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	(1983-06-02) June 2, 1983 (age 42) 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 (born June 2, 1983), known as Leela James, is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for her R&B and soul songs. Leela was born in Los Angeles, California.

Leela James' Music Journey

Early Steps in Music

Leela James started her music career in 2000. Her first big appearance was on the soundtrack for the movie Bait. She sang on a song called "Work" with a group called the Roots. At that time, she was known as Alechia James.

In 2004, Leela went on tour. She opened shows for famous groups like the Black Eyed Peas and singer Macy Gray. That same year, she sang on a song called "No Tears" for Pete Rock's album Soul Survivor II. In 2005, she sang with the legendary Ray Charles on the song "Compared to What." This song was released after Ray Charles had passed away.

First Album and New Sounds

Leela's first album was called A Change Is Gonna Come. It came out on June 21, 2005. Leela helped write most of the songs on this album. She also sang cover versions of two famous songs: "Don't Speak" by No Doubt and "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Many well-known artists, like Kanye West, helped her with this album.

In 2006, Leela sang on the song "Stronger" for Robert Randolph and the Family Band's album Colorblind.

New Labels and More Albums

After working with Warner Bros. Records, Leela joined an independent record company called Shanachie Records. Her second album, Let's Do It Again, was released on March 24, 2009. This album was special because it was a collection of cover songs. It was a tribute to the Staple Singers.

In June 2009, Leela also sang on the song "Walk with Me" for Moby's album Wait for Me.

Her third album, My Soul, came out on May 24, 2010. This was her first album with the Stax label. It quickly became popular, reaching No. 7 on the US Hip Hop/R&B chart. Leela wanted this album to show all her different music styles. She also wanted to add more hip hop sounds to her traditional R&B music.

Tribute Albums and Chart Success

On July 31, 2012, Leela released her fourth album, Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James. This album was a special tribute to the famous singer Etta James. It was released by Shanachie Records.

Her fifth album, Fall For You, was released on July 8, 2014. Two songs from this album, "Say That" and "Fall For You," became very popular. They both reached the top 15 on the Billboard Urban AC charts. "Fall For You" even reached No. 12. Leela toured all over the country to support her album. She performed at big events like the Essence Music Festival.

Leela's 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 released "Complicated." This was the first song from her seventh album, See Me. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart.

Television Appearances

In 2014 and 2015, Leela James was on a reality show called R&B Divas: Los Angeles. It was shown on the TV One network. She was part of seasons 2 and 3 of the show.

Musical Influences

Leela James has said that many great singers have inspired her music. Some of these artists include James Brown, Roberta Flack, Toni Braxton, 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