The Sunday Service Choir (commonly referred as Sunday Service) is an American gospel group led by artist and producer Kanye West and conducted by choir director Jason White. Beginning in January 2019, the group has performed every Sunday as well as on Friday, September 27, when West's album Jesus Is King was announced for release. Their debut album, Jesus Is Born, was released three months later on Christmas Day in 2019.
Sunday Service Choir | |
|---|---|
 Logo used for Sunday Service's 2019 Easter Coachella performance | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Members | |
| Website | sundayservice |
History
editIn September 2018, West announced that his ninth studio album Yandhi would be released later in the month. He later postponed the date to November 2018 in order to record in Uganda. The album was postponed a second time in November with no set release date. On the first Sunday of 2019, West began the first "Sunday Service" rehearsal, where he performed gospel iterations of his discography and other songs with a choir group, The Samples[1] and frequent collaborators like Tony Williams, Francis and the Lights, and Ant Clemons.[2] During Sunday Service rehearsals, several songs from Yandhi have been performed.[3]
On January 12, 2019, it was reported that West was replaced by Ariana Grande as a headliner for Coachella. West pulled out because a giant dome could not be constructed for the performance.[4] On March 31, 2019, West announced that Sunday Service would perform an Easter set at Coachella.[5] The first public Sunday Service performance was at Coachella for Easter on April 21, 2019.[6] On October 5, 2019, he brought Sunday Service to The Gateway in Salt Lake City, Utah.[7] His performance occurred on an already busier than usual weekend with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holding their semi-annual General Conference the same weekend.
West collaborated with pastor Joel Osteen, who hosted West at Lakewood Church located in Houston on November 17, 2019. Although the tickets were free for the event, those who had tickets began to sell them online for up to $500.[8] On November 21, 2019, Sunday Service announced that they would be a part of the youth Strength to Stand Conference, which would be held at LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee from January 18–20, 2020.[9] West's performance was added after comedian John Crist's performance was canceled after Crist was suspected of sexual misconduct.[10] On December 25, 2019, Sunday Service released Jesus is Born as West had said. Exactly a year later Sunday Service released the Emmanuel EP, featuring 5 new tracks composed and produced entirely by West in Latin, based on texts from the Roman Breviary and the Roman Gradual.
The group returned in 2024 on the Will Smith comeback single "You Can Make It", featuring the singer Fridayy. It was Smith's first new song in nearly two decades.[11]
Members
editList of members adapted from GQ Italia and The Fader.[12][13]
- Kanye West
- Jason White – choir director
- Jonathan Coleman - choir manager
- Adam Michael Wilson - choir
- Adriana N. Washington - choir
- Akua Willis - choir
- Alana Linsey - choir
- Alayna Rodgers - choir
- Alexander Jacke - choir
- Alexandria A. Arowora - choir
- Alexandria Simone Griffin - choir
- Alex Isley - choir
- Alexis James - choir
- Alexis Jones - choir
- Alisha Roney - choir
- Amanda Adams - choir
- Amber M. Grant - choir
- Ameera Perkins - choir
- Andre M. Washington - choir
- Angela C. Williams - choir
- Angelle King - choir
- Ashley Tamar Davis - choir
- Ashley Echols - choir
- Ashley Nichol - choir
- Ashley Washington - choir
- Ashly Williams - choir
- Bobby Musique Cooks - choir
- Bradley Morice Jones - choir
- Brandi JaNise Majors - choir
- Brandon Rodgers - choir
- Breenen Johnson - choir
- Brittany Jerita Wallace - choir
- Brooke Brewer - choir
- Caleb Minter - choir
- Carisa Dalton Moore - choir
- Carmel A. Echols - choir
- Cassandra Renee Grigsby Chism - choir
- Cedric Jackson II - choir
- Cedrit B. Leonard Jr. - choir
- Chadric R Johnson - choir
- Chara Hammonds - choir
- Chaz Mason - choir
- Chelsea B Miller - choir
- Chelsea "Peaches" West - choir
- Chimera Wilson - choir
- Claudia A. Cunningham - choir
- Corinthian Buffington - choir
- Crystal Butler McQueen - choir
- Curnita Turner - choir
- Daniel Dávila - choir
- Daniel Ozan - choir
- Danielle E Deimler - choir
- Danielle John-Palmer - choir
- Darius Coleman - choir
- DeAndrea Foster - choir
- Deanna Dixon - choir
- Dejah Gomez-Woods - choir
- Deonis Cook - choir
- Derek Butler - choir
- Derrick Evans - choir
- Desiree Washington - choir
- Destine Nelson - choir
- Devon Baker - choir
- Don Sykes - choir
- Donald "Dep" Paige - choir
- Dwanna Orange - choir
- Ebony Johnson - choir
- Emi Seacrest - choir
- Eric L. Copeland II - choir
- Erik Brooks - choir
- Estherlancia Mercado - choir
- Fallynn Rian Oliver - choir
- Fannie Belle Johnson - choir
- Felice LaZae Martin - choir
- Gabrielle Carreiro - choir
- Gemaine Edwards- choir
- George Hamilton - choir
- Herman Bryant III - choir
- India Moret - choir
- Isaiah Johnson - choir
- Isaiah Steven Jones - choir
- Jacquelyn M. Jones - choir
- Jaden Blakley Gray - choir
- Jamal Moore - choir
- Jasmine L Morrow - choir
- Jasmin Khadia Handon - choir
- JaVonte Pollard - choir
- Jazmine Yvette Bailey - choir
- Jenelle Rose Dunkley - choir
- Jerel Duren - choir
- Jerome Wayne - choir
- JeRonelle McGhee - choir
- Jherimi Leigh Henry - choir
- Joel Echols - choir
- Johnny Lee Paddio JR - choir
- Jordan Rogers - choir
- Joy A. Love - choir
- Justin Hart - choir
- Kadeem S. Nichols - choir
- Kamili Mitchell - choir
- Kaylyn K. Lowery - choir
- Kene Alexander - choir
- Kiandra Richardson - choir
- KieAndria Ellis - choir
- Kimberly A Jefferson - choir
- Kyrese Victoria Montgomery - choir
- LaKeisha Renee Lewis - Choir
- LaMarcus Eldridge - choir
- Landon J. Thomas, IV - choir
- Lanita Smith - choir
- Laurhan Beato - choir
- Maurice Smith - choir
- Mariah Meshae Maxwell - choir
- Marcus James Henderson - choir
- Mark Justin-Paul Hood - choir
- Marqueta Pippens - choir
- Maya Betrece Smith - choir
- Megan Parker - choir
- Melanie S. Tryggestad - choir
- Melissa Miracle McKinney - choir
- Michael Gadlin - choir
- Michael Shorts - choir
- Michelle Harvey - choir
- Naarai Jacobs - choir
- Nava Morris - choir
- Nelson Beato - choir
- Nicole Sheldon - choir
- Noa Owen- choir
- Olivia Walker - choir
- Orlando Dotson - choir
- Porcha Clay - choir
- Princess Foster - choir
- Reesha Archibald - choir
- Rondez O. Rolle - choir
- Samantha N. Nelson - choir
- Sha’leah Stubblefield - choir
- Shana Andrews - choir
- Shanice Lorraine Knox - choir
- Sharon Marie Norwood - choir
- Shatisha Lawson - choir
- Synai Davis - choir
- Tayler Green - choir
- Taelor Nevin Murphy - choir
- Taneka Lemle - choir
- Tickwanya Jones - choir
- Tiffanie Cross - choir
- Tiffany Stevenson - choir
- Timothy Jenkins - choir
- Vernon Burris Jr - choir
- William Harper - choir
- Zachary C. Moore - choir
- Ray Romulus – music supervisor
- Ant Clemons – vocalist
- Tony Williams – vocalist
- Philip Cornish – music director
- Nicholas Clark - bass guitarist
- Tony Nichols - percussionist
- Kyla Moscovich - trumpet
- Cameron Johnson - trumpet
- Lemar Guillary - trombone
- Nikki Grier – songwriter, vocal arranger
- Steve Epting Jr. – vocal arranger
- Anthony Jawan McEastland - vocal arranger
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [14] |
US Gospel [15] | ||
| Jesus Is Born |
|
73 | 2 |
Extended plays
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Emmanuel |
|
| My Lord Is Here |
|
| God Is the Lord |
|
Charted songs
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [18] |
US Gospel [19] |
AUS [20] |
CAN [21] |
FRA [22] |
UK R&B [23] | |||||||
| "Father Stretch" | 2020 | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | Jesus Is Born | ||||
| "Ultralight Beam" | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Rain" | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Count Your Blessings" | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Revelations 19:1" | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Excellent" | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Follow Me / Fade" | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Lift Up Your Voices" | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "More Than Anything" | — | 25 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||
As featured artist
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG [24] |
US [18] |
US Afrobeats [25] |
US Gospel [19] |
AUS [20] |
CAN [21] |
FRA [22] |
UK R&B [23] |
UK Afrobeats [26] | ||||
| "Every Hour" (Kanye West featuring Sunday Service Choir) |
2019 | — | 45 | — | 8 | 33 | 57 | 131 | 21 | — | Jesus Is King | |
| "Stand Strong" (Davido featuring Sunday Service Choir) |
2022 | 6 | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | Non-album single | |
| "You Can Make It" (Will Smith featuring Fridayy and Sunday Service Choir) |
2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | TBA | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||
Guest appearances
edit| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Notes | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Every Hour" | 2019 | Kanye West | Featured vocals | Jesus Is King |
| "Selah" | Additional vocals | |||
| "Everything We Need" | Kanye West, Ant Clemons, Ty Dolla Sign | |||
| "Water" | Kanye West, Ant Clemons | |||
| "No Luck"[27] | 2021 | KayCyy | Non-album single | |
| "Jail" | Kanye West, Jay-Z | Donda | ||
| "Hurricane" | Kanye West, The Weeknd, Lil Baby | |||
| "24" | Kanye West | |||
| "Donda" | ||||
| "Jesus Lord" | Kanye West, Jay Electronica | |||
| "New Again" | Kanye West | |||
| "Lord I Need You" | ||||
| "Finish Line"[28] | Elton John, Stevie Wonder | The Lockdown Sessions | ||
| "Up from the Ashes" | Kanye West | Donda (Deluxe) | ||
| "Fractions of Infinity" | 2022 | Quadeca | Featured vocals | I Didn't Mean to Haunt You |
| "My Soul" | 2024 | ¥$, Big TC | Additional vocals | Vultures 2 |
Opera performances
editReferences
edit- ^ Aliya Faust (April 2, 2019). "Kanye West's "Sunday Service" Choir Director Jason White & His Wife Geneen Give Insight On The Series". Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ Lake Schatz (January 7, 2019). "Kanye West leads Sunday Service featuring gospel versions of his songs: Watch". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ Kyle Eustice (January 19, 2019). "Kanye West Debuts New Music During 2nd "Sunday Service"". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
- ^ "Kanye West Pulled Out of Coachella Because the Festival Wouldn't Build Him a Giant Dome: Exclusive". Billboard. January 12, 2019. Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- ^ "Kanye West Bringing "Sunday Service" To Coachella 2019". March 31, 2019. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- ^ Lisa Repers France (April 19, 2019). "Kanye's Sunday Service is coming to Coachella, but what is it?". CNN. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ "Kanye West brings song, sermon, prayer — and a crowd of thousands — to Salt Lake City's Gateway for 'Sunday Service'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ "Fans resell Kanye West' Sunday Service tickets for up to $500". ABC13 Houston. November 16, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ Wilkie, Ella. "Kanye West bringing Sunday Service Experience to Pigeon Forge". FOX Carolina. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ Jones, Maggie. "How Kanye West became a headliner at Pigeon Forge's Strength to Stand youth conference". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ TeamKanyeDaily [@TeamKanyeDaily] (May 8, 2019). "GQ ITALIA | SUNDAY SERVICE Editor in Chief: Andres Audiffred Fashion Director: Nik Piras Art Director: Federigo Gabellieri Photography: Vanessa Beecroft https://t.co/kOt97YRXX5" (Tweet) (in Romanian). Archived from the original on December 25, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "What exactly is Kanye West's Sunday Service?". The FADER. January 6, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Top Gospel Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ Rolli, Bryan. "Kanye West Apparently Plans To Release A New Album, 'Jesus Is Born,' On Christmas". Forbes. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ Bloom, Madison (December 25, 2020). "Kanye's Sunday Service Choir Release New EP Emmanuel: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Discography Sunday Service Choir". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "Discographie Sunday Service Choir" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40: 1 November 2019 – 7 November 2019". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ "Turntable Charts". Turntable Charts. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ Cusson, Michael (March 29, 2022). "Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "Official Afrobeats Chart Top 20 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "NO LUCK FT SS". Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via soundcloud.com.
- ^ Stereogum [@stereogum] (September 30, 2021). "Hear Elton John (@eltonofficial) & @StevieWonder's first-ever straight-up duet "Finish Line," which also features Kanye West's Sunday Service Choir https://t.co/qebLz04KjL https://t.co/pS2Lw7DAol" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Kanye West: Nebuchadnezzar - An Opera". Hollywood Bowl. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ @kanyewest (December 6, 2019). "Twitter post" (Tweet) – via Twitter. [dead link]