Ledisi,George Porter

Biography

Ledisi, born in New Orleans and raised in Oakland, California, is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, author, and actress whose name means 'to bring forth' or 'to come here' in Yoruba. Heavily influenced by soul icons like Nina Simone, she began her career in 1995 by forming the band Anibade after her middle name and independently releasing her debut album Soulsinger in 2000 on LeSun Music, which gained local airplay with the single 'Take Time.' Her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue (2002), blended jazz standards and won Outstanding Jazz Album at the 2003 California Music Awards, showcasing her early fusion of contemporary R&B, jazz, funk, pop, and soul.

Signing with Verve Forecast in 2006 marked a pivotal shift, leading to her third album Lost & Found (2007), which earned Grammy nominations including Best New Artist. She released multiple albums on Verve, including Turn Me Loose (2009), which topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and Pieces of Me (2011). Ledisi expanded into acting with roles like Mahalia Jackson in Selma (2014) and Patti LaBelle in American Soul, while returning to theater in shows like The Life directed by Billy Porter. Her first Grammy win came in 2021 for Best Traditional R&B Performance for 'Anything for You' from The Wild Card, released on her own Listen Back Entertainment label, solidifying her legacy as a versatile soul and jazz powerhouse with 14 Grammy nominations.

Ledisi's musical style evolved from R&B roots to jazz explorations, as seen in Ledisi Sings Nina (2021), a dream project honoring Nina Simone featuring the Metropole Orkest and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, praised by John Legend. Her enduring impact spans music, theater, film, and authorship, including her 2018 autobiography The Walk: Accepting Your Life As It Is Now, establishing her as a multifaceted artist over two decades.

Fun Facts

• Ledisi's band Anibade was named after her middle name, and she independently released her debut album Soulsinger after failing to secure a major label deal.
• She portrayed Mahalia Jackson in the Oscar-nominated film Selma (2014) and sang 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord' on the soundtrack.
• Her first Broadway role was as an understudy for 'Radio and Washing Machine' in Caroline, or Change, directed by George C. Wolfe.
• Ledisi won her first Grammy in 2021 for 'Anything for You,' her debut #1 on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart, after 13 prior nominations.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Nina Simone - major stylistic influence and lifelong inspiration (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [childhood onward]

Key Collaborators

• Sundra Manning - co-founder of LeSun Music label (Soulsinger (2000)) [late 1990s]
• Jules Buckley - conductor for orchestral project (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [2021]
• Adonis Rose - conductor for New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [2021]
• Lizz Wright - vocalist collaborator (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [2021]
• Lisa Fischer - vocalist collaborator (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [2021]
• Alice Smith - vocalist collaborator (Ledisi Sings Nina (2021)) [2021]
• Billy Porter - director for theatrical role (The Life (2022)) [2022]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Boots In Place (Boots In Place)
2. Buttermilk (Porter's Pocket)
3. Don Julio Rides Again (Porter's Pocket)
4. Gangs in Alamosa (Porter's Pocket)
5. Good As It Gets Anymore (Good As It Gets Anymore)
6. African Gumbo (Church of New Orleans)
7. Fall Right In (Boots In Place)
8. Tito's Dumpling Machine (Porter's Pocket)
9. Proteins & Carbohydrates (Porter's Pocket)
10. Porter 13A (Crying For Hope)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia