‘Over and Over’ singer Kim Burrell has found herself making headlines again.
via: Vibe
Footage from a recent church service featuring Kim Burrell in the pulpit has gone viral, as the vocalist told a congregant to stop singing along with her.
The move rubbed many viewers the wrong way, as she was deemed “arrogant” and “rude” for attempting to stop someone from worshipping in the house of God, including telling the woman wearing a face mask, “Let that mask work for you. I’m singing alone.”
She has since addressed the backlash, sharing that the solo was a part of her ministry, and that she and the woman in question later fellowshipped together.
“I’m in the middle of ministry and you know how you close out a sermon? And I’m singing ‘thank you, lord,’ I’m thinking I’m singing a solo, and you always got that one that has to join in, and I heard her, y’all. She was singing and I was going, ‘thank yo…ma’am.’”
“I was operating in things of the spirit,” the former radio host went on. “Sometimes when I operate publicly, everybody doesn’t understand the dispensation of what I’m operating in, they just see me as Kim the singer that’s not being ‘the singer,’ who is not always the singer. I’m the preacher, I’m the person with the gift of prophetic..but anyway.
“I’m sitting there singing and I keep hearing her, and the man in front of her said, ‘she’s trying to tell you, ma’am.’ So this was somebody who was disconnected in the service, but it was cool. But, if you go further into the video, you gon’ see what happened. I pulled her up and she went to dancing. What a time we had.”
Well to be fair!!! https://t.co/UDXjuPpK8i pic.twitter.com/8riMYRYCt3
— André Marcel Harris, MSW (@andreharris89) January 24, 2024
She then attempted to explain away the “mask” remark as a reminder that COVID is still a thing.
“COVID is starting to rise again, just like I told her, let that mask work for you!”
Check out her explanation below.
Wait.. she responded YALL! LOL pic.twitter.com/vwIpXQNjSi
— Lori’s mentor (@LoDaPen) January 24, 2024
The original clip found Burrell telling the woman, “It’s a solo. God’s using me. Don’t sing with me right now,” and “I’m singing alone now. Ma’am, ma’am, with that mask … Let that mask work for you. I’m singing alone. … I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
Viewers of the clip were initially put off by Burrell’s language, with one X/Twitter user remarking, “The way I would’ve cursed her smooth out, and apologized to the church afterwards, then told the pastor & church ima gone head and go because my spirit is NOW not of God!”
The way I would’ve cursed her smooth out, and apologized to the church afterwards, then told the pastor & church ima gone head and go because my spirit is NOW not of God! pic.twitter.com/F162wXOyxF
— Shit Talker ? (@DionWil11) January 24, 2024
An Instagram user added, “That’s One rude saint I tell ya,” with another offering, “Don’t sing a congregational song and expect the congregation not to join in. She comes across as very mean spirited and folks let her get away with it because she can sing.”
