Pantages

What sets the acclaimed R&B and soul singer-songwriter, Leela James apart is her fearless approach to music. “The best artists stay true to who they are, no matter the scale,” she believes. These values have allowed Leela to remain a consistent figure in R&B, still topping the charts with a discography of quality soul music spanning nearly two decades. Leela’s music is a constant reminder of what it is to be human — to love, to regret and to dream. Leela’s stellar career first began when she burst onto the scene in 2006 with her debut album, A Change is Gonna Come. She has since released seven albums, toured successfully across the US and Europe with some of the biggest names in music. She performed her classic, “Fall For You” on the ABC hit show, “Dancing with the Stars,” and starred on TV1s “R&B Divas: Los Angeles,” along with several guest appearances on a host of shows.

Leela’s talents are undeniable amongst her peers in the industry, and her music continues to resonate with core fans today. This songbird has earned countless spots on the Billboard charts, including No. 1 on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay Charts and in 2021, the No. 8 Billboard Urban Adult Song of the Year for the hit single “Complicated.” Leela’s classic albums have also earned her the Soul Train “Centric Soul Award” and nominations for “Outstanding New Artist” and “Best R&B Collaboration” at the NAACP Image Awards (2008), “Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist” at the Soul Train Music Awards (2008) and scoring her first award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for her 2014 classic wedding song, “Fall for You,” now certified Gold, selling more than 500,000 equivalent units.

The soul singer, coined by James Brown as the God-Daughter of soul, has always had a natural ability to communicate a mixture of emotions with the husky and bluesy tone of her voice and was nicknamed “Baby Etta,” after Etta James, growing up as a child in Los Angeles. In 2012 she released, “Loving You More…In the Spirit of Etta James,” an album in tribute to her idol. Leela’s other musical influences range from soul to funk, and jazz, including legends like Chaka Khan and Al Green. The songstress continues to rock crowds performing an array of classics and new hits, including the latest single, “Right Back In It.”

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