Kings Return
June 9, 2021
Friday, February 12, 2027, 7:30 PM
Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre
This performance will last approximately 90 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.*
Category A $60 | Category B $45 | Category C $25
$10 students with ID and youth 18 and under
15%-25% subscription discounts available
Subscription sales begin Thursday, June 18, at 10 AM
"Silky harmonies and expressive delivery."
— BroadwayWorld
Dynamic and soothing Dallas-based vocal quartet Kings Return creates a cappella performances so rich and seamless they often sound like far more than four voices. Discovered through viral videos on social media, the group has earned a Grammy nomination and comparisons to Boyz II Men for a velvety blend and limitless range. R&B influences intertwine with moments of jazz, soulful bursts of gospel, and bright touches of pop, all grounded in a classical foundation.
For Kings Return, singing without instruments is an act of trust and unity. The result is intimate, powerful music-making that celebrates brotherhood, vulnerability, and the communion created through shared sound. The group takes pride in crafting a diverse yet supremely cohesive sound. Drawn to the flexibility of a cappella music, they take full advantage of the genre-mixing aspects of the tradition.
About the Quartet
Kings Return was first conceived in 2016, when member Gabe Kunda asked some friends to perform with him for a college recital. The a cappella performance captivated the crowd and soon led to local gigs, where the group members cut their teeth before finalizing the lineup in 2020. Composed of tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor J.E. McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams, the Dallas-based quartet has since captured the hearts of millions of fans in-person and online.
The group earned its first taste of fame that summer, when they arranged, performed, and posted a video of their soul-stirring, a cappella rendition of God Bless America, which went viral. The next year, they posted a more classical a cappella performance of Ubi Caritas, which amassed over 10 million views. A pivotal moment for the budding act, Kings Return began to shift away from a strictly gospel focus to explore a more diverse musical repertoire.
They dropped their debut EP in December 2021 — a warm, jazz-leaning holiday album titled Merry Little Christmas — followed by the June 2022 release of their stunning Bee Gees cover, How Deep Is Your Love, off the debut LP ROVE, which earned a Grammy nomination for best arrangement instrumental or a cappella. Epic, expansive, and polished, ROVE was released in September 2022 and showcased a nuanced attention to detail and a remarkable fusion of four distinctive, classically trained voices into one elegant and intricate whole.
The group’s name perfectly embodies their intentions as artists: “Kings” because they possess a charismatic power, moving forward with confidence to conquer whatever challenges arise. The “Return” signifies another important part of their mission: to give back to the communities that have supported them along the way.
Meet the Members
Originally from upstate New York, Vaughn Faison is the tenor 1 in Kings Return. When he's not singing with the group, he's often making and teaching music, playing tennis, or searching for the world's best breakfast sandwich.
J.E. McKissic first learned to sing by shadowing his mother in church, where he still sings today. In addition to his work as a studio background vocalist — having worked on projects with Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Kirk Franklin, and more — he likes watching The Office and taking road trips. McKissic is a full-time father to his six children and his rescue dog, Mose.
Jamall Williams, a native of Dallas, is the baritone in Kings Return. Outside of the group, he lends his vocal talents to artists such as Tamela Mann, Marvin Sapp, and Jabari Johnson, to name a few. His dog, Carlisle, has him trained well and keeps him busy running around in his free time.
Gabe Kunda is the bass singer for Kings Return. When he's not providing low rumbling tones for the group, he is in his studio voicing projects for companies such as Disney, Marvel, Hulu, Funimation, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Valorant, Toyota, Subway, Warner Bros, and more. He and his lovely wife, Karina, live in Dallas with their energetic dog, Charlie.
This is Kings Return's first performance at the center.
Photos courtesy of Kings Return
* Run times listed here are based on information provided at this time and are subject to change.