By Rachel Goldman
A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS
From Leela James’ debut album Change Is Gonna Come, her voice and lyricism have served to represent and uplift the human truths in her community. This complexity is best summarized by those who know Leela best: “Her voice has been the medium by which the soul of her experience can connect to the authenticity of truth that resides in the lives of women she has never met but wholeheartedly understands. Daughter. Mother. Lover.Baddie. Friend. Queen. She is the familiarity among all women while holding the distinction of being one-of-one”. Simply put, Leela is one woman representing and appealing to other experiences; a voice for the voiceless. The title of Leela James’ new album is called “See Me” and this album makes it impossible to escape the scope of her piercing gaze. The first song, “Break My Soul”, is a mournful ode to her resilience in the aftermath of a breakup. Her love has “grown cold” and her soul is hurt, but “it’s hard to keep a real woman down”. As the rest of the album unfolds, “Break My Soul” is placed as the framework for the story that Leela is telling and the quiet power that she carries.
