Soul legends Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle will get their fair chance to battle through their catalogs that date back more than five decades during the Verzuz battle on Sunday.
After a record-breaking battle between 1990s favorites Monica and Brandy, the team behind the popular, no-scores-tallied music competition has announced it would pit two other R&B peers against each other. The “Love Overboard” and “On My Own” vocalists are featured in the Instagram music presentation here. The singers will compare their sultry hits to the likely hundreds of thousands of listeners at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, which is LaBelle’s hometown.
“Leave ya church clothes on all Sunday and pull up to the affair of all affairs. Y’all gotta get dressed up in ya Sunday’s best for this one,” the announcement for the Verzuz reads.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Knight and LaBelle were the leads of successful musical groups Glady Knights and the Pips and LaBelle, respectfully. Years later, Knight, 76, gained the name “Empress of Soul” and made dozens of hits with her group and solo career, including one that serves as a tribute to her home state of Georgia, “Midnight Train to Georgia.” She is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, producer and actress. LaBelle, 76, has been referred to as the “Godmother of Soul” and has won two Grammy awards as a solo artist. The Philadelphia native has also gained acclaim as an actress, most recently starring in the Georgia-filmed “Greenleaf.”
Credit: Via AJC archives
Credit: Via AJC archives
Fans on social media were expecting hits from Knight including “Neither One of Us” and “If I Were Your Woman.” LaBelle’s fans were hoping to hear songs such as “You Are My Friend” and “If Only You Knew.”
Some even joked about the singers' successful food endeavors.
Others also said they were not looking forward to helping their parents online to view the battle.
To watch Sunday’s Verzuz, visit the Verzuz Instagram page at 8 p.m. ET Sunday.
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