(July 10, 2025) Zebulon Ellis received his vocal training in the church, and he made his mark and established his reputation as a topflight gospel vocalist. He has the soulful baritone voice that can call the Kingdom of God down to earth. That vocal gift earned him fourth place and runner-up finish on two appearances on the BET show “Sunday Best.”
Back in the day, a vocalist with Ellis’ soulfully masculine voice would experience the pull of secular music world along with the pushback from the church. These days, mainstream R&B embraces a less overtly soulful and churchy sound. However, Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick, the legendary founder and leader of Incognito, has always looked for vocalists who had an organic connection to soul and gospel music.
So, it’s not surprising that Bluey tapped Ellis to be the singer on “Strangers Become Friends.” The tune is a pulsating romp that encompasses the pulsating energy of dance music, the on the one bass of funk, the Afro pop percussion, and the improvisational creativity of jazz.
With all that going on, Bluey needed a voice that could stand up and stand out. He found the right one in Ellis, who brings the range, phrasing, passion and spirit of the church to this high-powered dance track. Check out “Strangers Become Friends” by Incognito and featuring Zebulon Ellis here.
By Howard Dukes
