Christoph’ McFadden

Christoph’ is a fifth-year PhD candidate in Music and African American Studies at Yale University. A graduate of Claflin University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Voice), his scholarship explores the dynamic intersections of music, spirituality, and Black popular culture. His dissertation, “You Brought the Sunshine: The Clark Sisters, Gospel Fandom, and the Practice of Celebrity”, examines the music and cultural influence of The Clark Sisters to highlight the relationship between gospel performance, digital fandom, and celebrity within African American religious life. Beyond the classroom, Christoph’ works with Yale’s Program in Sacred Music and the Black Church, an initiative of the Institute of Sacred Music. His academic work is deeply shaped by his lived experience as a vocalist, writer, Christian minister, and community advocate.