BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A quartet that is "king" of medleys — belting out a cappella versions of hits by Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Usher, Beyoncé, Brandy and Boyz II Men — has canceled their show at Lehigh University's Zoellner Arts Center.
In an email sent Thursday, Zoellner's spokeswoman wrote that "Kings Return had to cancel due to singer illness. All ticket holders will be refunded."
The pre-show talk with Pastor Phil Davis, from Greater Shiloh Church, has been rescheduled to 6:30 p.m. March 29.
Social media stars
Kings Return, who also are social media stars who continue to rise with more than half a million followers on their Instagram and YouTube channels.
"Social media is the backbone of most independent artists... It's not like we have a big rollout with a label, who makes a big media blitz."Kings Return tenor J.E. McKissic
The singers — tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor J.E. McKissic and baritone Jamall Williams — met in college in 2016 and found viral success in 2019 after posting an a cappella version of "God Bless America."
In 2021, they followed up with an enigmatic hymn of "Ubi Caritas," which garnered the group more than 10 million views.
"Social media is the backbone of most independent artists, that's the primary way that we get information out," McKissic said via phone Tuesday.
"We get music out, we build rapport. It's not like we have a big rollout with a label, who makes a big media blitz. We kind of spoon feed our audience, a little bit of it at a time."
'It blows my mind'
That strategy seems to be paying off as the four have grown their fan base to an international level.
"Not just in the U.S., but people in ... Europe, South America and Asia will send us their videos of their own a cappella songs or of our versions because they feel inspired by us," McKissic said.
"We love it because we understand that you can't make yourself accessible to everyone."
"The entire purpose of doing music is to share the beauty of it with the world. We feel like it stitches us together, even though we're different or we live in different parts of the world."
Kings Return's cover of the Bee Gees how "Deep Is Your Love," off the group's debut album, "Rove," got Kings Return a Grammy nomination in 2022 in the Best Arrangement Instrumental or A Cappella category.
The members' ecstatic reaction was captured on Zoom.
"That moment was just as special to me as actually going to the Grammys," McKissic said.
"Finding out when I'm in my living room and talking with my friends who I've been making music with about something that I dreamed of as a child, I could not believe that achievement actually happened. It still blows my mind today."
'Just be a good human'
Last year, Kings' cover of Luther Vandross' "So Amazing" caught the attention of iconic singer Stevie Wonder's daughter, who shared the video with her famous dad.
Wonder was so impressed that he arranged to meet with the group.
"It's just one of those things where you just never know when you are sitting around making music with your friends and you just put it out there," McKissic said. "It can reach across the world.
"Stevie has an incredible sense of humor and he's warm and welcoming. That experience reminded me to just be a good human.
"He's in his 70s now and he's still so passionate about the details. After decades spending his entire life in front of crowds and making music, he still loves the art of making beautiful music.
"And the very thing that we wanted our music to do with the next generation is what Stevie [Wonder] did by allowing us to spend some time with him, at the piano as he's singing things."
'Increase the peace in the world'
As part of Kings Return's mission, the group often tours at colleges, universities and K-12 schools.
They say they equally find joy singing for crowds of residents living at retirement communities.
"To see the innocence of a child's face light up when they hear music in a way where they hadn't been expecting to hear it, or when you sing a song that an older person remembers from their childhood," McKissic said.
"We'll do the Motown medley and you can see their faces light up at hearing all of the songs from when they were young being presented in this fashion. It inspires us.
"We see ourselves as having a mandate to give back and inspire the next generation to not just accumulate all of our success... for our own sake, but we feel like we're stewarding the gifted music that God has given us for this time to increase the peace in the world."
Before the concert, Dr. Phillip A. Davis, senior pastor at Greater Shiloh Church in Easton, will lead a free discussion as part of Black History Month.
The subject will be themes such as mental health and social empowerment.
Davis is the author of a new book, "Breaking the Silence" — a guide that addresses the mental health needs of Black men.
For information on Davis' free lecture, visit Zoellner Arts Center's website.
