The gritty-voiced contemporary soul singer and recording artist who has topped the Adult R&B chart multiple times in the past two decades is gearing up for her “Girl Talk” series at Houston Community College on Dec. 6.
The powerhouse Leela James emerges as a singer and a force of empowerment for young women and girls. It’s an experience designed to enrich female college students and prepare them emotionally and mentally to conquer life’s challenges in love, career, health, and wellness.
James is offering young ladies a glimpse into her journey as an artist, mother, and advocate, and hopes to expand her legacy far beyond her musical accomplishments.
She spoke to the Defender about what students should look forward to for this upcoming event.
Defender: Can you share more about your “Girl Talk” series, when it started, and its inspiration?
LEELA JAMES: My Girl Talk series started a few months back, kicking off this school year. It has been so awesome so far. We’ve been able to go to Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, and Prairie View, and we will also be headed back to TSU. It’s been exciting to sit with the young ladies, and some men come and participate.
We will be doing more work with the community college here in Houston because the HBCUs have been going so well. Also, I want to tap into the Black and Brown students and make sure everyone knows that at this point in time in their lives, they have shoulders to lean on.
We have our doors open for support and mentorship, and it’s just exciting because these college years can be an overwhelming time in a young person’s life. You want to make sure that, as someone of age who has lived a little, you can give back in the best way you can regarding support. I’m excited, and I’ve been enjoying it.
For some of the ladies that have come through so far, it was like they felt like their voices were finally heard or they were seen, and how it’s just changing their perspective and their whole idea of how they see sisterhood and just the approach even of school in this time.
Defender: What topics do you cover?
JAMES : Everything from health awareness, financial security, and awareness, mental awareness, emotional, and mental awareness. Obviously, taking care of your health is really important because this also can be a time when young people are very active, and everything is new and fun, but, you know, you want to be responsible. Therapy and self-care are encouraged, whether it’s pampering yourself, being selfish with your time, being okay with saying no, and being responsible. So, we just want to bring these tools to aid you in your journey through this time as you transition out of the college experience into the real world.
Defender: Can you share a memorable moment from your work with young girls during the tour?
JAMES: One gentleman asked if he could participate because he wanted to learn how to better communicate with women. They take away a better understanding of what that language looks like. Young people’s lives can be very complex and complicated. When that open dialogue is there, that clear communication is there, and that better understanding, it makes all the better for both guys and girls. There have been some moments where I’ve tried to motivate and inspire people, but they motivate me. I fought back tears a few times because of some of their testimonies. I see my younger self in some of them.
Defender: You dropped your ninth studio album ‘Thought You Knew’. How is preparation for that tour coming along?
JAMES: Yes, I just released a new album. I know that’s not really something we’re discussing much here, but I want to plug that in because that’s part of me and my journey. It is out right now and available on all streaming platforms. I have a tour coming out next year. I just came back off the road from Europe, and I’m going back after the top of the year.
