Spirit of Praise is a South African gospel music group. Formed in 2008, the group is a project of the Spirit Music Group (SMG), a Johannesburg-based production and distribution company. The collective is characterised by its rotating cast of veteran and emerging soloists, large-scale live recordings, and its influence on contemporary Pentecostal-Charismatic worship.
Spirit of Praise has released eleven live volumes, winning multiple South African Music Awards (SAMA) and Crown Gospel Music Awards.
Spirit of Praise was established in 2008 by Aubrey Peacock and Matthew Nkabinde in partnership with Spirit Music Group. The project's debut, a two-volume live recording titled Spirit of Praise Vol. 1 & 2, was held at the Pretoria State Theatre in 2008 and featured artists Benjamin Dube, Keke Phoofolo, and Solly Mahlangu. These early recordings established the group's "multi-artist show" format, combining traditional African rhythms with contemporary gospel arrangements.
In 2010, the collective recorded Volume 3, followed by a significant expansion in 2012 with Volume 4, recorded at the Big Top Arena in Carnival City. Volume 4 reached multi-platinum status and won the group's first South African Music Award.
From 2014 to 2022, Spirit of Praise established a long-term recording residency at Carnival City, producing Volumes 5 through 8. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group recorded Volume 8 in 2022 at Carnival City, which featured "Thath'Indawo" performed by Mpumi Mtsweni.
In 2023, the collective moved its live recordings to the SunBet Arena in Pretoria to accommodate larger audiences, starting with Volume 9. This was followed by Volume 10 in 2024, which featured lead performances by Dumi Mkokstad and Mmatema.
In April 2025, co-founder Benjamin Dube announced his departure from the collective to focus on his independent ministry. Despite his exit, the group continued its "Next Level" trajectory, recording Volume 11 in June 2025 at SunBet Arena with a new lineup including Sindi Ntombela and Canaan Nyathi.
Spirit of Praise operates as a collective rather than a traditional choir, utilising a rotating cast of vocalists to ensure the brand remains "evergreen". Over its seventeen-year history, the "Spirit of Praise Family" has featured more than 40 artists.
In addition to formal ceremonies, the group received a Gold YouTube Award for its significant digital reach. As of 2024, Spirit of Praise was ranked among the top 100 most-streamed gospel artists worldwide by Spotify.