The daughter of a musical family, Ledisi's mother may have been the biggest influence on her daughters life as she, herself was an R&B singer from Louisiana. One of the youngest performers for the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra, Ledisi began her music career at the young age of eight years old and has yet to look back. Being both a blues singer and acting in many theatre productions, she continues to be a driving force in the blues and R&B music genre.

Ledisi

Be a man not a boy running from the truth.

New Orleans Blues

The daughter of a musical family, Ledisi's mother may have been the biggest influence on her daughters life as she, herself was an R&B singer from Louisiana. One of the youngest performers for the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra, Ledisi began her music career at the young age of eight years old and has yet to look back. Being both a blues singer and acting in many theatre productions, she continues to be a driving force in the blues and R&B music genre.

Starting Out

Forming her own group in the early 1990's named Anibade that consisted of Sundra Manning on keyboard, Cedricke Dennis on guitar, Nelson Braxton playing base, Rob Rhodes on drums, and Wayne Braxton on the saxophone, the group started a sound mixed between blues and hip hop. Gaining some recognition with the demo Take Time that got airtime on local radio stations, Ledisi tried very hard to get a deal with a record label during that time but found disappointing news time and time again in her search. However, determination would prevail and although she was having no luck signing to a record label, the group did grind out their first studio album titled Soulsinger: The Revival, which she released under her own label LeSun Records. A tour would follow to promote this new release and after the tour the group went back into the studio.

Going for Gold

The release of the second studio album called Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue, another independent release in 2002, Ledisi eventually would gain acclaim in 2003 when the album won the Outstanding Jazz Album at the California Music Awards. After the release of her second album, Ledisi decided she needed to regroup and re-evaluate where she was going. Over the next five years she sang back up and joined other bands for temporary shows to afford her a lifestyle all the while refining her style.

Finally, she thought it had been long enough and released her third album called Lost and Found. The single Allright, off of her third album was the lead single that made it to the Billboard Hot R&B Chart and made its way to number forty five. The album would go on to earn her a Grammy nomination is the category of Brand New Artist in 2007 although she did not win. In 2008 Ledisi toured the nation promoting the album, which would eventually sell over two hundred thousand copies by January of 2009.

Also around the holidays of 2008, she released a Christmas album titled It's Christmas and one of the singles off of that album ended up on the Hot R&B Charts at number one thirteen. A fourth studio album was released in 2009 called Turn Me Loose in August. Among those listed on production of the album was rhythm and blues musician Rahpael Saddiq and Jimmy Jam, along with several others.

Awards

Although there have not been a lot of televised appearances for her song writing career, Ledisi has won various awards for her music. Although she did not win, she was nominated the BET award in 2008 in the category of Cool Like Dat and again in 2008 by the BET J Virtual Awards for female artist of the year. She won another award at the California Music Awards in 2003 for Outstanding Jazz Album for her album Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue.

Other Grammy nominations would go on to include Best R&B Album for Turn Me Loose in 2010 along with the nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her single Goin' Through Changes also in 2010 and the album is available on many music download sites across the internet. In 2008 she also received nominations at the Grammy's for Best New Artist and Best R&B album although she won neither of the categories. In 2009 she was nominated for Best R&B/Soul Female Artist at the Soul Train Awards yet again, did not manage to win in the category.

Current

Currently, Ledisi is working and touring for her album Going Through Changes. She will be wrapping up her tour in the early spring of 2010 at the 44^th Annual New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. After a break from the life on the road, many believe that she will head back to the studio to begin working on her next album. With her style revamped and her heart back in doing what she does best, Ledisi will hold a lifetime achievements long before her music career comes to an end, and for her many adoring fans, this cannot come any sooner.

Did You Know

• She played in the movie Leatherheads and was rumored to be hand picked by George Clooney himself.
• She starred in a production of The Wiz while living in California.

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