Love" and "Breathe"....
) on April 8, 2003. - "Don't Worry" was released as a Christian radio single in the UK and Australia. It charted on the Australia 2001 year-end charts at #17, the Australasian 2001 year-end chart at #5, and on the UK 2001 year-end charts at #36.
- "In Me" was released to Christian radio in Australia as well. It peaked at #27 on the year-end 2001 charts, and #9 on the year-end 2001 Australasian singles chart.
- "For the Love of God", and "All Around Me" were all released as singles to Christian radio in the UK and made the 2001 year-end list at #31, and #59 respectively.
- "Stand" was featured on Rebecca's first greatest hits compilation, Wait for Me: The Best from Rebecca St. JamesWait For Me: The Best From Rebecca St. JamesWait for Me: The Best from Rebecca St. James is the first compilation album by Christian pop and rock artist Rebecca St. James.-Track listing:#"I Thank You" ' – 3:45...
.
Promotion
Rebecca embarked on a Transform Tour in 2001. "Reborn", "Don't Worry", "One", "Wait for Me", "Universe", "For the Love of God", and "Intro" were all featured in the set list. Songs such as "Wait for Me" and "Reborn" have also been performed in the Worship God Tour, the Adoration Tour, and the If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something Tour. Live versions of both songs can be found on Rebecca's 2007 live album, aLIVE in FloridaALIVE in Florida
aLIVE in Florida is the second live album by Rebecca St. James. It was released on March 20, 2007 as a CD/DVD combination, and features live versions of fan favorites.- Track listing :# Intro# God Help Me# Lamb of God# Wait For Me...
.
Track listing
- "Intro" (Instrumental) – 0:52
- "For The Love of God" – 4:37
- "RebornReborn (song)"Reborn" is a single by Christian artist Rebecca St. James. It features an electronica dance beat and Christian lyrics, which describe how a person is "reborn" when the put their faith in Jesus.-Music video:...
" – 3:59 - "Don't Worry" – 3:37
- "Merciful" – 5:00
- "One" – 4:37
- "Universe" – 5:00
- "Wait For Me" – 4:40
- "In Me" – 4:14
- "Lean On" – 3:38
- "All Around Me" – 3:41
- "Stand" – 4:36
- "My Hope" – 4:29
- "One" and "In Me" produced by Dann Huff
- "Universe" and "Wait For Me" produced by Tedd T.
- "My Hope" produced by Peter Kipley
- All other tracks produced by Matt BronleeweMatt Bronleewe-Biography:Matt Bronleewe was born in Dallas, Texas, but as a young boy moved to central Kansas, Lorraine, with his family so his father could take on the family farm...
Charts
Album - BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Heatseekers | 7 |
| 1998 | The Billboard 200 | 166 |
| 1998 | Top Contemporary Christian | 14 |