The legendary, multi-talented, recording artist, songwriter, music producer, writer and actress, popularly known as Ledisi was born in New Orleans and named Ledisi Anibade Young. She was brought up in Oakland, California and since her childhood has always dazzled audiences with her unmatched vocals.
Ledisi’s impact in the world of R&B and Jazz can be ascertained by the long list of her fans and admirers including but not limited to the Obama family, late icon Prince, Stevie Wonder and countless others. In the music world, Ledisi has collaborated with some of the biggest names in history of Jazz, Herbie Hancock, Vince Gill and Patti Austin.
Quick biological facts to check out
Birth: 28 March 1972
Occupation: Recording Artist, Songwriter, Music Producer, Writer and Actress
Nationality: American
Genres: R&B and Jazz
What led to Ledisi becoming a sensational vocalist?
Ledisi’s stage debut was at the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra at the small age of eight from where she relocated to Edna Brewer middle School and McChesney Junior High School in Oakland California. All through her school life, she remained a shy kid who was encouraged by her classmates to sing, in her mature and lovely voice, Deniece Williams’s rendition of Black Butterfly. This gave her confidence very early in life and allowed her to get past her embarrassment and stage fright.
As she mesmerised more and more people with her musical talents, her music career took off, and she was awarded a scholarship to the University of California Berkeley’s Young Musicians Program where she studied opera and piano for five years. She was greatly appreciated for her work in the production of The Wiz and was nominated for a Shellie Award as well. While she did not win the award, the nomination opened new avenues for her and she was offered a role in the coveted, Beach Blanket Babylong, in San Francisco.
Ledisi journey to being the icon she is today was not easy. She waited tables and worked at a record store to earn extra cash and managed this with her budding professional career. After a few years, she was a popular name in the area as she started giving frequent performances at popular venues.
How established is Ledisi in her professional life?
Ledisi’s professional life is filled with master pieces created by her. Starting out, Ledisi independently released her debut album, Soulsinger, in January 2000 under her own label called LeSun. Right from the release of her debut song, Ledisi started touring in and around the Los Angeles area where she grew up and in 2002, self published her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue. These two songs and their self publication are a testament to Ledisi’s commitment to the craft.
However, post this there was a lull in the life of Ledisi. Her third album released only in 2007 after a gap of 5 year and was called Lost & Found. At this point, Ledisi admitted that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue working in the music business. Ledisi responded by penning the song “Alright” to describe her experience. A song that was deeply personal to Ledisi shook the industry and the world and debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B chart at position #45.
From there, it was up for Ledisi. Turn Me Loose, Ledisi’s fourth studio album, peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 in 2009. The album’s lead track, “Goin’ Thru Changes,” peaked at No. 43 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs list.
She was cast as the legendary Mahalia Jackson in the Oscar-nominated film Selma in 2015. Ledisi was critically appreciated for her performance in The Tale of Four, created by Sidibe. Ledisi landed her first significant television role in the popular BET series American Soul as the iconic Patti LaBelle.
Ledisi is also an author who collaborated with Essence Magazine on her debut book, Better Than Alright: Finding Peace, Love, and Power. She self published her second book, Don’t Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey. Her publication house is called Chinweya Publishing Company. This book combines self-help with memoir. Ledisi gives advice on how to handle rejection, despair, and life in general while remaining graceful no matter what comes your way.
Ledisi, recognising her 13 year long and beautiful journey she has been through, released her new album the Wild Card, on the same day she released her critically acclaimed and deeply personal album, Lost & Found.
What are the honours and accolades received by Ledisi?
Ledisi’s accolades are a testament to the phenomenal work she has done in her two+ decade long career. The long list of achievements began way back in 2007 when Ledisi was nominated for the Grammy Awards as the ‘Best New Artist.’ Followed by this, her Pieces of Me album shook the industry she garnered three nominations for the ‘Best R&B Album’, ‘Best R&B Performance’, and ‘Best R&B Song’ categories at the 2012 Grammy Awards with this album and its lead single, “Pieces of Me.”
In 2015, her song, “Like This” secured her another nomination at the Grammys for a ‘Best R&B Performance.’ For the 60th Grammy Awards in January 2018, she was nominated for ‘Best R&B Album’, ‘Best R&B Performance’, and ‘Best Traditional R&B Performance’ in November 2017. While Ledisi did not win the Grammy, she received the Soul Train Award titled ‘Soul Certified.’
Ledisi most recently garnered two nominations for LA Alliance Ovation Awards, one of which was for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Finally, the biggest win for Ledisi was when she won the Best Traditional R&B Performance for song “Anything For You” at the 221 Grammy Awards.
How is Ledisi as an individual?
The title of the album, “Turn Me Loose,” was chosen by Ledisi to emphasise its variety of musical styles. This title gives great insight into who Ledisi is as an individual. She is someone who does not want to be boxed in. In her own words, “I do EVERYTHING, so please let me perform and sing as I am! Not just one style in particular!” Ledisi is incredibly passionate about supporting the arts. Advocating for upcoming musicians and defending the creative community’s rights.
The reason Ledisi observes Black History Month throughout the year is because she enjoys every single day of being black. Every success she has is a tribute to her ancestors, parents, walk, and the path life has given her. Ledisi is on her way to becoming a key player in the discourse about women in entertainment and she realises the responsibilities that come with it. She says, “I am now recognising my boundless potential as a businesswoman as well as a creative” and this is a testament to her immense contribution to the world of music.