As is his wont, Kanye West again dropped a surprise record on Christmas Day. Written and exec produced by West, the 5-track Emmanuel is “ancient and Latin inspired new music.” Performed by West’s Sunday Service Choir, Emmanuel certainly has a choral feel. As with last winter’s Jesus Is Born, the release is said to be a “celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.”
Jesus Is Born debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and also featured the Sunday Service Group. Its predecessor, Jesus Is King, debuted in October 2019.
West’s Sunday Service events began in early 2019 when West began hosting semi-regular Sunday gatherings featuring music. The first public Sunday Service performance happened at Coachella on Easter Sunday, 2019.
Emmanuel means “God is with us.” It is a name which is conferred upon Jesus in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel…”
The 12-minute EP is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Its 5 tracks are:
1. Requiem Aeternam
2. O Mira Nox
3. O Magnum Mysterium
4. Puer
5. Gloria
