The London African Gospel Choir
The London African Gospel Choir is a South East London-based performing arts ensemble founded in 2002 that delivers African gospel live shows, corporate and wedding bookings, music workshops, and session recordings for audiences across the UK, Ireland and the USA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The London African Gospel Choir does
The London African Gospel Choir (legal entity: London African Gospel Choir Ltd., company number 4947409, registered in England and Wales) is a performing arts organisation founded in 2002 by Crystal Kassi, a Paris-born founder trained as a professional dancer, together with her husband Al Hardwicke-Kassi, the ensemble's music agent and promoter. The choir is headquartered in South East London and draws its membership pan-Africanly from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Zaire, Ivory Coast, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Uganda and Congo, operating in flexible aggregations from small vocal groups up to a 23-strong ensemble built on a ten-piece core band (two keyboards, two guitars, bass, drums, percussion and three horns). Its repertoire blends Congolese guitar work, South and East African vocal patterns and West African horn arrangements, anchored by two signature productions: 'Graceland Reimagined' (a 30th-anniversary Graceland commission that originated at Camden's Jazz Cafe in 2016 and has become the choir's flagship touring show) and 'Bob Marley's Songbook'.
The company's commercial offering is organised around live performance services: ticketed public shows (often sold out months in advance across UK venues such as the Barbican, Sage Gateshead, Brighton Dome, Bridgewater Hall and the O2 Arena, where the choir performed before 17,000 people alongside the Soweto Gospel Choir), private bookings for corporate events and weddings, educational and team-building workshops covering music, singing and gumboot dancing, and session-performer and recording services for other artists. The choir has supported or collaborated with Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons, Tom Jones, Annie Lennox, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Idris Elba (on the 'mi Mandela' album) and Stormzy (featured in the 'Funky' video), and has performed at Westminster Abbey and the Tusk Awards.
Revenue is generated through five streams: ticket sales on self-organised UK and international tours (transaction-fee pricing), quote-based private bookings for corporate events and weddings, workshop fees for schools and community groups, session and recording fees for other artists' projects, and direct-to-consumer merchandise (debut CD 'Mercy' at £10, logo t-shirts at £20, African-print bags at £15; the e-commerce shop currently ships only within the UK). The go-to-market motion is event-driven and direct via the website (thelagc.com), with distribution through venue websites and ticketing partners including See Tickets, Bristol Beacon, Warwick Arts Centre and Venue Cymru, supported by Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and earned media. There is no external institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no AI/ML technology embedded in the product surface; the underlying 'technology' is the ensemble's repertoire, choreography and direct-booking commercial infrastructure.
The London African Gospel Choir firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The London African Gospel Choir
- Legal name
- London African Gospel Choir Ltd.
- Website
- https://thelagc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The London African Gospel Choir is a South East London-based performing arts ensemble founded in 2002 that delivers African gospel live shows, corporate and wedding bookings, music workshops, and session recordings for audiences across the UK, Ireland and the USA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The London African Gospel Choir industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Performance Entertainment
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Sound Recording Studios (512240)
- akta.pro industry
- Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music)Session Musicians & VocalistsMedia, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Music Production Services (Studios, Producers, Session Musicians)
Keywords
Where The London African Gospel Choir is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The London African Gospel Choir business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Live Performance Revenue: The choir generates revenue through ticketed live performances at venues across the UK and internationally, including their Graceland 40th Anniversary Tour and Bob Marley Songbook shows.
- Corporate Events and Weddings: Private bookings for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions with customizable ensembles from small vocal groups to full band performances.
- Workshops: Music, singing, and gumboot dancing workshops for schools, community groups, and corporate team building events.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of merchandise including their debut CD 'Mercy' (£10), logo t-shirts (£20), and African print bags (£15).
- Session Performance and Recordings: Providing backing singers and musicians for recordings and shows, including contributions to albums by artists like Idris Elba.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Debut CD 'Mercy' |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Logo T-Shirt |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | African Print Bags |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate and Private Event Bookings |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
The London African Gospel Choir product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The London African Gospel Choir delivers live African gospel music performances through signature shows (Graceland Reimagined and Bob Marley's Songbook), corporate event entertainment, wedding ministry, educational workshops (music, singing, gumboot dancing, team building), session/backing vocalist services for recordings, and merchandise sales (CD, apparel, bags). Offerings are delivered by a 20+ member pan-African ensemble of vocalists, musicians, and dancers.
Product overview
The London African Gospel Choir offers live performance services centered around two flagship shows: the Graceland Reimagined (celebrating Paul Simon's iconic album) and Bob Marley's Songbook (reinterpretations of reggae classics through African gospel). The choir also provides educational workshops (music, gumboot dancing, singing, and corporate team building), corporate event entertainment, session performers for recordings and shows, studio recording services, and wedding ministry. Merchandise includes their debut 'Mercy' CD, logo t-shirts, and African print bags. The services are delivered by a 23-strong pan-African ensemble of vocalists, musicians, and dancers representing diverse African Diaspora backgrounds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Public Shows (Graceland Reimagined & Bob Marley's Songbook) Live ticketed concert performances featuring the choir's acclaimed reinterpretations of Paul Simon's Graceland album and Bob Marley's songbook, performed as a 23-strong pan-African ensemble of vocalists, musicians, and dancers at UK and international venues.
- Workshops (Music, Gumboot Dancing, Singing, Team Building) Educational and cultural sessions covering music, gumboot dancing (originating from South African gold mines), African singing workshops with call-and-response techniques, and corporate team building sessions tailored for schools, community groups, and corporate clients.
- Corporate Events Professional entertainment services for corporate clients (galas, fundraisers, team building), offering bands, singers, or both with attention to professionalism, discretion, and timekeeping.
- Session Performers Backing singers and session musicians provided for other artists' recordings and live shows, including past collaborations with Idris Elba, Emile Sandé, Mumford & Sons, and Tom Jones.
- Wedding Ministry Gospel choir performances for wedding ceremonies and receptions, providing music and spiritual uplift for couples.
- Mercy CD Debut recorded CD featuring five inspirational choral and musical arrangements from the Graceland show, sold at £10.00 per unit.
- Logo T-Shirt Branded merchandise t-shirt featuring the London African Gospel Choir logo, priced at £20.00 per unit.
- African Print Bags Tote bags featuring vibrant African print patterns, made by the same tailor who creates LAGC's costumes, priced at £15.00 per unit.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tickets sold out within hours, leading to additional shows being added
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The London African Gospel Choir
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The London African Gospel Choir technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The London African Gospel Choir partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The London African Gospel Choir competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kingdom Choir: UK-based gospel choir that broke through after the 2018 Royal Wedding; comparable in size and operating model — live shows, weddings, corporate bookings — within the UK gospel space.
- Soweto Gospel Choir: Three-time Grammy-winning South African gospel choir; LAGC explicitly performed with them at the O2 Arena, making them the closest direct peer in genre, scale, and international touring cadence.
- Harlem Gospel Choir: NYC-based touring gospel choir with a comparable large-ensemble, ticket-driven touring model and a religious/secular repertoire blend; competes in the international gospel tourism market.
- Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir: UK-based gospel choir offering weddings, corporate events, and live shows; overlaps directly with LAGC's UK wedding and corporate engagement channels.
- London Community Gospel Choir: Long-established UK gospel choir with overlapping corporate, wedding, and live-show offerings; directly competes for the same UK enterprise and event bookers as LAGC.
- Black Voices: UK-based vocal ensemble rooted in gospel and African-diasporic traditions; similar headcount and operating cadence with directly comparable UK live performance and workshop offerings.
Broad incumbents
- African Children's Choir: Established Pan-African choir with decades of global touring and brand recognition; mission-driven (NGO-style) entity operating in adjacent gospel/African music space at greater scale, providing a broader incumbent reference point.
Emerging players
- The Choir With No Name: UK network of community choirs including gospel-influenced groups; partial overlap in live events, workshops, and community programming — an adjacent rather than directly competing peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The London African Gospel Choir social profiles
Digital presenceThe London African Gospel Choir financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The London African Gospel Choir leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The London African Gospel Choir funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The London African Gospel Choir M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The London African Gospel Choir
What does The London African Gospel Choir do?
The London African Gospel Choir delivers live African gospel music performances through signature shows (Graceland Reimagined and Bob Marley's Songbook), corporate event entertainment, wedding ministry, educational workshops (music, singing, gumboot dancing, team building), session/backing vocalist services for recordings, and merchandise sales (CD, apparel, bags). Offerings are delivered by a 20+ member pan-African ensemble of vocalists, musicians, and dancers.
Is The London African Gospel Choir a public or private company?
The London African Gospel Choir is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The London African Gospel Choir founded?
The London African Gospel Choir was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The London African Gospel Choir based?
The London African Gospel Choir is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The London African Gospel Choir make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Live Performance Revenue is the primary driver. The others are corporate Events and Weddings, workshops, merchandise Sales and session Performance and Recordings.
Who are The London African Gospel Choir's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kingdom Choir, Soweto Gospel Choir, Harlem Gospel Choir, Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir, London Community Gospel Choir and Black Voices. African Children's Choir is listed as a broad incumbent. The Choir With No Name is listed as an emerging player.
Does The London African Gospel Choir have an API?
No public API is recorded for The London African Gospel Choir.
What industry is The London African Gospel Choir in?
The London African Gospel Choir's product category is Live Performance Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music), with a secondary code of MPAIAHAC, Session Musicians & Vocalists. Its NAICS code is 711130.