{{short description|American singer, songwriter, producer, instrumentalist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox person |name = Victory Elyse Boyd |image = Victory Boyd @ Crypto.com Arena 11 10 2023 (53426740858).jpg |other_names = Victory |birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, United States |relatives = Infinity Song (siblings) |module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed = yes |genre = {{hlist|Folk music|R&B|soul|gospel}} |label = {{Hlist |Peace Music|Roc Nation}} |occupation = {{Hlist | Singer | songwriter | producer | instrumentalist}} }} }}
'''Victory Elyse Boyd''' is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist, best known for her writing contributions to Kanye West's ''Jesus Is King'' and his other gospel projects.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/16/victory-boyd-its-a-new-dawn-roc-nation-bethesda-fountain|title=Meet Victory Boyd, the awe-inspiring Central Park singer who impressed the hell out of JAY-Z|website=The FADER}}</ref> She is signed to Roc Nation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocnation.com/music/victory/|title=Victory|website=Roc Nation}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.elle.com/life-love/a19686828/victory-boyd-interview-profile/|title=What It's Like to Be Discovered by a Music-World Superstar|date=April 24, 2018|website=ELLE}}</ref>
== Career == === Early life === Boyd was born into a musical family of eleven: her parents are both musicians, and all eight of her siblings are musicians as well.<ref name="auto1"/> Her parents founded the Detroit Boys & Girls choir, and Boyd joined the choir at four. After a move to New Jersey at the age of 12, her family began performing at New York City landmarks Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, and Bethesda Fountain at Central Park as ''The Perfect Blend Music Group'', quickly growing a following through viral videos of their performances.<ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/mad-love-infinity-song-album-interview/|title=Infinity Song Impressed Jay Z, Now Let Them Impress You In First Roc Nation Release|first=Jacob|last=Uitti|date=October 27, 2020|website=American Songwriter}}</ref> After one such performance went viral and was sent to Jay-Z by his friend Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z signed the entire family to a record deal on label Roc Nation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/best-new-artist-grammys-2025/|title=The Best Bets For Best New Artist At The 2025 Grammys|first=Patrick|last=Crowley|date=February 7, 2024|website=UPROXX}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/> Initially a member of family band Infinity Song until 2021, Boyd released her solo debut EP in 2017 titled ''A New Dawn'' on Roc Nation, featuring a cover of the Stevie Wonder song "Overjoyed".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/gospel-influenced-singer-victory-boyd-celebrates-juneteenth-music-san-francisco/|title=Gospel-influenced singer Victory Boyd celebrates Juneteenth with her music - CBS San Francisco|first=Lezla|last=Gooden|date=June 19, 2023|website=CBS}}</ref>
=== ''The Broken Instrument'', Kanye West, and ''Glory Hour'' === In 2018, Boyd's cover of "Bridge over Troubled Water" was added to Starbucks' ''Nation of US'' Spotify playlist celebrating "songs of community, caring and America from artists we love."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/playlist/47oSkp5LP5H8tbM9PZp4CX|title=Nation of US|website=Spotify}}</ref> Boyd next joined the 2018 Spring campaign for shoe retailer Clarks, before opening for Lauryn Hill at Harlem's Apollo Theater.<ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/celebrity/victory-boyd-open-your-eyes/?jw_start=%7Bseek_to_second_number%7D|title=EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Roc Nation Starlet Victory Boyd Releases New Single, 'Open Your Eyes'|date=October 24, 2020|website=Essence}}</ref> On June 15, she released her debut album ''The Broken Instrument'' (self-written and co-produced alongside 9th Wonder, her father, and Jon Batiste), before supporting Jussie Smollett on his ''Sum Of My Music Tour'' around Europe and the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/jussie-smollett-sum-of-my-music-tour-review-new-york-sobs-8458069/|title=Jussie Smollett Shows Promise as R&B Mainstay in New York Show|first=Carl|last=Lamarre|date=May 28, 2018|website=Billboard}}</ref> In 2019, Kanye West travelled to a free concert in Batesville, Indiana held by Boyd and her siblings Infinity Song to introduce their performance.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-09-16/85888/kanye-west-confirms-new-album-jesus-is-king-is-dropping-this-month|title=Kanye West confirms new album 'Jesus Is King' is dropping this month|first=Dayna|last=Haffenden|website=REVOLT}}</ref> After reportedly lauding the family as "the future of music" at the concert (reported in a ''TMZ'' post that night<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2019/09/16/kanye-west-infinity-song-victory-boyd-indiana-sunday-service/|title=Kanye West Supports Family Band Infinity's Song at Free Show in Indiana|date=September 16, 2019|website=TMZ}}</ref>), West announced the release of his album ''Jesus Is King''.<ref name="auto"/> Boyd contributed several gospel songs she had written to West, who included them on his project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/kanye-west-jesus-is-king-album-release-date-track-list|title=Listen to Kanye West's Long-Awaited New Album Now|first=Emma|last=Specter|date=October 25, 2019|website=Vogue}}</ref> In a subsequent interview, Boyd would later credit West for giving her the freedom to write "blatantly-Gospel" music in a mainstream setting (the album sessions for his project) as the motivation for her next album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rnbphilly.com/4854121/victory-boyd-on-working-with-kanye-he-opened-the-door-for-gospel-in-mainstream-media/|title=Victory Boyd on Working with Kanye: He Opened the Door for Gospel in Mainstream Media|first=Deion|last=Allen|date=March 28, 2023|website=RnB Philly}}</ref> In 2023, Boyd released gospel album ''Glory Hour'' before supporting Lauren Daigle on her ''Kaleidoscope Tour''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gospelmusic.org/news/victory-performing-on-the-today-show|title=Victory Performing On The Today Show|date=August 23, 2023|website=gospelmusic.org}}</ref>
== Legal dispute == In 2023, Boyd sued Travis Scott, Scott's label, as well as luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet (who used the song in a promotional campaign) for copyright infringement after discovering Scott's hit collaboration "Telekinesis" used aspects of her 2019 track "Like the Way It Sounds" in the song's chorus without her permission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/travis-scott-sza-future-telekinesis-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-1235230339/|title=Songwriter Hits Travis Scott, SZA, Future With Copyright Suit Over 'Telekinesis'|first=Larisha|last=Paul|date=January 9, 2025|website=Rolling Stone}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/songwriter-claims-travis-scott-sza-future-used-song-copyright-lawsuit-8772219|title=Songwriter Claims Travis Scott, SZA and Future Used Elements of Her Song in Copyright Lawsuit over 'Telekinesis'|website=People}}</ref> Boyd claims "Like the Way It Sounds" was brought in demo form to sessions for Kanye West's gospel projects in creation of another song (titled "Ultrasounds" in collaboration with West), but was passed to Scott when it did not make West's projects.<ref name="auto2"/> While Boyd received credit as a songwriter on the new song in exchange for them using her lyrics in an attempt to resolve the situation prior to the release of Scott's parent album ''Utopia'', Boyd is adamant that her song was intended to be used for gospel music purposes only, and neither Boyd nor her publisher approved the license needed to sample the song.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/travis-scott-future-sza-telekinesis-lawsuit-1234966777/|title=Travis Scott, Future, SZA Named In "Telekinesis" Lawsuit|first=DeMicia|last=Inman|date=January 10, 2025|website=Vibe}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''The Broken Instrument'' (2018) * ''Glory Hour'' (2023) * ''Glory Hour (Live)'' (2024) * ''Christmas Hymns'' (2025) * ''Confessions of a Lonely Girl'' (2026)
===Extended Plays=== * ''A New Dawn'' (2017)
===Guest appearances=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="width:31em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |- !scope="row"|"Just Like In The Garden" |rowspan="2"|2024 |Sondae |''Pilgrim's Road'' |- !scope="row"|"When He Returns" |John Mark McMillan |{{non-album single}} |- |}
===Selected songwriting & production credits=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="width:31em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |- !scope="row"|"Closed on Sunday" |rowspan="3"|2019 |rowspan="6"|Kanye West |rowspan="3"|''Jesus Is King'' |- !scope="row"|"Water" (featuring Ant Clemons) |- !scope="row"|"God Is" |- !scope="row"|"Future Sounds / Ultrasounds" (unreleased) |rowspan="3"|2021 |rowspan="3"|''Donda'' |- !scope="row"|"Glory (Sierra Canyon)" (unreleased) |- !scope="row"|"Future Bounce" (unreleased) |- !scope="row"|"Metamorphosis" |rowspan="2"|2023 |Infinity Song |''Metamorphosis'' |- !scope="row"|"Telekinesis" (featuring SZA & Future) |Travis Scott |''Utopia'' |- |}
== Tours == === Supporting === * ''Sum Of My Music Tour'' (2018) * ''The Kaleidoscope Tour'' (2023)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyd, Victory}} Category:Singer-songwriters from Michigan Category:Roc Nation artists Category:Singers from Michigan Category:African-American songwriters Category:African-American record producers Category:Record producers from Michigan Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people