Kim Burrell
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Kim Burrell Cites Singing Beyoncé Song As ‘Favorite’
Moment: 'The People Went Nuts'
APRIL 23, 2014
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Article By Kay Hudson:: EEW MAGAZINE NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT

Recently, there has been an uproar over the proliferation of churches singing “harmless” secular music on
Sunday morning, like Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”. While some think it’s no problem, others say songs that were
created to glorify God are the only ones that should be sung in His house.

But what about concert performances outside the four walls of the church? Can secular music ever be an
effective ministry tool?

2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the Essence Music Festival—the largest event celebrating African-
American music and culture. In its honor, Dove Award-winning gospel recording artist and pastor, Kim Burrell,
41, recently took a stroll down memory lane with Essence Magazine.

According to the leader of Houston-based “Love & Liberty Fellowship International,” the most memorable
moment from EMF came in 2012 as she delivered a vocal performance in tribute to Grammy-winning gospel
duo Mary Mary, that included an on-the-spot remix of a Beyoncé Knowles song.

“I think it went viral,” Burrell said of the video capturing the mini concert performance she called “her greatest
Essence Festival moment,” though, she maintained, it was “unrehearsed” and “so not planned.”

Well, what happened?

The BET Sunday Best judge said, "I was ministering on stage to honor Mary Mary.  I started giving a
testimony and encouragement to the women, and I referenced Beyoncé’s song, ‘you must not know bout
me,’” she laughed.

"Irreplaceable?"  

That’s the one.

“Irreplaceable” was released on December 5, 2006 as a part of Knowles' sophomore album B’Day and went
on to become her fourth number-one single in the US. It is among the superstar R&B artist’s most successful
anthems.

When Burrell began crooning it, she said, “The people went nuts. I started [singing it] about sickness and
disease. ‘You must not know about me, I'll be healed in a minute.  Matter of fact, I'll be better than this in a
minute.'  You know, that kind of thing,” she explained.

According to Burrell, Mary Mary’s Tina Campbell, or “my redhead” as she calls her, “just got so overwhelmed
with joy.”

She added, “And that made me feel so, so good.  They were both just standing there, and I felt like the
mission was accomplished.”

Knowles would likely be flattered that Burrell was singing her song, since she has, in the past, labeled the
esteemed jazz-gospel vocalist, her favorite.

In an archived interview,  Knowles said gospel music was “influential” in her life, particularly after learning of
the most gifted singers the genre has to offer—something for which she said Destiny’s Child singer, Michelle
Williams, is responsible.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t exposed to some of the best singers in the world that are gospel singers until I met
Michelle who introduced my favorite singer now, Kim Burrell,” said Knowles, who also mentioned Karen Clark-
Sheard, Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar and Ann Nesby among her list of exceptional vocalists.

But even though the Mrs. Carter is impressed with women who sing about Jesus, is it healthy or admirable for
them to incorporate her non-God-honoring songs into their performance sets on stage?

Watch Kim's moment in the video below at the 7:27 mark. Plus, click the next video to see Mrs. Carter talk
gospel music.