We caught up with the sexy and soulful LEELA JAMES for a quick interview, we asked her A few questions about where she’s from, her music, the industry and who she would like to work with.

NOWWUT.COM: Where are you from?

LEELA JAMES: South central L.A. born and raised, I live in Houston, Texas now, that’s where my family is originally from the Texas/ Louisiana area.

NOWWUT.COM: At what age did you know you had a gift?

LEELA JAMES: That’s kind of hard because I’ve been singing since I was really young. I don’t think it was really taken seriously by anybody, because there were a lot of singers in my family. High school is probably when people realized that I had something more than the norm, that’s when it became a serious thing.

NOWWUT.COM: Do you remember the first to you made someone say” Where did that voice come from?”

LEELA JAMES: Yeah, that was in church, people were surprised to hear me because I was so little and quiet.

NOWWUT.COM: How did you get signed to STAX RECORDS?

LEELA JAMES: That was done through my management, they made the deal happen.

NOWWUT.COM: Do you feel that Stax will put the proper marketing and promotion behind your project?

LEELA JAMES: Yes, they will.

NOWWUT.COM: In what part of the country do you find that people listen to your music?

LEELA JAMES: In the east is where my music is being played and is well received. Even though I live in Houston, a lot people here are just realizing I sing. But the buzz is hitting the south and west coast.

NOWWUT.COM: With artist like Sade and Maxwell making strong returns, what do you feel the new generation of singers can learn from them?

LEELA JAMES: They are both incredible artists for one, and the ability for them to be gone for the time they were and come back and be as successful is a testament to the quality of music they put out. We can all take a page out of their books about focusing on the quality of the music over the quantity.

NOWWUT.COM: What do you know about the music business now that opened your eye’s to the industry?

LEELA JAMES: That it’s mostly bad business. So it’s very little music and a lot of bad business.

NOWWUT.COM: Bad business?

LEELA JAMES: UHH HUHH! ( LAUGHING )

NOWWUT.COM: Who would you like to work with on a song, be it here or gone?

LEELA JAMES: There are a few people I would like to work with but I would really like to work with Prince.

NOWWUT.COM: His purple reignness.

LEELA JAMES: Yup. (Laughing)

NOWWUT.COM: How will your music turn heads in this industry?

LEELA JAMES: Well just my vocal delivery is different, my sound is a little more than what people might expect coming from an female R&B artist. It’s a much more grown, throw back sound that I have.

Her upcoming album entitled “MY SOUL” will be released this summer

You can read her bio at www.leelajames.com
LEELA JAMES will be performing:

4/16 – Phila, PA (Keswick Theater) *

4/17 – Baltimore, MD (Lyric Opera House)

SHE WILL BE OPENING UP FOR ANGIE STONE ON BOTH DATES.

Please go out and support a true talent, she has that good soul cooking voice you need to hear.