The release party for Ledisi's new album, "Turn Me Loose", was nothing like what I thought it would be. I expected a room full of pretentious sycophants, laughing too loudly at jokes that weren't that funny, soaking in each others' smugness. But fortunately, I was proven wrong. The venue was nice enough - it was held in the West Village at Le Poisson Rouge. The name of the establishment might suggest a plush atmosphere, but it was not like that at all.

The party was held in a very dark room with a stage, a bar and of course a VIP section. Gritty, but chic. There were a sizable amount of people there, thankfully not enough to pack the entire venue. I grabbed my usual rum and coke from the bar and looked around for some celebs - no luck. As I tapped away my observations in my notes on my iPod, Ledisi's band filed onstage, and I realized that this wasn't so much a release party where we'd be listening to recordings from "Turn Me Loose" - we were getting a live show!

Ledisi came out wearing a black, flowy, asymmetrical, off-the-shoulder number with shorts. Her energy onstage was captivating, and she connected with the crowd immediately. The way she preformed was soulful and organic - you could tell she was really in the music, and not just singing notes because someone told her. She sassed out, shaking her hands and thrashing her head, dipping away from the mic when she felt she needed to throw in a dramatic pause.

Her performance did not feel like performances I've seen from other artists. Hers was not choreographed, the inflections she made while she sang were not planned, everything seemed spontaneous. You could tell that she played a big hand in making the music - it was very personal, raw and emotional. Her set was five or six songs long, but it was a wonderful and enjoyable set nonetheless. At the end of the show she changed into a lovely floor length pinkish-red print halter dress to meet some fans - and to answer a few questions!

Jihan: How is Turn Me Loose different than your past albums?

Ledisi: This one, I think is more aggressive and free. It's very driven, more energetic and heavier on the drums.

J: Fabulous. I love drums. Now, which artists do you think have influenced your music the most?

L: Oh, Goodness, uh, well my mother played a lot of Donna Washington, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan when I was little, so I'd say they had a lot of influence on me

J: Okay, girl, I see you, those are all great artists. Now lastly… if you had to choose, would you be a pirate or a ninja?

L: WOW! Uhhhh… I think Pirate because that's closest to a gypsy!

All in all, Turn me Loose sounds like a great album, and the party for it had great vibes. I'd suggest you go out and get a copy, make yourself a drink, and relax!


Story by Jihan Forbes

Starpulse contributing writer





- Click here for more great Ledisi pictures! -

Image © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

- Click here for more Ledisi pictures! -