Lalah Hathaway | |
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 Hathaway in 2021 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Eulaulah Donyll Hathaway (1968-12-16)December 16, 1968 (age 56) |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
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| Website | lalahhathaway |
Lalah Hathaway (born December 16, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter and music producer.[1] Credited as the "First Daughter of Soul",[2][3] she is the first-born daughter of musician and soul singerDonny Hathaway.[4]
She rose to fame in the 1990s with the release of her debut self-titled album,Lalah Hathaway (1990). The album's lead single "Heaven Knows" peaked in the top-five on the USBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[5] Her follow-up albumA Moment (1994) failed to make a commercial impact and ultimately released Hathaway from her recording contract withVirgin Records. In April 1999, she briefly re-emerged with her third albumThe Song Lives On, a collaborative album with musicianJoe Sample. After another hiatus, Hathaway released her fourth albumOutrun the Sky (2004). The album's lead single "Forever, for Always, for Love" peaked at number one on the USAdult R&B Songs chart.[5] She later released two albums:Self Portrait (2008) andWhere It All Begins (2011) onStax Records.
In 2014, Hathaway's song "Something", featured onSnarky Puppy's albumFamily Dinner – Volume 1 (2013), won aGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance at the56th Annual Grammy Awards.[6] Her song "Jesus Children" secured aGrammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015.[6] In October 2015, she released alive album. The album spawn a cover version ofAnita Baker's song "Angel", which became Hathaway's second number-one song on the US Adult R&B Songs chart.[5] The success of the project garnered three Grammy Awards; including aGrammy Award for Best R&B Album.[6] She has since released two albumsHonestly (2017) andVantablack (2024) on her independent label Hathaway Entertainment.
Hathaway received an honorary doctorate fromBerklee College of Music in 2022.[7]
Eulaulah Donyll Hathaway was born on December 16, 1968, inChicago, Illinois, to Eulaulah Hathaway (née Vann),[8] a classically trained vocalist and session singer, andDonny Hathaway, a musician and soul singer.[9] Lalah's younger sister,Kenya Hathaway, is also a singer. She also has a half-sister named Donnita Hathaway. Hathaway's father Donny Hathaway died when she was ten years old. Lalah attended theAmerican Conservatory of Music where she learned piano.[9] She wrote her first songs while attendingChicago Academy for the Arts.[9] She later enrolled inBerklee College of Music.[9]
In 1987, Hathaway released her debut single "Inside the Beat" on Allegiance Records. She released herself-titled first album in June 1990, onVirgin Records. The album peaked at number 191 on the U.S.Billboard 200 and number 18 on the USR&B Albums chart.[5] The album's first two singles "Heaven Knows" and "Baby Don't Cry" peaked in the top twenty on the USHot R&B Singles chart.[5] Despite positive reviews from music critics and performances on American musical variety television showsShowtime at the Apollo andSoul Train, the album failed to become a commercial success.[10][11] In March 1991, Hathaway recorded a song "Night and Day" for a commercial by Japanese cigarette companyMild Seven. The song was exclusively released in Japan as a single without Hathaway's consent. In July 1991, Hathaway released a cover version ofSly and the Family Stone's song "Family Affair" onBritish Electric Foundation's albumMusic of Quality and Distinction Volume 2. The song peaked at number thirty-seven on theUK Singles Chart.[12] In 1992, Hathaway appeared as a featured vocalist on American jazz saxophonistGrover Washington Jr.'s albumNext Exit. The single "Love Like This", which featured Hathaway, peaked at number thirty-one on the Hot R&B Singles chart.[5]
In May 1994, she released her second albumA Moment, which only peaked at number forty on the US Top R&B Albums chart.[5] The album's lead single "Let Me Love You" reached number thirty-seven on the Hot R&B Singles chart.[5] After the album's second single "Separate Ways" failed the chart, Hathway was dropped from Virgin Records.[13][14]
In 1996, Hathaway performed a rendition of jazz standard "Summertime" forMarcus Miller's live albumLive & More. Through her friendship with Miller, Hathaway was introduced to American musicianJoe Sample.[13] In 1999, Hathaway signed a one-album deal withGRP Records, a jazz record label which featured Joe Sample on its roster.[13] In collaboration with Sample, Hathaway released her third albumThe Song Lives On in April 1999.[15]The Song Lives On peaked at number two onBillboard'sJazz Albums chart and at number fifty-three on the US Top R&B Albums chart.[5] The album's lead single "When Your Life Was Low" peaked at number twenty on the USAdult R&B Songs chart.[5]
In 2003, Hathaway signed with Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings. She released her fourth albumOutrun the Sky on October 5, 2004, which peaked at number thirty-four onBillboard'sTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[5] The album's lead single "Forever, for Always, for Love" became her first number one song on the USAdult R&B Songs chart.[5] The follow-up single "Better and Better" peaked at number twenty-one.[5] In May 2005, she embarked on the Daughters of Soul Tour alongsideSandra St. Victor,Nona Hendryx,Joyce Kennedy,Lisa Simone, and Indira Khan.[16]
In 2007, Hathaway signed a two-album recording contract withStax Records. In March 2007, Stax Records released a tribute albumInterpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire, which featured Hathaway's cover version ofEarth, Wind & Fire's song "Love's Holiday".[17][18] In April 2008, Hathaway released the single "Let Go",[19] which peaked at number fifty-one on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number sixteen on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[5] Two months later, Hathaway released her fifth albumSelf Portrait in June 2008. The album debuted at number sixty-three on the USBillboard 200 and number six on the USTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums; her highest charting debut during that time.[5][20] In October 2008, "That Was Then" was released as the second single and peaked at number thirty-two on the US Adult R&B Songs chart.[5] The song was nominated forBest Female R&B Vocal Performance at the52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010; her first Grammy Award nomination.[6] In November 2008, Hathaway toured alongsideWill Downing andGerald Albright for the Soulful Christmas Tour.[21]
In 2010, Hathaway collaborated with American musicianKirk Whalum on the song "He's Been Just that Good" for his albumThe Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter III. The song peaked at number twenty-one on the USGospel Airplay chart.[5] "He's Been Just that Good" also earned a nomination forBest Gospel Performance at the53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011.[6] In October 2011, Hathaway released her sixth albumWhere It All Begins.Where It All Begins became her highest-debuting album on the USBillboard 200, peaking at number thirty-two.[5] The album's lead single "If You Want To" peaked at number twenty-four on the Adult R&B Songs chart. The album's follow-up single "You Were Meant for Me" peaked at number twenty-nine on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[5]
In September 2013,Snarky Puppy released their studio live albumFamily Dinner – Volume 1, which features a collaborative performance of Snarky Puppy and Hathaway on a re-recorded version of Hathaway's song "Something". The song won aGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance at the56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014.[6] In October 2013, Hathaway featured on the song "Jesus Children" forRobert Glasper's albumBlack Radio 2. The song won aGrammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015.[6]
In October 2015, Hathaway released her live albumLalah Hathaway Live oneOne Music.[22] The album became her highest-debuting album on the USTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[23][24] debuting and peaking at number two.[5] The album's lead single "Little Ghetto Boy" won aGrammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016.[6] The album's second single "Angel", a cover version ofAnita Baker's song, became her second number-one song on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[5] The song held the top position for nine weeks.[5] Hathaway's version of "Angel" won aGrammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017.[6] Her live album also won aGrammy Award for Best R&B Album.[6]
In July 2017, she released a single titled "I Can't Wait" which peaked at number twenty on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[5] On October 20, 2017, she released her seventh albumHonestly on her own independent label Hathaway Entertainment. The album peaked at number nine onBillboard'sIndependent Albums chart.[5] In June 2018, she released a deluxe edition of her albumHonestly. In 2021, Hathaway was featured on the song "Coastin'" forBoney James' albumDetour.[25] "Coastin'" peaked at number seventeen on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[5]
In June 2024, she released her eighth albumVantablack on her own record label Hathaway Entertainment. On November 8, 2024, Hathaway headlined the Palm Springs Women's Jazz Festival which was held at the Annenberg Theater inPalm Springs, California.[26]
So some folks know the Joe Sample or the Kirk Whalum records, and they think I'm a jazz singer. There are people that know about the Donald Lawrence and the John P. Kee and Take 6 records so they think I'm a gospel singer. Others know about the Mary J. Blige or the Snoop records or the Kendrick records so they think I'm like an R&B singer or whatever that is called now. They've heard records with Gregory Porter and they think I'm a neo soul singer or they’ve heard records with Jose James and they think I'm a neo soul singer. Wherever folks are on their path, wherever they meet me, that's what they think that I do and that is okay for me because I do all of those things.
Hathaway's voice is classified as acontralto.[27] Music critic Alex Henderson ofAllMusic described Hathaway's voice as "a big vocal range, but also plenty of charisma, passion, and charm to go with it."[10] She is also known formultiphonic singing which allows her to "split" her voice and sing several notes at the same time.[28] Hathaway's method generates two distinct pitches from the vocal folds directly.[29][30]
Her music includes various styles of musical genres such ascontemporary R&B,[31]neo soul,[31]funk,jazz,[31]pop,[32] andgospel.[31][33] Her debut albumLalah Hathaway (1990) followed a contemporary R&B sound, while her third albumThe Song Lives On (1999) featured a jazz sound. Hathaway also continued performing jazz music on Kirk Whalum'sThe Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter III (2010) and Boney James' "Coastin'" (2021).[25]
Hathaway has always cited her fatherDonny Hathaway as a major musical influence.[34][31] Hathaway has covered several of her father's songs including "Little Ghetto Boy", "You Were Meant for Me", and "This Christmas"; the latter of which was recorded as a posthumous duet with Donny Hathaway using with instrumentation and unreleased vocals by Donny from an unreleased demo of the song from 1970.[34][35] Hathaway and her sister Kenya Hathaway performed "Where Is the Love" at the Grammy Salute To Music Legends in 2019.[36][37]
Hathaway also citesMiles Davis as another major music influence. In an interview withDownBeat, Hathaway stated, "I never met Miles, but he was a huge influence. I see myself as a vocalist who improvises, which I got from Miles.Kind of Blue is at the top of my [list of] 10 Desert Island albums. Miles plays pure."[38] Hathaway was heavily influenced byElla Fitzgerald, and once said "She helped me define my voice as an instrument."[8] Her other musical influences includePrince,Joni Mitchell,Stevie Wonder,Marcus Miller,Anita Baker,Luther Vandross,Chet Baker, andPatti LaBelle.[39]
In 2015, Hathaway founded her own entertainment company Hathaway Entertainment which formed as an imprint based fromeOne Music, the company began as a production unit for music and videos in 2017. The company has distributed Hathaway's albums such asLalah Hathaway Live (2015),Honestly (2017), andVantablack (2024).[9]
Hathaway was a national ambassador forSusan G. Komen's Circle of Promise; abreast cancer organization.[40] The Circle of Promise campaign aimed to educate and mobilize the African-American community in the fight against breast cancer.[40] Although Hathaway no longer serves an official ambassador, she continues to encourage women about the cancer.[40] In 2022, Hathaway partnered with the Wesley Community Service Center (WCSC), to raise money for an education facility, which will house aHead Start program and other community services forPortsmouth, Virginia andHampton Roads residents.[41]
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "That Was Then" | Nominated | ||
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "He's Been Just That Good" | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B Performance | "Something" | Won | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "Jesus Children" | Won | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "Little Ghetto Boy" | Won | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "Angel" | Won | ||
| Best R&B Album | Lalah Hathaway Live | Won | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "Made for Love" | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B Performance | "Y O Y" | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B Album | Honestly | Nominated | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "No Lie" | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B Album | Vantablack | Nominated | ||
| Best Traditional R&B Performance | "Uptown" | Pending |
| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centric Certified Award | — | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B/Soul Female Artist | — | Nominated | ||
| Soul Train Certified Award | — | Nominated |
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