Ledisi

Ledisi
Ledisi in 2024
Ledisi in 2024
Background information
Birth nameLedisi Anibade Young
Born (1972-03-28) March 28, 1972 (age 52)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • author
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano
Years active1990–present
Labels
  • Listen Back Entertainment
  • BMG
  • Verve
  • LeSun Music
Websitehttps://www.ledisi.com/

Ledisi Anibade Young (/ˈlɛdɪsiː/; born March 28, 1972),[1][2] 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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5] 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).[6]

In 2020, Ledisi formed her own record label Listen Back Entertainment and released her album The Wild Card. The album's single "Anything for You" won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[5] She released three more albums on her label including Ledisi Live at The Troubadour (2021), Ledisi Sings Nina (2021), and Good Life (2024).

Aside from music, Ledisi has embarked a career in film and television as an actress. She portrayed gospel icon Mahalia Jackson in the films Selma (2014) and Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (2022). Other roles include a guest appearance as Patti LaBelle in the BET docudrama American Soul, a cameo appearance as a choir member in the FX drama Pose (both 2020), as well as co-starring as Gladys Knight in the film Spinning Gold (2023). She is also starred in her first Hallmark original movie All Saints Christmas (2022).

  1. ^ "The Evolution Of Ledisi". Bet.com. Black Entertainment Television. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  2. ^ Tillet, Salamishah (July 20, 2021). "Nina Simone Saved Ledisi's Life. Now She's Paying Tribute on an Album". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Kellman, Andy. Ledisi Biography at AllMusic
  4. ^ Keepin’ the Booty Big. East Bay Express. Retrieved on July 18, 2024
  5. ^ a b "Artist: Ledisi Young". Grammy.com. Recording Academy. 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Ledisi Discography at AllMusic