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ACANTHA LANG

Biography

Acantha Lang is a soul and blues artist born and raised in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, where she grew up immersed in the city's rich musical heritage, though her passion for singing was initially kindled after moving to New York City. There, she purchased her first blues CD, assembled a blues show in Harlem that helped her discover her voice, and began performing at major blues festivals in the Caribbean and Africa, overcoming severe stage fright in the process. Now based in London, her career gained momentum with songwriting contributions to Robert Randolph & The Family Band's GRAMMY-nominated album Got Soul, leading to her acceptance into the Recording Academy's 2022 member class.[1][2][4][5][6][8]

Her debut album Beautiful Dreams (2023) reached #3 on the Official UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart, earned 5-star reviews from Echoes and Soul Bag Magazine, and has amassed over 5 million streams worldwide. Lang's retro soul style draws heavily from influences like Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, and Mavis Staples, blending powerhouse vocals with funk-driven grooves, as praised by Blues & Soul Magazine. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she launched the Standing On The Shoulders Of Soul Legends YouTube series, covering classics in her living room—starting with a tribute to Bill Withers—which garnered 1.55 million views and 13 million+ video views, building a loyal fanbase without chasing viral trends.[1][3][7]

Lang has performed at prestigious venues and festivals including SXSW, Jazz Cafe (London), House of Blues and Blue Nile (New Orleans), Melkweg (Amsterdam), and Bizz’Art (Paris), with features on BBC Radio 2, Jazz FM, BBC 6Music’s A-List, and Craig Charles’ Trunk of Funk Vol. 2. Championed by DJs like Craig Charles, Trevor Nelson, and Gilles Peterson, she emphasizes authenticity, storytelling, and learning from soul pioneers over technical showmanship. A GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, she is currently preparing her second album for release in 2026.[1]

Fun Facts

  • Started her acclaimed Standing On The Shoulders Of Soul Legends series during COVID lockdown in her living room, beginning with a Bill Withers tribute after his passing on March 30, 2020.
  • Overcame severe stage fright from New Orleans roots to headline blues festivals in the Caribbean and Africa early in her career.
  • Her 9th Ward New Orleans birthplace was heavily impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
  • Debut single landed on top Spotify playlists without chasing trends, prioritizing authentic sound development.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Gladys Knight - stylistic influence shaping her soul artistry (general influence on vocals and style) [ongoing]
  • Aretha Franklin - key vocal inspiration (general influence on soul singing) [ongoing]
  • Mavis Staples - legendary voice inspiring her blues-soul roots (general influence) [ongoing]

Key Collaborators

  • Robert Randolph & The Family Band - songwriting contribution as GRAMMY-nominated songwriter (Got Soul album) [pre-2022]
  • Jimmy Bralower - co-writer and producer on song licensed to Robert Randolph (song on Got Soul) [New York era, pre-2022]

Connection Network

Current Artist
Collaborators
Influenced
Mentors
Has Page
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References

  1. shesaid.so
  2. passionweiss.com
  3. ronniescotts.co.uk
  4. blackhistorymonth.org.uk
  5. 606club.co.uk
  6. americansongwriter.com
  7. last.fm
  8. soulexpress.net

Heard on WWOZ

ACANTHA LANG has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 28, 202522:07CHRISTMAS TIME IS THE RIGHT TIMEfrom SOUL FUNK XMASWhat's Neww/ Duane Williams
Dec 28, 202522:03XMAS IN THE HOODfrom SOUL FUNK XMASWhat's Neww/ Duane Williams
Dec 22, 202508:46Vitamin Cfrom Ege BamyasiThe Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall
Dec 18, 202508:19Halleluhwahfrom AnthologyThe Morning Setw/ Scott Borne
Sep 20, 202518:28Dizzy Dizzyfrom Soon Over BabalumaBlock Partyw/ Brice Nice