Leela James
Leela James is an American R&B and soul singer known for her powerful, gritty vocals reminiscent of Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. Born on June 2, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, she debuted with her 2005 album A Change Is Gonna Come on Warner Bros., earning NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding New Artist. James, dubbed "The Goddaughter of Soul" by James Brown, has released seven studio albums, including the Top 20 hit My Soul in 2010.
She began as a background vocalist in the 1990s and gained notice with features on soundtracks like Whatever It Takes (2000) and Pete Rock's Soul Survivor II (2004). Her debut album charted internationally and included a cover of No Doubt's "Don't Speak," while early tours opened for Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray.
James achieved her first Billboard Adult R&B Songs No. 1 with "Don't Want You Back" in 2017 and repeated the feat with "Complicated" in 2021 from her album See Me. She won a 2014 Soul Train Certified Award and received NAACP Image Award nominations in 2021 and 2025 for collaborations.
Influenced by Al Green, Chaka Khan, and Roberta Flack, her music blends classic soul with modern R&B, emphasizing emotive storytelling and vocal range across seven Top 20 R&B radio singles.
A Change Is Gonna Come
2 Music
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Bobby Ross Avila, Leela James
Producer – Bobby Ross Avila and Iz
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Leela James, We Fly Music
Written-By – Leela James, Louis "Buster Brown" II, Scott "Shavani" Parker 4:03
3 Good Time
Legal [Sample Clearance Services] – James Rainey, Music Resources, Inc., Robin Hill
Producer – Comissioner Gordon
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Gordon Williams, Kenton Nix, Leela James, Puff Johnson 4:16
4 Ghetto
Producer – Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis, Wyclef Jean
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Jerry Wonder, Leela James, Wyclef Jean
Written-By – Jerry Duplessis, Leela James, Wyclef Jean 4:47
5 Slappy Interlude 0:57
6 Soul Food
Producer – Raphael Saadiq
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Leela James, Raphael Saadiq
Written-By – Leela James, Raphael Saadiq 3:18
7 Rain
Co-producer – Jake & The Phatman
Producer – Raphael Saadiq
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Leela James, Raphael Saadiq
Written-By – Leela James, Raphael Saadiq 5:48
8 Married Interlude 1:40
9 When You Love Somebody
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Leela James, Puff Johnson
Producer – Commissioner Gordon
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Gordon Williams, Leela James, Puff Johnson
Written-By [Elements Of "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"] – Al Kooper 4:30
10 Mistreating Me
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Leela James
Producer – Aaron Harris, Comissioner Gordon
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Aaron Harris, Ahmad Lewis, Leela James 5:13
11 Don't Speak
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Leela James, Renee Neufville
Co-producer – Leela James
Producer – Comissioner Gordon
Written-By – Eric Stefani, Gwen Stefani 5:39
12 Bummy Interlude 0:52
13 My Joy
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Leela James
Producer – James Poyser, Vikter Duplaix
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, James Mtume, Leela James
Written-By – Carvin Haggins, James Poyser, Leela James, Tend Lewis, Vikter Duplaix 4:57
14 It's Alright
Arranged By [Background Arrangement] – Anthony Mills, Leela James
Co-producer – Leela James
Producer – Comissioner Gordon, Kanye West
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Gordon Williams, Kanye West, Leela James, Renee Neufville 4:03
15 Didn't I
Producer – Comissioner Gordon, Kanye West
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Kanye West, Leela James
Written-By [Portions Of "I Can't Fake It Anymore"] – D. Monda, T. Taylor 3:17
16 Prayer
Producer – Chucky Thompson
Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Chucky Thompson, Leela James, Puff Johnson 6:02
17 I Know I've Been Changed Interlude 2:05
18 A Change Is Gonna Come
Producer, Producer [Lead Vocal Production] – Comissioner Gordon, Leela James
Written-By – Sam Cooke 3:36
19 Long Time Coming
Co-producer – Leela James
Producer – Comissioner Gordon
Written-By – Gordon Williams, Leela James
Written-By [Portions Of "The Truth"] – Dwight Grant, Graham Nash, Kanye West 4:01
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 9362-48027-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 2005
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Neo Soul, Contemporary R&B
Leela James' debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come, was a powerful introduction, hailed for its raw, classic soul sound, authoritative vocals, and a welcome return to traditional R&B amidst pop music. Critics loved her "muscular, soulful" style and dedication to preserving classic soul, though some felt its length or a few tracks were minor drawbacks, overall marking it a strong statement that established her as a major new voice in soul, even if mainstream success was slow.
James was seen as regenerating and maintaining traditional American soul music with a contemporary edge, standing out from the pop-heavy scene.
Her "husky, leathery" voice and soulful delivery were consistently praised, drawing comparisons to legendary soul singers.
While featuring her own writing, the album included notable covers like Sam Cooke's title track, blending old-school vibes with modern sass.
Despite not initially hitting big with masses, it was a remarkable feat, proving her vocal talent and establishing her path for future releases like My Soul.
It received glowing reviews, with some outlets giving it perfect scores (5 stars). Reviewers found it a refreshing and uncommercialized blend of R&B, Gospel, and soul. A few found it lengthy or noted occasional "whining baby pitches" on some tracks, but these were largely overshadowed by the album's strengths.
In essence, A Change Is Gonna Come was a significant, soulful statement, positioning Leela James as a vital artist committed to authentic, classic soul music for a new generation.