by Terron D. Austin

Riding the winds of change can sometimes cause even the strongest to waver in their faith. As the music industry’s systematic number-crunching schemes and the multitude of new sources where a consumer can discover new music all seem to change at the drop of a dime, one thing stays the same and that’s good music. Two-time Grammy Award nominee and singer/songwriter Ledisi proves that once again she can flow right along with this period of change as she returns to the scene with her spectacular new musical offering Turn Me Loose, her fourth studio album and sophomore release on the Verve Forecast imprint of Universal Music Company.  

Ledisi fans who are familiar with her powerhouse vocals, the incredible range and versatility she possesses and that polished stage presence will find this new collection of music more than rises to the occasion. Featuring 14 stellar selections primarily written/co-written by Ledisi, Turn Me Loose shifts seamlessly from spicy soul on “Say No” and progressive R&B on “I Need Love” – courtesy of top producers Carvin Haggins, Ivan Barias and Johnny “Smurf” Smith – to the Buddy Miles’ 1970’s soul-rock classic “Them Changes,” the very song Ledisi claims she built this project on. The album, which began to take form after Ledisi’s startling six-month writer’s block, proves evident the singer’s growth and perseverance, but also catapults her further into the realm of R&B mainstays like Chaka Khan, Sade and Anita Baker. After a friend presented her with the new music, Ledisi was inspired to explore such liberation as she explained in a recent interview. 

“I had never heard it [“Them Changes”] before,” Ledisi says. “Once I heard it, I wanted to be able to be free on the new album. On my previous album, I was contained a little bit, but I said on my next project that I was going to be off the chain vocally.”  

And so the chains were broken as Ledisi chose to flex her creative muscles with more adult contemporary selections driven by exquisite production elements from high profile Grammy-winning collaborators including Raphael Saadiq (“Love Never Changes”), Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (“Higher Than This”) and Carl “Chucky” Thompson (“Everything Changes”) all detailing Ledisi’s life experiences with love, womanhood and the pressures of global fame and success.  

The New Orleans-native/Oakland resident doesn’t stray too far from what made her an instant mainstay on her Verve debut Lost & Found (2007). Instead, she continues to draw you in with her soaring vocals and a series of courageous songs like “Knockin’” – a funky, upbeat tune that easily drums up the attitude and strength of Tina Turner in her prime. Ledisi also reunites with Lost & Found contributor Rex Rideout on the lead single “Goin’ Thru Changes.” If you’re wondering if this is a new Ledisi you’re hearing, indeed it is. Today, she’s stronger than ever and more confident in her blend of rhythm and blues, classic rock, sassy soul and gospel. Even in the midst of change, Ledisi turns loose her inhibitions and goes for what she knows best – the freedom of making great, timeless music.

Terron D. Austin is a freelance editor and contributing writer currently residing in Cincinnati, Ohio.