- Leela James【 84 songs in total 】
- Leela James (born May 22, 1983) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter.
James cites singers James Brown, Roberta Flack, Toni Braxton, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, and Stevie Wonder as her influences. Her deep, rich, gritty vocals have drawn comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Toni Braxton, and Tina Turner.
Music career
In 2004, James toured as an opening act for The Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray. That same year, she was featured on hip hop producer, DJ, and emcee Pete Rock's album Soul Survivor II, providing vocals to the track 'No Tears'. In 2005, she lent her voice to the posthumously released Ray Charles album Genius & Friends, duetting with the singer on the song 'Compared to What'.
James' debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come, was released on June 21, 2005. The album was conceived as a throwback to an earlier era of American soul music, building upon the legacy of 1960s and 1970s soul singers while incorporating elements of contemporary R&B, funk, and gospel.
In the lyrics to the album's lead single, 'Music', James laments the current state of contemporary popular music. She condemns the glorification of materialism and misogyny that has often been attributed to the lyrical content of contemporary R&B and hip hop songs while pleading for the return of the artistry, dedication, and sincerity displayed by musicians of earlier decades.
James co-wrote most of the tracks on her debut album, two exceptions being her covers of the pop rock band No Doubt's 1996 hit 'Don't Speak' and the classic title song by Sam Cooke, for which the album is named. Notable collaborators on the album include Raphael Saadiq, Kanye West and Wyclef Jean.
Leela guested on Robert Randolph and the Family Band's 2006 album Colorblind, lending her vocals to 'Stronger'.
After parting ways with Warner Bros., James signed with the independent label Shanachie Records and released her second studio album on March 24, 2009, an all-cover set entitled Let's Do It Again (the title being a homage to the 1975 soundtrack album of the same name by The Staple Singers).
In June 2009, she appeared on the Moby album Wait for Me, performing the vocal on 'Walk with Me'.
James' third album My Soul - her debut release for the Stax label - was released on May 24, 2010, and debuted on the US Hip Hop/R&B chart at #7. Speaking in May 2010 to UK soul writer Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul, she stated: 'With this album I wanted to make sure that I showed all sides of me - in terms of variety in the music and in my vocal range - while at the same time making it clear that every song deeply came from my soul. Plus I also wanted to incorporate a little more hip hop this time, and infuse it with my traditional R&B - because I felt that. By making my beats edgier and harder-hitting, I'd show there was more to me than just doing ballads and things of that sort.'
On July 8, 2014, Leela James released her fifth studio album, Fall For You. The album's first two singles, 'Say That' feat. Anthony Hamilton and 'Fall For You' both reached Top 15 on the Billboard Urban AC charts, with 'Fall For You' reaching #12. Ms. James supported her album with tours nationwide, including performances at Essence Music Festival, Arizona Jazz Fest, San Diego Jazz Fest, Capitol Jazz Fest, and more.
James' fifth album, Did It For Love was released on March 31, 2017 by Shesangz Music under license to BMG. The album has the singles 'Don't Want You Back' released on October 28, 2016, 'Hard for Me' released on February 25, 2017, 'Don't Mean a Thang' released on March 27, 2017, and a video single 'All Over Again' on May 4, 2017. The single 'Don't Want You Back' reached number 1 on Billboard' Adult R&B Songs chart on April 15, 2017, becoming her highest charting single ever.
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Song
Lyricist
Composer
Date
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1
A Change Is Gonna Come - Live Version
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2
A Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke
2005
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3
All Over Again
2017
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4
At Last
2012
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5
Baby I'm Scared Of You
Cecil Womack, Linda Womack
2009
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6
Clean Up Woman
Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid
2009
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7
Damn Your Eyes
2012
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8
Did It for Love(Provided)
2017
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9
Didn't I - Live Version
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10
Didn't I
2005
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11
Didn't I
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12
Do Me Right
2014
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13
Don't Mean a Thang(Provided)
2017
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14
Don't Speak
2005
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15
Don't Want You Back
2017
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16
Everything
2014
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17
Fall for You
2014
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18
Ghetto
Jerry Duplessis, Leela James, Wyclef Jean
2005
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19
Give It
2014
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20
Good Time (Eddie Amador Back Room Mix)
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21
Good Time - Live Version
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22
Good Time
2005
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23
Good Time
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24
Good to Love You (feat. Dave Hollister)(Provided)
2017
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25
Hard for Me(Provided)
2017
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26
I Ain't New To This(Provided)
2010
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27
I Remember(Provided)
2017
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28
I Try
Angela Bofill
2009
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29
I Want It All(Provided)
2010
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30
I Want To Know What Love Is
2009
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31
I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby(Provided)
2012
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32
I'd Rather Be With You
George Jr Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Gary Lee Cooper
2009
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33
I'd Rather Go Blind
2012
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34
I'm Loving You More Every Day(Provided)
2012
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35
If It's Wrong
Carvin Haggins, Leela James
2010
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36
It Hurts Me So Much
2012
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37
It's A Man's Man's Man's World
James Brown, Betty Newsome
2009
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38
It's Alright
Nick Ashford, Leela James, Renee Andrea Neufville, Valerie Simpson, Kanye Omari West, Gordon Williams
2005
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39
It's Over(Provided)
2010
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40
Let It Roll
2010
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41
Let's Do It Again
Curtis Mayfield
2009
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42
Long Time Coming - Live Version
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43
Long Time Coming
Dwight Grant, Leela James, Graham Nash, Kanye Omari West, Gordon Williams
2005
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44
Miss You
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
2009
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45
Mistreating Me
Erroll Garner, Johnny Burke
2005
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46
Mr. Incredible - Ms. Unforgetable
2010
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47
Mr. Incredible - Ms. Unforgettable
Raheem Devaughn, Leela James
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48
Music (Morel's Pink Noise Edit)
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49
Music - Live Version
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50
Music
Issiah Avila, Jr., Bobby Ross Avila, Louis E. Iii Brown, Leela James, Scott Steven Parker
2005
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51
My Joy (Q.H. vocal mix)
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52
My Joy - Live Version
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53
My Joy
Vikter Duplaix, Tena Dyer-lewis, Carvin Haggins, Leela James, James Poyser
2005
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54
No Tears
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55
Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
Jimmie Cox
2009
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56
Nobody Loves You Like Me(Provided)
2012
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57
Old School Kind of Love(Provided)
2012
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58
Our Love(Provided)
2017
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59
Party All Night(Provided)
2010
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60
Prayer
Leela James, Puff Ewanya Johnson, Chucky Thompson
2005
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61
Rain
Leela James, Ralph Saadiq
2005
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62
Real Talk – Relationships (Interlude)(Provided)
2017
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63
Save Me
2014
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64
Say That (Ft. Anthony Hamilton)
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65
Say That
2014
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66
Say That
2013
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67
Set Me Free
2014
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68
Simply Beautiful
Al Green
2009
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69
So Cold
Leela James, Sean Richard Marshall, Gary Spriggs
2010
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70
So Good
2014
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71
Something's Got A Hold On Me
2012
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72
Soul Food
Leela James, Robert C Jr Ozuna, Raphael Saadiq
2005
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73
Soul Will Never Die(Provided)
2012
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74
Stay with Me
2014
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75
Sunday Kind Of Love(Provided)
2012
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76
Supa Luva(Provided)
2010
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77
Take Me(Provided)
2017
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78
Tell Me You Love Me
Andrea Martin
2010
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79
The Fact Is
2010
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80
There 4 U(Provided)
2017
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81
This Day Is for You(Provided)
2017
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82
When You Love Somebody
Leela James, Puff Johnson, Al Kooper, Gordon Opharel Williams
2005
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83
Who's Gonna Love You More(Provided)
2014
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84
You Know How To Love Me
Reggie Lucas, James Mtume
2009