Ledisi: Basking in Grammy Afterglow and St. Lucia-bound

By Karu F. Daniels, BlackVoices.com

Being nominated for two Grammy Awards for your debut major label album has never felt better.

Just ask Ledisi.

The rising neo-soul superstar isn't disappointed for losing out on her first Grammy nods in categories ultimately won by Chaka Khan and mainstream media darling Amy Winehouse. She counts it as a blessing.

During a recent concert at New York City's Highline Ballroom, the New Orleans-born chanteuse spoke candidly to a sold out audience about the experience of how faith in God brought her to being happy with herself even during the tough times.

And she spoke about how stepping out on blind faith got her to reach a level of musicality (and success) she never thought she could dream of.

Like an old pro, the 'It's Alright' singer performed a near two-hour set as she fought a cold and bellowed through her most treasured material with a hoarse voice.

And the crowd, mostly consisting of die-hard fans sprinkled with a mix of "newbies," ate it up.Seeing Ledisi on stage gives one a feeling of watching a music legend (in the vein of Nina Simone, Dinah Washington or Sarah Vaughan) in the making. The dread-locked soul siren, a true tour-de-force on the stage, has such a spellbinding presence.

The next week, she was chumming it up in Beverly Hills with Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Katie Holmes during an exclusive luncheon hosted by Essence magazine in Beverly Hills.

Her connection to big Hollywood superstars won't stop at that either; next month Ledisi will make her film debut in George Clooney's newest movie Leatherheads. Her version of 'The Man I Love' by the Gershwins also appears on the film's soundtrack.

On March 31st, she is slated to perform at the Los Angeles premiere for the film, which opens April 4.

The month after, she'll be serenading the masses on the shores of the beautiful West Indies as one of the featured performers for the 17th Annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival.

"This is my first time being apart of St. Lucia's Jazz Festival so I'm looking forward to it," Ledisi told The BV Newswire about the 10-day festival taking place May 2-11.

Considered one of the Caribbean's premier jazz festivals, St. Lucia Jazz attracts thousands of visitors each year to enjoy island-wide musical acts. According to tourism spokesperson Melanie Ranalli, this year's line-up will also include Dionne Warwick, Anita Baker, Dianne Reeves, Angie Stone, Michael Bolton, Air Supply, Wylcef Jean, Alex Bugnon, Najee, and Kenny Barron.

"There's always something special about performing under the sky," the Verve Records artist added. "I heard the water is warm and the people are beautiful. I can't wait to experience it for myself."

In between time, Ledisi is readying the release of her second official single, 'In The Morning,' from her critically acclaimed opus 'Lost & Found.'

<<< THE BRIDGE: Ledisi Meets Chaka >>>