Biography
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Born
25 April 1977 (age 47)
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Born In
Downers Grove, DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Matthew Joseph West, born on April 25, 1977, in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a popular Christian singer-songwriter. He was raised in a suburb of Chicago, IL, where he discovered music at an early age. As the son of a minister, he grew up in the front pew, listening to his mom harmonize and following her lead. By the time he reached high school, Matthew remained involved in music and received a scholarship to study music at Millikin University in Illinois.
During his first year of college, Matthew began playing guitar and writing songs. By his senior year, he was performing at various venues, from fraternity houses to churches and youth groups.
Only a week after graduating and making the move to Nashville, he signed an exclusive songwriting deal. His songs have been recorded by various artists, including Rachel Lampa’s most recent single, “Savior Song,” which marked Matthew’s first top-5 song as a writer. Other highlights include having songs placed on the platinum-selling WoW 2002 project and his song “Heart of Every Man” recorded for the World Youth Day 2000 official soundtrack.
Matthew continued pursuing his dream of singing his own songs. He had the opportunity to travel to universities across the country, quickly building up a steady following. With the help of Word Music and Extreme Writers Group, Matthew recorded an independent CD called Sellout, which caught the attention of Universal South Records
After signing with major-label Universal South, Matthew West released several albums. Happy (2003) included the hit single "More," followed by History (2005), featuring singles like "Only Grace" and "History." His album Something to Say (2008) contained the chart-topping hits "You Are Everything" and "The Motions" (which went on to be certified Platinum by RIAA).
In September 2012, Into the Light was released. Three years later, Live Forever (2015) became another landmark album, reaching number one on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart and number 51 on the Top 200. All In (2017), West’s seventh studio album, featured the single "Broken Things," earning him the Songwriter of the Year award at the 2018 Dove Awards.
In 2020, West delivered his eighth outing, Brand New, launching his own imprint, Story House Music. In February 2023, he released the expansive double album My Story Your Glory, featuring collaborations with artists like David Leonard and Jenn Johnson. The hit single "Me on Your Mind" stood out. Early the next year, his 2024 single "Don’t Stop Praying" climbed to number 22 on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs chart.
Matthew West has become a highly acclaimed Christian artist, receiving numerous awards and nominations. His achievements include being a five-time GRAMMY® nominee, NSAI’s 2022 Songwriter-Artist of the Year, ASCAP’s 2023 Golden Note Award recipient, and a multiple ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year winner. Additionally, he has been honored with an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and GMA Dove Awards. West also received a Primetime Emmy® Award nomination for Original Music & Lyrics for the title track of the feature film The Heart of Christmas.
Beyond music, Matthew West has authored six books, including Give This Christmas Away, The Story Of Your Life, Forgiveness, Today Is Day One, and his latest works, Hello, My Name Is and The God Who Stays. Two more books are slated for release in 2024.
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