Leela James

(Photo by Devin Dehaven)

Leela James

Undeniably stunning & always ready to apply her vocal skills on the mic, Ms. Leela James & Stax Records Presents “My Soul” for the ‘inner soul’ folks on May 25th, 2010! Terrill & The Urban Music Scene rolled out the Red Carpet & invited Ms. James to stop by for a visit – join us for a conversation about the making of the new project, the upcoming tour dates with Angie Stone, other insightful dialogue & much more!

TERRILL:  The UrbanMusicScene.com is back at you! We have one of the best upcoming R&B songstress’ in the game. We are really excited to have for you guys this month – Miss Leela James – is in the house!  What’s happening Miss James?
 
LEELA:  I’m good, how are you?
 
TERRILL:  We’re doing good. We’re getting ready to pop open your new album here. Of course  
we know that “My Soul” is getting ready to come out May the 25th and it’s now on the Stax Record label. Talk to us about signing on to Stax Records for “My Soul.”
 
LEELA:  Yeah, it’s a beautiful thing because I signed with Stax this last Summer of ‘09, and I’m so excited to be there. It’s such a legendary label. What a perfect marriage and to end up there after not being….not really receiving the kind of support before. My thing is that I needed to be now at Stax. It’s totally where the whole soul game is. I’m just happy!
 
TERRILL:  You sound happy.  You sound very happy! I tell you what: Stax does have the Good reputation for representing the truth behind that great R&B and soul music sound. In just looking at their extensive library. About “My Soul”:  are all  of these tracks originals?
 
LEELA:  Yes.
 
TERRILL:  Talk to us about some of the producers you have decided to go with on this album.
 
LEELA: Well, I worked with some of the best trained producers on this album that I worked with from, “A Change Is Gonna Come”. I also met some new producers.  I worked with Chucky Chauncey on my first album & he did a few tracks on the new album. I worked in Atlanta down there with the Outkast people. Yes…. I just worked with some good folks and I’m pretty happy.  Oh, Carvey Ivan did a couple of tracks and I had worked with him before on the first album, so I’m just excited!
 
TERRILL:  What influences you? I mean, In playing back the album, what influences you to sing so soulful?  What brings the truth out in you to be so compelling on this album?
 
LEELA:  I think it just comes natural.  I’m asked that quite often and it’s not something that I think about. It’s not an contrived sound, it’s just natural for me to sing. That’s just what I sound like I guess when I sing and the titles are just so fitting because it’s just my soul, ‘pure and simple’. Whatever meaning it gives, it’s going to be backed up by my soul, because my soul is my voice.
 
TERRILL:  Wow. None of your music is playing into any gimmicky productions. It’s really straight up and strong.            
 
LEELA:  Thank you.  Thank you.
 
TERRILL:  Of course you’re going to be touring pretty soon to promote the new album correct?
 
LEELA:  Yes.
 
TERRILL:  Ok. One track off the album –  you worked with another guy who has a big R&B future ahead of him, Mr. Raheem DeVaughn. What was it like to work with Raheem in the studio?
 
LEELA: Oh…we had a good time working on the song. It went by really smooth and quickly. We’ve known each other for some time, and been friends and always talk about getting into the studio, doing some type of collaboration. We were just never able to make schedules work.  This go around I just happen to be in the D.C. area around the same time he was there.  I called him and I was like ‘come through’ and he came through. We were pretty much in the studio all night and that’s what we came out with.
 
TERRILL:  It was such a beautiful recording and we look forward to hearing it playback. I believe this track is called “Mr. Incredible, Miss Unforgettable”?
 
LEELA:  Yes.
 
TERRILL:  A sultry duet, that’s all right.  Going back a little bit to your previous album, you had a track at one point that stood up for who you are as an artist and that is to put out, release and sing quality ballads – quality music. Not buying into the game of worldly aspects in music – materialism and whatever may have you. Are you still standing on the same anthem for this new album?
 
LEELA:  Actually, I’m mean, I’m still staying true to what I believe is music and soulful to myself so I haven’t changed that at all.
 
TERRILL:  That’s so cool, that’s ‘Downtown’.  What are some of your biggest influences….. I mean who do you go back to as your musical influences when you get up there and sing? What you consider is inspiration to you when you grab that mic?  
 
LEELA:  I’m a huge fan of a lot of the Gospel artists. And just real soul figures. I admire Chaka Khan. And your Gladys Knights, and the Betty Wrights, and you know Aretha Franklin…your Tina Turner. I admire them.  Diana Ross, and you know, they lived and they’ve experienced things, but they were still able to sing, and sing strong. Their music just cut through, so I mean I’m inspired by that kind of stuff.
 
TERRILL:  We loved the new music video for “Tell Me You Loved Me”.  What was it like to record, produce the video?  
 
LEELA:  Doing videos: with the director of the video, and he is an excellent director, we had a good time. We shot it in one day so there wasn’t too much time wasted. We did the best that we could. I tried to do the best that I could on the video and just have fun with it. And not really worry about what folks think. To think or thought  what I should do, or what I should look like, or how I should come across.  We wanted to do what we were feeling and have some fun with it and that’s all it is. That’s what we did and hopefully people will like it.