The Wild Card Explained

The Wild Card
Type:studio
Artist:Ledisi
Cover:The Wild Card.jpg
Recorded:2019–2020
Genre:R&B
Length:57:46
Producer:
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The Wild Card is the ninth studio album by American singer and songwriter Ledisi. It was released on August 28, 2020, by Listen Back Entertainment, and distributed by BMG Rights Management. Her first independent album since Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue (2002) and the first project release on Listen Back Entertainment, Ledisi wrote and produced the album with Kal Banx, Ivan Barias, Phil Beaudreau, Jeff Gitelman, Robert Glasper, Cory Henry, Rex Rideout, SiR and various other collaborators.[1] [2] Sa-Roc and Cory Henry also appear as featured musicians.[2]

The album debuted at number 79 on the US Top Album Sales chart. The lead single "Anything for You" was released on April 3, 2020, and reached number one on Billboards Adult R&B Songs chart for two weeks, making it Ledisi's first song to top that chart.

"Anything for You" won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021, marking her first Grammy Award win.[3] In promotion of the album, Ledisi embarked on The Wild Card Tour,[4] and released an accompanying live album.

Background and conception

In January 2019, Ledisi departed from Verve Records and founded her own label Listen Back Entertainment. She began recording the album in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, Ledisi had recorded most of the album except two songs; one of them being a cover version of "Without You" by Badfinger.[1] Due to social distancing, Ledisi created her own home studio where she recorded and engineered the remaining songs.[1]

Release and promotion

In early 2020, Ledisi announced the new album through entertainment magazines Billboard and Rolling Stone.[1] [5] She also posted a picture imitating the mugshot of civil rights figures Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, where she replaced her mugshot number with the album's release date "0828".[6] The album was released on August 28, 2020, which coincided with the date of King's "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 as well as the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 receiving royal assent in the United Kingdom.[7]

On the day of the album's release, Ledisi held a livestream listening party via YouTube and Facebook, hosted by American radio personality Cayman Kelly. On September 2, 2020, she appeared on Good Morning America and performed "Stone". In November 2020, Ledisi appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show to promote her album and also performed "Anything for You".

Singles

"Anything for You" was released as the lead single on April 3, 2020.[8] The song was inspired by the death of her long-time music producer Rex Rideout's father.[9] The song peaked atop the US Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart for two weeks, making it her first number-one song on the chart.[10] On July 31, 2020, a duet version with PJ Morton was released.[11]

"Wake Up", which features American rapper Sa-Roc, was released as the second single on August 24, 2020.[12] [13] In February 2021, "Same Love" was released as the third single. The song peaked at number twenty-two on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[10]

Tour

See main article: The Wild Card Tour. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ledisi was unable to tour in the latter part of 2020. On September 12, 2020, she gave on a free virtual concert titled This One's for You: A Night of Ledisi Live.[4] The concert was recorded at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California and released as a live album titled Ledisi Live at The Troubadour on April 30, 2021.[14] On June 18, 2021, Ledisi announced the Wild Card Tour via her Facebook account.[4] The concert run began on October 13, 2021, at Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. The tour concluded on November 18, 2021, at Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina.[4]

Critical reception

Andy Kellman, writing for AllMusic, wrote that Ledisi "and her supporting musicians still incorporate shades of bygone eras with natural grace. Even the overtly retro moments retain a freshness, and whenever a song bears some obvious likeness, Ledisi's entrancing and singular voice – bolstered by some subtly dazzling harmonies and arrangements – is at the fore to distinguish it. A spirit of unrestrained individualism powers some of the best material."[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ledisi Regains Her Independence on 'The Wild Card' . . August 19, 2020 . August 30, 2020 . Leight. Elias.
  2. Web site: The Wild Card. . August 28, 2020 . Kellman. Andy.
  3. Web site: Ledisi Wins Best Traditional R&B Performance For "Anything For You" . Enos . Morgan . March 14, 2021 . grammy.com . Recording Academy . June 15, 2021.
  4. Web site: 2021-06-14. Ledisi Announces 'The Wild Card Tour' Dates. 2021-06-20. Rated R&B. en-US.
  5. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ledisi-interview-being-black-in-music-industry-9455147/ Ledisi Talks Being Black in the Music Industry, Soul Music & Returning to Her Indie Roots
  6. https://www.facebook.com/ledisi/posts/pfbid0WgJk5LmbeBcnNgPHhKzW729MLDBcuyvUNRs3D6jknDxKF4ZhH3KYSRMkj2zJ8gPYl Because of Them I Am “The Wild Card” 8-28-20 available at MIDNIGHT
  7. https://www.bmg.com/us/news/ledisi-number-one-billboard.html US: Ledisi scores first Number One hit on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart
  8. https://www.allmusic.com/album/anything-for-you-mw0003370682 Ledisi - Anything for You
  9. https://www.bet.com/article/f9dvlo/ledisi-release-new-song-anything-for-you Ledisi’s 'Anything For You' Comes As A Timely Reminder That Love Conquers All
  10. https://www.billboard.com/artist/ledisi/chart-history/rba/ Ledisi Billboard Chart History
  11. https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/anything-for-you-the-duet--mr0005245458 Ledisi - Anything for You (The Duet)
  12. https://www.allmusic.com/album/wake-up-mw0003417928 Ledisi - Wake Up
  13. https://open.spotify.com/album/2swYJmRpp2R7HxrlRwahxw Wake Up (feat. Sa-Roc) - Ledisi
  14. https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-troubadour-mw0003510351 Ledisi Live at the Troubadour
  15. Web site: Brian McKnight > Current Album Sales. Billboard. September 20, 2020.
  16. Web site: The Wild Card. iTunes (DE). August 30, 2020.