Kanye West's Sunday Service playing Coachella - but what is it?

  • Published
Kanye West at a Versace eventImage source, Getty Images

Kanye West has spent the last year making headlines for everything except his music.

But fans of the artist have been treated to something special each Sunday over the past few months.

Tune into Kim Kardashian's Instagram Stories and there you'll find Kanye and a choir belting out renditions of some of his most famous songs - as well as bits of music that seem to be brand new.

Known as Kanye West's Sunday Service, it's been announced the act is heading to Coachella Festival in California to perform on Easter Sunday.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by Kim Kardashian West

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post by Kim Kardashian West

But what is it?

Religion has always been important to Kanye West's music.

And he's got a famously big ego.

So when he debuted Sunday Service at the beginning of 2019, and it looked like he was starting his own church, people weren't that surprised.

A lot of what goes on at Sunday Service remains pretty secretive - people are even reportedly made to sign non-disclosure agreements.

But from the snapshots we're shown it all seems to centre around the choir/live orchestra.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 2 by Kim Kardashian West

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 2 by Kim Kardashian West

Whether it's Jesus Walks, Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1 or Lift Off, Sunday Service often seems to showcase a reinterpretation of Kanye's tracks.

And music seems to be the main aspect to the service that makes it spiritual.

This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Instagram
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip instagram post by steviemackey

Allow Instagram content?

This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of instagram post by steviemackey

The congregation

Unsurprisingly, with Kanye and the Kardashians involved, Sunday Service has become a bit of a celeb hot spot.

A Sunday Service invitation is the "most prestigious, highly-coveted" invitation possible for musicians in LA, according to Variety - which describes it as "where spirituality and exclusivity meet".

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are among the A-listers who've been spotted there.

But Sunday Service has also led to a whole host of new fans for five year old North West - Kim and Kanye's oldest child - because of videos like this.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 3 by Kim Kardashian West

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 3 by Kim Kardashian West
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 4 by Kim Kardashian West

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 4 by Kim Kardashian West

The location has changed a few times - starting off indoors with some funky lighting but now mostly appearing to take place outside on a mountain under the sun.

Adidas's office in Portland has also hosted Sunday Service.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 5 by TeamKanyeDaily

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 5 by TeamKanyeDaily

And the choir is frequently filmed on planes, seemingly on the way to the idyllic location where the main event takes place.

This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Instagram
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip instagram post 2 by ncbassphysics

Allow Instagram content?

This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of instagram post 2 by ncbassphysics

There's speculation that Kanye West's Sunday Service could be leading up to another gospel album from the rapper - a few years after the gospel-influenced The Life of Pablo came out.

Kanye had promised an album at the end of last year - called Yandhi - which was delayed.

Whatever is happening with new music, one thing is definite: the people at Coachella look like they're definitely in for a treat.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 6 by Kim Kardashian West

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 6 by Kim Kardashian West

Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, external, Facebook, external and Twitter, external.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.