While Birmingham is often in the headlines for negative news, the Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir has given the city something to sing about.
The group earned national recognition after receiving a coveted Golden Buzzer from judge Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent.
Choir director Akeem Lee, a Ramsey High School graduate, described how it all began: “So, when I was 18 years old, I started this choir. It was first supposed to be a fun idea. We wanted to get together to do a school supply concert and benefit the children in the community. But after the concert was over, we had so many youths to walk up and say, hey, how do I join this choir? I had to keep it going and ten years later we’re here today.”
The group comes from Birmingham, Alabama, a city the director said often feels overlooked, but one with a powerful legacy. “For us, we come from a city that is oftentimes criticized or kind of put last on the list when you think about cities in America. But Birmingham has such a rich history, especially when it comes to history. So, for me, I grew up at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, and a lot of people may know that church because, in 1963, a tragic bombing happened there. Yeah, and that is where four little girls were killed. While that bombing was such a tragic situation, it played such an instrumental role in bringing international attention into the civil rights struggle in America and Birmingham particularly, and you know, 60 something years later the choir exists.”
The choir’s powerful performance brought the audience and judges to their feet. Cowell praised the group’s energy, harmony, and passion before slamming the Golden Buzzer, sending the choir straight through to the live shows.
“This is just the beginning,” Cowell told them, calling their audition one of his favorite moments on the show.
According to Birmingham City Schools, the Fellowship Choir includes both current and former BCS students such as Payton Marbury, Jessica Judge, and Braylen Malone. Members described the thrill of singing before thousands, calling the performance “a dream come true.” One singer credited his former high school music instructor, Bobby Stringer, for preparing him to reach this stage.
The group recorded its audition back in March and spent months rehearsing, keeping the Golden Buzzer moment a closely guarded secret until the episode aired.
On Sunday, July 20, the choir celebrated its 10th anniversary with a back-to-school benefit concert at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church. The event included free school supplies for K–12 students and marked a homecoming celebration of their national spotlight moment. Donations to support the group’s travel and competition expenses can still be made on its website, or by emailing [email protected].
The Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir will appear again on America’s Got Talent when the quarterfinals begin in September.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
