Singer and songwriter Ledisi (LED-uh-see) has leaped on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at Number 10 with her new set, Lost And Found. Anticipation has been high for this major-label debut by the popular singer, who has been featured on multi-artist CD salutes to Ella Fitzgerald, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Luther Vandross in recent years.

Ledisi says all the recent acclaim is still surprising, since she has been performing for many years and released two solo albums on her own imprint with songwriter/producer Sundra Manning. At one point she even considered quitting the business altogether. She explained: "I was barely making ends meet, taking care of myself. All the money I did make was going back into keeping it afloat. Sundra and I, we started ground up--independently. We weren't affiliated with a major-label artist, I wasn't once a major-label artist, I mean, this was from the bottom all the way up. I mean, I was in hotels eating Cup O' Noodles soup and the shows would be sold out and I couldn't understand why I wasn't making any money to take care of basic things."

Hopefully Ledisi can leave the Cup O' Noodles behind as her single "Alright" climbs the urban AC radio chart, landing at Number 21 this week.


More Smooth Jazz Music News