Sunday Service Choir
Logo used for Sunday Service's 2019 Easter Coachella performance
Logo used for Sunday Service's 2019 Easter Coachella performance
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active2019 (2019)–present
Members
Websitesundayservice.com

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 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, 2019.

History

In September 2018, West announced that his ninth studio album Yandhi would be released later in the month. West 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 choir group The Samples[1] and frequent collaborators such as Tony Williams, Francis and the Lights, and Ant Clemons.[2] During Sunday Service, 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 him.[4]

On March 31, 2019, West announced a Sunday Service performance for Easter would take place at Coachella.[5] The first public Sunday Service performance occurred at Coachella for Easter on April 21, 2019.[6]

On October 5, 2019, West brought Sunday Service to The Gateway in Salt Lake City, UT.[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 that weekend as well.

West collaborated with pastor Joel Osteen, who hosted West at Lakewood Church located in Houston, Texas on November 17, 2019. Although the tickets were free for this event as well, those who obtained tickets began to sell them online for up to $500 USD.[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, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee from January 18–20, 2020.[9] West's performance was added after comedian John Crist was suspected of sexual misconduct, and Crist's performance was cancelled.[10]

On December 25, 2019, Sunday Service released Jesus is Born as West promised. A year later, on December 25, 2020, 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.

Members

List of members adapted from GQ Italia and The Fader.[11][12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[13] 		US Gospel
[14]
Jesus Is Born 73 2

Extended plays

Title Album details
Emmanuel
My Lord Is Here

Charted songs

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[17] 		US
Gospel
[18] 		AUS
[19] 		CAN
[20] 		FRA
[21] 		UK
R&B
[22]
"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

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NG
[23] 		US
[17] 		US
Afrobeats
[24] 		US
Gospel
[18] 		AUS
[19] 		CAN
[20] 		FRA
[21] 		UK
R&B
[22] 		UK
Afrobeats
[25]
"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 TBA
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
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"[26] 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"[27] 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

Opera performances

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Kanye West Bringing "Sunday Service" To Coachella 2019". March 31, 2019. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "Fans resell Kanye West' Sunday Service tickets for up to $500". ABC13 Houston. November 16, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Wilkie, Ella. "Kanye West bringing Sunday Service Experience to Pigeon Forge". FOX Carolina. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Jones, Maggie. "How Kanye West became a headliner at Pigeon Forge's Strength to Stand youth conference". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  11. ^ TeamKanyeDaily [@TeamKanyeDaily] (May 9, 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.
  12. ^ "What exactly is Kanye West's Sunday Service?". The FADER. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  14. ^ "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Top Gospel Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  15. ^ Rolli, Bryan. "Kanye West Apparently Plans To Release A New Album, 'Jesus Is Born,' On Christmas". Forbes. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  16. ^ Bloom, Madison (December 25, 2020). "Kanye's Sunday Service Choir Release New EP Emmanuel: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Discography Sunday Service Choir". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Sunday Service Choir Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Discographie Sunday Service Choir" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40: 1 November 2019 – 7 November 2019". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  23. ^ "Turntable Charts". Turntable Charts. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  24. ^ Cusson, Michael (March 29, 2022). "Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  25. ^ "Official Afrobeats Chart Top 20 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  26. ^ "NO LUCK FT SS". Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via soundcloud.com.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ "Kanye West: Nebuchadnezzar - An Opera". Hollywood Bowl. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  29. ^ @kanyewest (December 6, 2019). "Twitter post" (Tweet) – via Twitter. [dead link]
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