Ledisi

Ledisi Anibade Young (; born March 28, 1972), better known simply as Ledisi, is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, author, and actress. Her name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba.

In 1995, Ledisi formed a band after her middle name Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get signed to a major label, she formed LeSun Music with musician Sundra Manning. She released her debut album Soulsinger (2000), which featured the single "Take Time", which gained substantial airplay from San Francisco area radio stations. In 2002, Ledisi released her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue, which won "Outstanding Jazz Album" at the California Music Awards in 2003. In 2006, Ledisi signed a record deal with Verve Forecast and released her third album, titled Lost & Found (2007). The album earned her two Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. She released six more albums on Verve: It's Christmas (2008), Turn Me Loose (2009), Pieces of Me (2011), The Truth (2014), The Intimate Truth (2015), and Let Love Rule (2017).

In 2020, Ledisi released her ninth album The Wild Card on her own record label Listen Back Entertainment. The album's single "Anything for You" won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. Ledisi's biological paternal grandfather, Johnny Ace, Her mother was raised Baptist. At the age of eight, she performed publicly with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Her performance earned a Shellie Award nomination in the same year. Ledisi was briefly part of an acid jazz group called Slide Five. Ledisi formed her own funk band called Anibade. In 2002, she released her second album Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue. The album featured jazz standards "'Round Midnight", "In a Sentimental Mood", and "Autumn Leaves (Les feuilles mortes)". The album won "Outstanding Jazz Album" at the California Music Awards in 2003. She also released a 4-track extended play titled Ledisi & Anibade – "Live" The Bootleg Recordings Vol. 1. In the same year, she reissued her first album under the title Soulsinger: The Revival, distributed by Tommy Boy Records.

2007–2010: Lost & Found and Verve Records In 2006, Ledisi secured a major record deal with Verve Forecast, a subsidiary of Verve Records. Ledisi had been recording her third album Lost & Found prior to her record deal. The album was released on August 28, 2007. Lost & Found peaked at number 10 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart and sold over 237,000 copies in the United States. The album's lead single "Alright" peaked at number 11 on the Adult R&B Songs chart. She received positive feedback from critics for her emotional performance, which was described as a "religious experience".

Her fifth album Turn Me Loose was released in August 2009, peaking atop of the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album's first single "Goin' Thru Changes" peaked at number forty-three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number fifteen on the Adult R&B Songs chart. She headlined her first major tour called the Pieces of Me Tour, which went on to play to over twenty-two sold-out shows. The success of the album earned three nominations at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song (for the song "Pieces of Me"), and Best R&B Performance (for the song "Pieces of Me").

Her seventh album The Truth was released in March 2014. The album spawned the top-ten Billboard Adult R&B Songs "I Blame You" and "Like This". It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights in Alabama, led by James Bevel, Martin Luther King Jr., and Hosea Williams. In the film and on the film's soundtrack, Ledisi performed "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". In January 2015, Ledisi released a studio live extended play titled The Intimate Truth. A month later, she embarked on The Intimate Truth Tour.

Ledisi performing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication concert in October 2011 In May 2017, Ledisi released a single titled "High". She released her eighth studio album titled Let Love Rule on September 22, 2017. Let Love Rule received three nominations at the 60th Grammy Awards in January 2018 including Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance. In October 2018, Ledisi performed "As Long as You're Mine" with Adam Lambert in an NBC broadcast, A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway. In 2019, she portrayed the Ancestor in the Off-Broadway theatre production of Witness Uganda. In the same year, she co-wrote and co-produced her residency show titled Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue, which sold out in nineteen shows.

2020–2024: The Wild Card, Ledisi Sings Nina, and Good Life In January 2020, Ledisi released her third book, Don't Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey. In June 2020, Ledisi announced the title of her ninth studio album, The Wild Card. The album was released on August 28, 2020, exactly thirteen years after her major label debut, Lost & Found. The Wild Card was the first album to be released on Ledisi's independent label Listen Back Entertainment, distributed by BMG. The album's lead single "Anything for You" became Ledisi's first number-one song on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart, remaining in the top position for two weeks. she released Ledisi Sings Nina on July 23, 2021, a tribute album to American singer Nina Simone, to favorable reviews from music critics. Ledisi Sings Nina debuted at number two on Billboard's Classical Crossover Albums chart, spending a total of fifteen weeks on the chart. At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023, Ledisi Sings Nina received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In March 2024, she released her eleventh studio album Good Life. The album's first single "I Need to Know" became her second number-one on the US Adult R&B Songs chart. The song peaked at number 14 on the US Adult R&B chart. The Love You Too Tour was announced on February 10, 2025, with dates scheduled from May 28 through June 29. In July 2025, Ledisi announced her thirteenth studio album For Dinah, a tribute album to American singer Dinah Washington. In the same month, she embarked on her European Tour. On July 18, 2025, she released the album's first single "This Bitter Earth". In August 2025, Ledisi announced the upcoming of her concert tours: Ledisi for Dinah Tour, and The Crown Tour. On October 3, 2025, Ledisi released her thirteenth studio album For Dinah. In May 2026, it was announced that Ledisi will star as Tallulah Clarke in the Broadway production of Wanted: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke.

Artistry Voice and musical style Ledisi's voice is classified as a four-octave mezzo-soprano. Music critic Salamishah Tillet of The New York Times praised her voice for its "diversity and breathtaking range". jazz, funk, pop, Her debut album Soulsinger (2000) followed a contemporary R&B sound, while her second album Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue featured a jazz sound. In an interview with DownBeat, Ledisi expressed wanting to be viewed as more than a R&B singer after the release of her album Ledisi Sings Nina (2021). "I’m not your boxed R&B singer. I’m more than that. I studied classical. It just so happens that I’m loved for R&B, but my home base goes over into all these other worlds".

Influences

Ledisi names Nina Simone as her major musical influence. In July 2021, she released a tribute album titled Ledisi Sings Nina, which features popular songs written or covered by Simone. She also credits Dinah Washington as a major inspiration, stating that Washington gave her permission to move freely, create freely, be a woman in leadership. Ledisi also recorded a tribute album titled For Dinah (2025). On February 7, 2020, Ledisi paid homage to Mayfield doing a tribute concert alongside Bilal and the WDR Big Band. Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Ledisi credited Diana Ross's performance as Dorothy Gale in The Wiz for giving her the "acting bug". In an interview with People magazine, Ledisi cited Prince as a musical influence and that he encouraged her to leave her record label.

Personal life Marriage Ledisi performing at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C. in 2023 In the early 2000s, Ledisi was married to a man whose name was not publicly disclosed. They divorced in 2003. The couple appeared on the docu-series Black Love.

Politics On November 6, 2011, Ledisi performed at the Obama 2012 Fundraiser. In March 2012, she was invited to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama for the Women's History Month Mentoring Series. On September 4, 2012, Ledisi performed at the Democratic National Convention. She performed the gospel song "I Feel Like Goin' On" for the church service at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. on January 21, 2013, at President Barack Obama's 2013 presidential pre-inauguration. Her song "Raise Up" from her album Pieces of Me was included on President Obama's Campaign Playlist. On January 19, 2017, Ledisi posted a picture of Obama, thanking him for his presidential term. In June 2023, Ledisi was invited to perform during the Juneteenth Concert at the South Lawn.

Activism

I was fortunate enough to get a full five-year scholarship to the young musicians’ program at UC Berkeley. The love and support of my mother and the generosity of donors for youth musical programs led me to where I am today. But not all children will have these opportunities. That is why the Recording Academy, along with the California PTA, the Actors Fund and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, are joining hundreds of school superintendents, arts advocates, business leaders, teachers, parents and students in calling on the Legislature to pass and Gov. Jerry Brown to sign the Arts for Every Student Act.|source= —Ledisi In November 2017, Ledisi became an ambassador for the Black AIDS Institute. She stated, "I want to work with everybody that's involved that are dealing with AIDS and HIV and AIDS/HIV prevention, anything just to spread the word about that and stop all the stigmas. I'm hoping through my voice and my platform to educate people." She also met with the Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN) and the Detroit Health Department to express concern about the disparate number of African American women with HIV compared to other demographics.

In August 2018, Ledisi spoke out about the importance of music education. She stood in support of the Arts for Every Student Act. The legislation bill establishes an incentive grant program for school districts to expand access to visual and performing arts instruction, including music, dance, theatre, media arts and visual arts. She also emphasized herself as an example of the value of arts education, and called on both the public and lawmakers to support the bill. The legislation was signed by Senator Ben Allen.

In 2021, she was elected president of the Los Angeles Chapter. In 2022, Ledisi became a professor and first artist-in-residence at Berklee College of Music, starting at the academic year of 2022–2023. Under Berklee's Jazz and Gender Justice Program, she educated academic students and created workshops.

Awards and achievements

Ledisi has earned an array of awards, honors, and nominations. These include one Grammy Award She has been the honorary musical receiptant of Americans for the Arts, EmpowHer, and Los Angeles Jazz Society. In December 2018, she was honored by the Black AIDS Institute for her work and advocacy. In August 2021, she became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. In June 2025, Billboard ranked her at number 64 on The 75 Best R&B Artists of All Time.

Business and ventures LeSun Music and Listen Back Entertainment In 1999, Ledisi co-founded the independent record label LeSun Music with musician Sundra Manning. The label's distributor is BMG Rights Management. The company has distributed Ledisi's albums including The Wild Card (2020), Ledisi Live at the Troubadour (2021), Ledisi Sings Nina (2021), Good Life (2024), The Crown (2025), and For Dinah (2025).

Production companies In 2005, Ledisi founded a production company called Ledhead Productions. In September 2016, Ledisi started another production company called Fig Street Films. In 2019, the company produced Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue, a stage production about the lives of Ledisi and Nina Simone. On November 28, 2020, Fig Street Films produced a live concert special titled Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone, which aired on American television network PBS. In 2019, Ledisi co-founded Chinwe'ya Publishing Company. The company published Ledisi's third book Don't Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey, which was released in January 2020. The Wild Card Tour (2021) Ledisi Sings Nina Tour (2021–2023) The Good Life Tour (2024) Love You Too Tour (2025) European Tour (2025) Ledisi for Dinah Tour (2025–2026) The Crown Tour (2025)

Co-headlining tours The Rebel, The Soul & The Saint Tour (2017; with Kirk Franklin) The Soul II Soul Tour (2023; with Kem)

Residencies Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue (2019)

Opening act Intimacy Tour (Kem) (2011)

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Leatherheads Blues Singer 2011 Leave It on the Floor Princess' Mother 2014 Selma Mahalia Jackson 2016 The Tale of Four Aunt Sara Short film 2021 Twice Bitten Jessica B-Boy Blues Ann Walker 2022 Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story Mahalia Jackson All Saints Christmas Lissette Television film 2023 Spinning Gold Gladys Knight 2025 Juliet & Romeo Vesante

Television Year Title Role Notes 2020 American Soul Patti LaBelle Episode: "1975" 2021 Pose Angela Episode: "Take Me to Church"

Theatre and musical + List of acting performances in theatre

1990

Dorothy Lead role; Antioch Community Theater production

The Washing Machine, The Radio Supporting role; Broadway 2019

Rain Lady, Ancestor Supporting role; Off-Broadway

Performer Main role; Ebony Repertory Theatre

Tallulah Clarke Main role; Broadway

The Walk: Accepting Your Life As It Is Now (2018) Don't Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey (2020)