Fiasco at Bishop Noel Jones Easter Sunday service !!!

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KEYSHIA COLE EXPOSED DURING EASTER PERFORMANCE: Singer had her own cross to 'bare' at Church.
By Mona Austin

April 16, 2007


The stage was foreign to R&B singer Keyshia Cole on the morning of Resurrection Sunday at the City of Refuge Church.

After being informed that she was present, the Pastor, Bishop Noel Jones, invited her to participate in a mini-concert of sorts.


Cole was the last of the plentiful talent asked to perform impromptu at the 11:00 a.m. service (including gospel group The Singletons and Olie Woodson of the Temptations) at the Gardena, CA sanctuary.

Both the congregation’s reception of the singer and her delivery were unexpected. The situation was awkward before she sang a note.


In addition to the Bishop mistakenly introducing her with the wrong first name, she had a “wardrobe malfunction” that she was not aware of. Wearing a short dress with thin straps, apparently Cole bore more skin than was deemed appropriate for the church. When a female member of the church attempted to cover her with a shawl, the back of her dress was accidentally lifted. According to witnesses in the choir stand, Cole’s backside was exposed. The woman assisting Cole managed to cover her rear just before she stepped out to sing.


She reintroduced herself as a recording artist and asked everyone to pray that she keeps the faith to sing the right messages to the yourg women she reaches with her music. Without pause she broke into an undigestable version of “His Eye Is on the Sparrow" which got progressively worse each time she tried to make adjustments.

The audience was restless. “Take your time,” one random voice from the packed to the brim sanctuary in Gardena, CA chimed. “You can do it Keyshia!” called another.

Unable to find the correct key, her vocals were shaky, out of tune and far from the quality of “Love,” her first mega hit that showcases her as an able vocalist. At one point she stopped to clear her throat and apologized to the audience. The musicians chased after her to find the right key and couldn't as she barely finished one verse in an shapeless a capella.


Performing to sold out venues as a concert headliner and as the star of her on reality show on BET: “KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS” Cole is accustomed to being in control and perhaps is most comfortable when she has had time to prepare. Giving up in middle of the verse she apologized and lingered for a moment before she was ushered off the stage as the filled-to-the-brim audience looked on, applauding lightly.

Cole had been offered an opportunity to sing at the church the week before Easter and did not accept.

As if he were a mind-reader, Jones chided those in the audience who were judging the singer's appearance. He said he knew what he was doing and hoped some of the power and anointing that preceded her performance would impact her for the next time she took to the stage. She was too embarrassed to remain in the service. Allegedly, Cole’s manager asked the bishop not to run her performance on the national broadcast of the service, “Fresh Oil” which airs on BET.

WRITER'S NOTE: While I commend Ms. Cole for having the courage to take a chance and perform completely outside of her element, she should be aware of African American church culture: being placed on the spot in many African American Church or at minimum being acknowledged to stand is the norm. Since so many African American singers got their start in the church, there is an assumption that you would render a selection to "give back," if you will.

I encourage Ms. Cole to return to the house of worship of her choice and never let the imperfections of man stand between her and the loving embrace of God. In the words of Christ, she should pull from the tough as nails strength that has enabled her to overcome personal obstacles and as Christ said as he hung on the Cross, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”