Elsewhere in the interview, she explains Sister Agatha Moses lyrics was a local “dialect” with a Bob Marley reference saying “Bob Marley, didn’t he have a song saying ‘What God bless, no man can curse’? So it’s kind of the same thing.” Only it isn’t the same thing.

But not only was Agatha Moses’ version released in the early 2000s, the Soweto Gospel Choir did not cover “When Jesus Say Yes” until 2014, just before Michelle dropped her own “Say Yes”. Earlier in the interview, Michelle claimed the melody was inspired by a traditional African praise number. According to the singer, “When Jesus says yes” is “an old Nigerian song”. However, the earliest recording of the words “When Jesus says yes” till date is off Sister Agatha Moses’ 2004 album, New World Praise, featuring a medley of other popular songs you have probably heard blaring off speakers on your average Sunday.īack to Michelle Williams, in this interview with Cross Rhythm, later that year the singer tells the story behind her hit single, “Say Yes” with the tone-deafness of a culture vulture. Michelle was seemingly distraught when the track initially dropped on the interwebs via a Twitter leak, but “Say Yes” went on to chart on the Billboard with a rave of positive reviews commending the catchiness of the composition.īut for Nigerians “Say Yes” and its variations is a popular praise and worship song commonly sang in churches across the country. Back in 2014, Michelle Williams snagged a bit of spotlight for herself with gospel hit, “Say Yes” featuring former bandmates from the Destiny’s Child, Beyonce and Kelly.

When jesus say yes by michelle