Leela James facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leela James
James live at Stockholm Jazz Festival.
Background information
Birth name	Alechia Janeice Campbell
Also known as	Alechia James
Born	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Soul R&B blues jazz neo soul
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Warner Bros. Shanachie Stax BMG Rights Management J&T Records

Alechia Janeice Campbell, known to fans as Leela James, is an American singer and songwriter. She sings R&B and soul music. Leela is from Los Angeles, California.

Leela James' Music Journey

Leela James started her music career in 2000. She first appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Bait. She sang on a song called "Work" with the group the Roots.

Early Performances and Collaborations

In 2004, Leela toured with famous groups. She opened shows for the Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray. That same year, she sang on a song called "No Tears" for hip hop producer Pete Rock. In 2005, she sang with the legendary Ray Charles. They performed the song "Compared to What" together. This song was released after Ray Charles had passed away.

First Album: A Change Is Gonna Come

Leela James released her first album on June 21, 2005. It was called A Change Is Gonna Come. She helped write most of the songs on this album. She also sang cover versions of two famous songs. These were "Don't Speak" by No Doubt and "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Famous artists like Raphael Saadiq and Kanye West worked with her on this album.

New Labels and More Music

After her first album, Leela James joined a new record label called Shanachie Records. On March 24, 2009, she released her second album. It was an album of all cover songs called Let's Do It Again. This album was a tribute to the Staple Singers. In June 2009, she sang on the song "Walk with Me" for the artist Moby.

My Soul and Loving You More

Leela's third album, My Soul, came out on May 24, 2010. This was her first album with the Stax label. It quickly became popular, reaching number 7 on the US Hip Hop/R&B chart. Leela wanted this album to show all sides of her music. She also wanted to add more hip hop sounds to her R&B style.

On July 31, 2012, she released her fourth album. It was titled Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James. This album was a special tribute to the singer Etta James.

Recent Albums and Chart Successes

On July 8, 2014, Leela James released her fifth album, Fall For You. The first two songs from this album, "Say That" and "Fall For You," were very successful. They both reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Urban AC charts. "Fall For You" even reached number 12. Leela toured across the country to support this album. She performed at big events like the Essence Music Festival.

Her sixth album, Did It for Love, was released on March 31, 2017. The song "Don't Want You Back" from this album became a huge hit. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart on April 15, 2017. This was her highest-charting song ever.

In February 2021, Leela James released "Complicated." This was the first song from her seventh album, See Me. "Complicated" reached number 3 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. Her most recent album, Thought U Knew, was released in 2023.

Television Appearances

Leela James also appeared on television. In 2014 and 2015, she was on the TV One reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles. She starred in seasons 2 and 3 of the show.

Musical Influences

Leela James has shared who inspired her music. She looks up to many great singers. Some of her influences include James Brown, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, and Etta James.

Personal Life

Leela James is an honorary member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. She joined this group on July 27, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Discography

Studio Albums

• A Change Is Gonna Come (2005)
• Let's Do It Again (2009)
• My Soul (2010)
• Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James (2012)
• Fall for You (2014)
• Did It for Love (2017)
• See Me (2021)
• Thought U Knew (2023)

EPs

• Are You Ready? (2019) (with The Truth Band)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Leela James para niños