N'Dambi explained

N'Dambi
Birth Name:	Chonita N. Gillespie [Gilbert]
Birth Date:	1970
Birth Place:	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Instrument:	Vocals, Piano
Occupation:	Musician, singer-songwriter
Associated Acts:	Erykah Badu, Snarky Puppy, Lecrae, Keite Young
Label:	Concord Music Group2006–present, Cheeky-I (independent)1998-2019
Website:	NDambiOnline.com
Background:	solo_singer

N'Dambi is an American soul/jazz singer from Dallas, Texas.^[1]

Early life

N'Dambi is the ninth of eleven children born to a Baptist minister and missionary. Her name, "N'Dambi" means "most beautiful". Her father was a minister and singer in a quartet group. She got her professional start singing with Gaye Arbuckle, a local gospel singer, touring with Arbuckle for two years (from the ages of 18 to 20). Shortly thereafter she sang as background singer and collaborator with Erykah Badu.^{[2] [3] [4]} In the liner notes for Badu's debut studio album, Baduizm (1997), she thanked N’Dambi for her backing vocals on "Certainly (Flipped It)", calling her by her nickname, "Butterfly".^[5]

Career

Little Lost Girls Blues

N'Dambi debut soul album Little Lost Girls Blues was recorded in 1996 in Oak Cliff, a community in Dallas. It was independently released in 1999 and went on to receive critical acclaim throughout the world. It sound scanned over 20,000 units and sold over 70,000 units worldwide. The album was primarily marketed via word of mouth lifestyle marketing, press and college radio.^{[6] [7]}

Tunin' Up & Co-Siginin

This two disc set contains live recordings from Little Lost Girls Blues and new recordings. The album was recorded in Dallas with a group of local musicians. It featured Ode 2 Nina, was a tribute song to Nina Simone.

A Weird Kind of Wonderful

This album was released independently and recorded with a live band in Los Angeles, California. It has a more funk, rock, soul vibe with more influences of Mother's Finest and Tina Turner.

Pink Elephant

Pink Elephant was recorded in Santa Monica, California with producer Leon Sylvers III. N'dambi insisted the record have a modern sheen yet adhere to the sturdy influence of classic R&B and soul artists like Slave, Heatwave, Michael Jackson, Betty Davis, Isaac Hayes, Smokey Robinson, and The Sylvers. On December 2, 2010, Pink Elephant was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album.

Work with other artists

N'Dambi has collaborated with artists such as Keite Young, Down To The Bone, Lecrae and The D.O.C. She has also worked with Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicholas Payton, DJ Kemit and Snarky Puppy's Family Dinner vol. 1. N'Dambi's performance on that album earned her a SESAC Award for Best Jazz Performance.^[8]

Discography

Albums:
Little Lost Girls Blues First studio album Released: September 7, 1999 Cheeky-I Productions
Tunin' Up & Cosignin' Two-Disc Set Released: August 14, 2001 Cheeky-I Productions
A Weird Kind of Wonderful Released in Japan Released: November 16, 2005 Village Again/Coco Red Music
Pink Elephant Released: October 6, 2009 Stax Records Single: "Can't Hardly Wait"
Remixes/Singles:
"Call Me" (Yam Who reworks) Release 2003 label: Yam Who^[9] 12" Vinyl, Unofficial Release
"Can't Change Me" (Ron Trent Remix) Release 2007 label: R2Records^[10] 12" Vinyl
"If We Were Alone" with Keite Young (AaronCarl Mix) Release 2008 label Wallshaker Music^[11] 12" Vinyl

External links

• N'dambi interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2011
• Dallas Observer, 1999
• Dallas Observer, 2001
• discogs.com N'dambi Discography

Notes and References

1. Web site: N'Dambi. The Recording Academy. Grammy.com.
2. Web site: The Spirit Of N'Dambi. March 23, 2000. Rnation.com.
3. Web site: Meet N'Dambi! Badu's Back-Up Singer Makes A Name For Herself. Hellobeautiful.com. March 25, 2010.
4. Web site: N'Dambi: True Colors. Lewis, Pete. Blues & Soul. bluesandsoul.com.
5. Mitchell . Gail . 'Baduizm' at 20: Erykah Badu Explains the Album's Most Unlikely Dedications, From Steve Harvey to Craig Mack . Billboard . December 15, 2021.
6. Web site: Soul Alone. Zac. Crain. Dallas Observer.
7. Book: Eustache, Joanne. Hard Rock: Nas, Eve And Sisqo Take It To The New Millennium. February 2000. Vibe Magazine. 169.
8. Web site: N'Dambi: Interview. May 8, 2010. Soulinterviews.com.
9. Web site: N'Dambi : Call Me (Yam Who reworks). Discogs.com.
10. Web site: R2records.co.uk. R2records.co.uk.
11. Web site: Keite Young N'Dambi Backspin Musiq Presents Future Soul Sessions Vol 1. Discogs.com.