I found out who the solo singer on Like Prayer is!

[Celebration 1,460]

We've heard it a thounsand times. The incredible voice that lifts Like A Prayer to divine heights. But who is the singer?

Someone on TikTok found a clip where it's revealed that her name is Jean Johnson! 

Here's a clip:

 

[MattyMads 5,707]

I always thought it was Niki well I’m shocked 

[DiegoLCL 5,720]

1 hour ago, MattyMads said:

I always thought it was Niki well I’m shocked 

How? She's not even credited.
We always knew that it was someone from the The Andraé Crouch Choir.

-----
Watch people taking this out of context to paint Madonna as someone "stealing Jean's vocals" and "not allowing her to be part of the video". 

[A. A. Aardvark 5,090]

yeah yeah yeah
 

[Prayer 16,689]

OMG the story about the husband. WTF.

I remember Niki Haris saying (in one of those trashy non official documentaries she participated in during the 00s? or some other interview) that she wanted nothing to do with the "Like A Prayer" video cause burning crosses for her, as a black woman, meant KKK.

But turns out it wasn't even her vocal! But of course that story was less juicy to tell...

[Tudors 638]

2 hours ago, MattyMads said:

I always thought it was Niki well I’m shocked 

Mariah Carey lied to us

[proxy 2,936]

To be honest, she doesn'tt say anything really interesting about recording, except the part that her man wanted to kill her... 

 

[artlover 4,124]

32 minutes ago, Tudors said:

Mariah Carey lied to us

what do you mean?

[Tudors 638]

18 minutes ago, artlover said:

what do you mean?

There is this interview where she kinda shades Madonnas parts in like a prayer and mentions (by name) Nicki Harris vocals on the track. She also thought it was Nicki Harris on the song.

[A. A. Aardvark 5,090]

whoa oh-oh-oh
whoa oh-oh-oh

is Madonna not the 
"The incredible voice that lifts Like A Prayer to divine heights."

[LongIslandTea 1,880]

3 hours ago, DiegoLCL said:

How? She's not even credited.
We always knew that it was someone from the The Andraé Crouch Choir.

The Andraé Crouch Choir was credited as background vocals.

So as Niki & Donna.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_a_Prayer_(song)#Credits_and_personnel

 

[A. A. Aardvark 5,090]

"They couldn't do much but go out....AND come back in again."
(c) Bette Midler 
though she's no Yma Sumac 
is she 
?

[FrozenRain 364]

It doesn't even sound like Niki so.. I always thought it was the lady from the music video.. was she an actor then? Beautiful vocals. I think MJ used the same choir for Man in the Mirror.

[Velvet Rope 6,277]

9 minutes ago, FrozenRain said:

It doesn't even sound like Niki so.. I always thought it was the lady from the music video.. was she an actor then? Beautiful vocals. I think MJ used the same choir for Man in the Mirror.

MJ's utilized the Andrae Crouch choir several times in his career. Man In The Mirror, Keep The Faith, and Earth Song are a few examples.

[DiegoLCL 5,720]

4 hours ago, LongIslandTea said:

The Andraé Crouch Choir was credited as background vocals.

So as Niki & Donna.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_a_Prayer_(song)#Credits_and_personnel

 

There's no individual credits for songs on the LAP booklet, this wiki page just took what they wanted from the general album credit which also have Lynne Fiddmont, Marcos Loya, Marilyn Martin, Nadirah Ali, Rose Banks and The Andrae Crouch Choir credited as "background vocals".
It's pretty clear that not all of those people are in the song and is pretty clear that there's a choir in the song (and the only song to use one on the album), so why would they need Niki and Donna? 

[androiduser 2,864]

7 hours ago, Prayer said:

I remember Niki Haris saying (in one of those trashy non official documentaries she participated in during the 00s? or some other interview) that she wanted nothing to do with the "Like A Prayer" video cause burning crosses for her, as a black woman, meant KKK.

 

I think she said it in one of the much older interviews, I read about it in Encyclopedia Madonnica back in 1995, so the quote is probably from 1989 or some time after.

But it's possible she was invited to participate, I think the main gospel singer from the video is not the same person who actually sang on the track, so maybe Madonna asked to take that role?

[Prayer 16,689]

9 minutes ago, androiduser said:

I think she said it in one of the much older interviews, I read about it in Encyclopedia Madonnica back in 1995, so the quote is probably from 1989 or some time after.

But it's possible she was invited to participate, I think the main gospel singer from the video is not the same person who actually sang on the track, so maybe Madonna asked to take that role?

Yes, makes sense that Madonna invited her to do that role in the video but she refused A) cause of the video concept, I believe she didn't particularly like the burning crosses stuff and B) cause she wasn't even singing that part in the actual song!

[MikeyK 971]

I thought it was common knowledge for a long time now among fans that it was a choir member that sang the solo, not Nicki, and didn’t understand all the folks I’ve seen casually attributing it to N when she only sang it live.

I think at most N & D did the ooooo’s behind M during the verses. Donna might’ve done some backup on M during the first chorus? Like “take you there”, “feel your power”, etc. Her voice blended w/M’s more than Nicki’s did.

Also I thought it was well known that the choir opted to not be too high profile associated w/the song bc of the suggestive lyrics. Is it even them in the video or some other people? Maybe it was the video content that turned them off.

That Mariah clip is funny. I see it on tiktok or insta and ppl take it so seriously but I’m like lady you don’t know wtf you’re talking about.

[androiduser 2,864]

19 minutes ago, Prayer said:

Yes, makes sense that Madonna invited her to do that role in the video but she refused A) cause of the video concept, I believe she didn't particularly like the burning crosses stuff and B) cause she wasn't even singing that part in the actual song!

yeah, both reasons sound absolutely reasonable. I mean, Niki is a great singer and I think she wouldn't want to mime to somebody else's vocals, and the theme of the video is sensitive, and she had right to her own feelings about participating.

[A. A. Aardvark 5,090]

52 minutes ago, androiduser said:

I think she said it in one of the much older interviews, I read about it in Encyclopedia Madonnica back in 1995, so the quote is probably from 1989 or some time after.

But it's possible she was invited to participate, I think the main gospel singer from the video is not the same person who actually sang on the track, so maybe Madonna asked to take that role?

it says so in the clip - it's Someone Else

[Magic Pussy 424]

This is a fascinating clip. I'd always been curious which member of the Andre Crouch choir sung it since nobody could match her amazing voice except me in the shower or in my car. Her story reminds me of that documentary "20 Feet from Stardom" which included some great singers including an in depth interview with who the woman who sang the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" after being called in the middle of the night and pregnant.

[Adonna 20,883]

Oh wow!  Why did I always think it was Nikki Harris who sang that part?  I always thought the choir sang together and then Nikki sang that solo part.  But now reading on Wiki, Andrea is mentioned in singing a part.  And wow to the wild story about the man who was wanting to murder her. 

 

[Roland Barthes 6,146]

The Andrae & Sandra Crouch choir declined to star in the video hence why no one from their choir appeared in it. They were deeply religious, Andrae was not just a gosoel singer but an ordinated preacher as well. 

They produced the gospel choir but Jean's solo is buried deep in it when you listen to the stems, she did not record it in a booth by herself and it's a shame because it must have been a nightmare to create this amazing part in the song with a source material. It's recorded live with mics set up around the studio. Maybe new technology can bring her voice more upfront but will it work as well as it does ?

[I am madonna 385]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:49 PM, DiegoLCL said:

How? She's not even credited.
We always knew that it was someone from the The Andraé Crouch Choir.

--

This! Thank you! 

[I am madonna 385]

I am surprised that many people are unaware of this famous fact. It is especially funny that someone who wrote long and boring essay about Madonna to others in an attitude that seems to know the best about Madonna in the world did not.