The London African Gospel Choir (LAGC) is a dynamic musical ensemble who have lived by their motto, ‘Lighting up the world with a song’, by captivating audiences around the globe. Founded by Crystal Kassi in 2002, the choir is a testament to the power of music to bridge cultural divides and spread love. Their repertoire spans both traditional and contemporary songs, forming performances that create an atmosphere of celebration, unity and spiritual connection. ‘You’re All I Need To Get By’ sees the LAGC collaborate with photographer and director Samuel Bradley, whose ability to connect with his subjects makes this film a harmonious artistic pairing. A contributor to titles such as British Vogue, Wall Street Journal and Dazed, Bradley has also made films for The 1975 and Nowness. This project stems from his ongoing body of work showcasing all types of UK-based choirs, from Bulgarian to Filipino, but it was the LAGC that stole his heart for this special film. We sit down with Bradley and with Crystal’s daughter, Yaleen Hardwicke, to discuss the process for bringing this soulful short to life.

How did the LAGC first take shape?

YH: The choir was founded by my parents – Crystal is the choir director and Al is the agent – and they’re both still fully involved. Originally, they wanted to draw from different churches, backgrounds and cultures so the choir is now formed by people from all over the diaspora. We've got Ghanaian, Congolese, Ugandan, Kenyan, Rwandan, Jamaican and Nigerian members, which brings a pan-African fusion of influences to the music.

Yeleen, when you sing or when you hear the music of your choir, where does it take you?

YH: There's always a lot of joy. You're just in that moment of being grateful for the opportunity. I’m constantly trying to get my tone to match theirs or pick up on how they breathe, how they perform, and how they carry themselves on stage, especially the South African singers. It feels like it's in their blood. The voice – it's like it comes from the ground, to the soles of their feet and out of their mouth. I smile a lot on stage because to be able to hear these sounds, week in and week out, is a privilege.

Sam, what is your relationship to choir music?

SB: I grew up in the southwest of England attending Church of England schools, which were all 100% white, a very traditional kind of Christianity. I hated going to church; it all just felt lifeless and very authoritarian. So, this kind of singing is a completely different brand of religion for me. I imagine what it would be like if I had been exposed to that music growing up and how differently I might have felt about things. Maybe I would have had more of a relationship with God.

How do you experience the LAGC’s music?

SB: I always get emotional when I listen to music and with this choir, I could really feel it. Even now, when I watch the end of the film where everyone is singing together, it takes me somewhere completely unfamiliar and I get a little choked up. Hearing this music, it's like sunshine. It's like nothing that I've ever heard before and I think that's why the film is really special to me.

How did you approach the film direction?

SB: I decided to disassemble the choir, both to understand the sum of its parts by focussing on individual voices and talents, but also to build suspense up until the moment you see a fuller choral ensemble perform at the end. The choir is multidisciplinary – some sing, some dance, some play instruments. They were keen to show their dancers as they are an important part of their live show so that section of the film has its own musical language. And the pan-African membership is represented by different bouquets of flowers - a mix of African and English blooms are placed around the church we shot in.

What’s a favourite moment from shooting the film?

SB: We decided to put a girl called Crystal (Kabwe) right in front, who doesn't sing that much with the choir. Everyone behind the monitor watched her being lifted up by all the other singers around her because she's quite shy. When that happened, it was silent for a moment afterwards. It was as if she’d somehow taken strength from those around her.

YH: Yeah, there's something beautiful about Crystal being in it. She was named after my mum and her dad was in the choir pretty much at the beginning. He doesn't play with us so much now, but he's always there to call on. And there’s always someone young joining the choir, always a little baby running around. We really are family.

The film is a celebration of family and culture, a beautiful opening of arms to the audience. What do you want viewers to take away from it?

YH: For us in the choir, our aim is that it will go to places where Christ isn't talked about a lot and show that there's peace in it, that there's love in it, and that there's family in it as well. When you talk to some of the members about the things in their lives that they've come through, it's been difficult, and it's heartbreaking. So, to see that they still have enough joy to sing at the end of it is truly mind-blowing. I hope the film shows people that you don't have to go through life alone. There's always someone to lean on. Yeah, just love.

And for you, Sam?

SB: When I watch people watch my work and their reaction is overwhelmingly positive, that's enough. It feels like we just took all of the best things about the choir, both visually and audibly, and put them into something that's very easily digestible. Someone can go and watch this film at any point of the day and feel truly happy, and that's all I really care about.

The London African Gospel Choir perform Bristol Beacon on 28 March and London Barbican in November 2024.