ICYMI: #WomanCrushWednesday IG Live featuring Lady A

“Lady A” Photo Credit: Dawn Lurcrisia-Johnson

BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer

When it comes to giving back to their community and radiating beautiful positivity, no one does it quite like Lady A.

Known as the “Hardest Workin’ Woman” in Blues, Soul, Funk, and Gospel, Lady A was born and raised in Seattle, Washington surrounded by family whose musical inclinations helped to lay the groundwork for her future career.

Lady A got her start singing in a children’s choir, eventually moving her way up to Choir Director at the age of 16. Later, after trying her hand as a backup vocalist with a local band, she decided to start her own, called Lady A and the Baby Blues Funk Band. However, she soon found that she was unhappy with being a full-time musician.

“I was letting the men in my band lead me instead of leading myself,” Lady A recalled.

At the time, she did not write much of her own music and realized that she was not singing the music she wanted to sing. It was not until she reached the verge of quitting her music career that she was able to pull herself back and embrace the musician she truly wanted to be.

Today, Lady A writes most of her own music and enjoys collaborating with other artists. In fact, she plans to release a new album next year titled Collaborations.

When it comes to her live performances, Lady A says that she doesn’t want to just get on stage and sing. “I want everyone there to learn something and have some fun in the meantime.” 

While the COVID-19 global pandemic has altered some plans for Lady A as it has for almost everyone, she has tried her best to adapt to the new circumstances, which included adding a home recording studio to her apartment.

During quarantine, Lady A has also taken the opportunity to meet with other blues singers on Zoom on a weekly basis.

“We come together and support one another,” said Lady A.

She is also heavily involved in giving back to her community through projects called Rhapsody Music Project and The Truth is Loud.

Rhapsody Music Project is an opportunity for Lady A to inspire and educate youth by acting as a blues vocal coach. In a similar fashion, The Truth is Loud works as a resource for white allies who want to best support the black community.

On the more musical side, Lady A has also been hosting Pop Up Concerts around Seattle. They show up at a random location, unload their equipment, and play a half hour set, then upload the performance on the Lady A YouTube channel.

In regards to a recent dispute with country band Lady Antebellum over the Lady A name, Lady A summed it up simply: “My name is who I am. It’s my brand. It’s who I worked hard to be.”

Lady A says that her name means everything to her and her brand and she will do whatever it takes to maintain that.

“If you don’t stand up for yourself, you can’t stand up for anything,” she said. 

Ultimately, Lady A always strives to maintain her motto: “Be blessed and be a blessing to someone else.”

For more on Lady A, check out our entire IG Live interview on IGTV @officialwomenwhorock  and be sure to visit her website at ladyababyblues.com.