Natalie Grant was raised in Lynnwood, Washington, just outside of Seattle. She was the youngest of five children, who all attended the Assembly of God Church. Grant enrolled at Northwest College in Kirkland, Washington, and was planning to become an elementary school teacher. At the age of 17, Natalie Grant decided to start arranging music for the youth choir at her church in Seattle, WA. It was her desire to provide music that was relevant to her generation. Then, a Christian music group called Truth performed at her church. Grant was immediately drawn to their music and message. She auditioned with the band while they were there and toured with the group for two years before heading to Nashville, TN, in pursuit of a solo career.

Grant does not have the traditional voice normally associated with Christian contemporary singers. She has a powerful voice that is able to perform both gospel and soul. In 1997 Grant signed a deal with Benson Records and cut her first album, Natalie Grant. The album featured a song called "I Am Not Alone," which was co-written by Utah state senator Orrin Hatch and Madeline Stowe. Shortly after the release of the album, Grant left the Benson label.

Then, in 2001, she released Stronger under the Pamplin Music label, which her new husband, Bernie Harms, helped produce. On this album, Grant had a greater responsibility for the material. She wrote "I Love to Praise" and also co-wrote four additional songs, and included her sister, Bethanee Engelsvold, who wrote the lyrics for "Only You" and "Such a Wonder." Grant was particularly proud of the final number on the album, titled "Finally Home," because it showcased her talent. Pamplin Music folded shortly after the release of Stronger. But Grant kept trying, and was picked up by Curb Records. On Curb Records, she released Deeper Life, on which she wrote or co-wrote six of the twelve songs. While Deeper Life was a contemporary Christian album, it gained a lot of attention from pop and R&B audiences.

In 2004 she released Worship with Natalie Grant and Friends on the Integrity Music label. March 2005 saw the release of her next album, Awaken, which was followed up that fall with the Christmas album Believe. Grant has been nominated twice, in 2002 and 2003, for the Dove Awards' Female Vocalist of the Year category. She also had a song used in the film View from the Top, starring Gwyneth Paltrow Christina Applegate and Mike Myers, called "No Sign of It."