caption website associated_acts years_active birth_name birth_place label article_title landscape background birth_date genre image origin name occupation
leela james live at stockholm jazz festival . -lsb- http://www.leelajames.com/ www.leelajames.com -rsb- pete kanye west , raheem devaughn rock , raphael saadiq , wyclef jean , 2003 -- present leela james los angeles , california , united states warner management , j & t records bros. , shanachie , stax , bmg rights leela james
 yes solo_singer 2 june 1983 soul , r & b , blues leela . jpg james - jazz festival 2009 -lrb- 1 -rrb- los angeles , ca leela james singer-songwriter
leela james

leela james -lrb- born june 2 , 1983 in los angeles , california -rrb- is an american r&b and soul singer-songwriter .
james cites singers james brown , roberta flack , toni braxton , marvin gaye , donny hathaway , gladys knight , mavis staples , and stevie wonder as her influences .
her deep , rich , gritty vocals have drawn comparisons to aretha franklin , chaka khan , toni braxton , and tina turner .
