In a season full of powerhouse vocals and tearful testimonies, it was Jamal Thomas—a soft-spoken worship leader from Durban—who brought the Sunday Best stage to life this week in a way no one saw coming.
After weeks of delivering technically solid performances that left judges praising his control but questioning his connection, Jamal returned to the stage on Sunday with a performance that flipped the narrative. Not only did he engage the audience—he ignited them.
“I don’t know what happened this week,” said Judge Yolanda Adams, visibly emotional. “But you didn’t just sing that song, baby. You ministered.”
Fans tuning in to Sunday Best, BET’s premier gospel competition series, had grown used to Jamal’s reserved demeanor. His voice—warm, resonant, and precise—was never in question. But critics and fans alike wondered whether he had the stage presence to match the vocal talent. As one fan put it on social media last week: “Jamal’s voice is heaven, but I need him to feel it, too.”
Apparently, Jamal heard the message loud and clear.
In a surprise mentorship twist, Jamal spent time this past week with former Sunday Best winner Geoffrey Golden, who coached him not just on technique—but on vulnerability.
“Geoffrey told me that ministry starts when the walls come down,” Jamal said in a behind-the-scenes clip. “So I made a decision to stop performing and start surrendering.”
And surrender he did.
Performing a gospel rendition of “Take Me to the King,” Jamal walked onto the stage without his usual composure. Eyes closed. Shoulders trembling. As he sang the first verse, he locked eyes with members of the audience—not just singing to them, but with them. By the second chorus, half the room was on their feet. By the final note, the entire auditorium was in tears.
“It was like he invited us into his prayer,” said Judge Jonathan McReynolds. “You can’t teach that. That’s heart.”
Viewers around the world took to social media using hashtags like #BETSundayBest and #BETAfrica to describe the performance. One trending tweet read, “That was no longer a competition. That was church.” Another user posted a video of themselves weeping during the broadcast with the caption, “Jamal didn’t just find the note—he found the anointing.”
Producers later revealed that Jamal’s performance had the highest live engagement of the season so far, with fans flooding the Sunday Best app to cast votes in record numbers.
Despite the overwhelming praise, Jamal remained humble in his post-show interview.
“This isn’t about me,” he said quietly. “I just want people to feel the presence of God when I sing. And tonight, I felt Him in the room.”
As the Sunday Best competition heads into its final weeks, one thing is certain: Jamal Thomas is no longer just a quiet voice with great tone. He’s a vessel—one that’s finally open, finally ready, and finally reaching hearts across Africa and beyond.
