Ledisi turns up her sexy for new album cover

Soul vocalist, Ledisi is turning up her inner sexpot for her new album The Truth that is set to debut in March of 2014. The loc’d beauty talked to Essence about her new album cover

ESSENCE.com: Tell us about the moment you decided this is the album cover shot.
Ledisi: My original shot was even more risqué than what you see. It all came together naturally and it felt and looked like me. I was happy about that. That’s me on that cover and that’s me tongue-in-cheek being like, ‘Hmm-mmm.” I wanted people to look in my face. You never see my face. You never see my eyes. You never see me happy and illuminating. This cover is natural, it’s earthy and you can still see my face. I’ve always been heard and never seen. I once asked a lady, ‘When you think of Ledisi, what do you think?’ And she said, ‘We hear you, but we don’t remember what you look like.’ That’s why I’m making the changes I’m making. You will hear me and you will see me. It’s because image-wise I haven’t shown that.

ESSENCE.com: What do you say to people who think it may be a little risqué for your image?
Ledisi: I’ve already gotten them, from the pictures I’ve been posting on Instagram to my outfit at Black Girls Rock! It’s their box of who I am, and I get it. It’s okay because I know you love me, but I’m an artist and we grow and change to create art. This is me naturally. I didn’t go and say, ‘Oh I want to be like this person.’ No, this is my life I’m talking about. I decided I wanted to make changes for me. My hairstylist said why don’t you do something more vibrant with your hair? She gradually worked with me on that. Or, I decided to wear a red lip because I felt like it. It wasn’t the label telling me. That was me. They were shocked. This is all me changing because I wanted to. And it felt good for me. And I felt sensual. Other women, from my dance teacher to the other curvy girls in the class, made me feel sensual. Finally, showing some legs. I never showed my legs. I was always covered. And if you saw my shows you would have seen this side of me. I’ve always been this person.

Source: Essence Magazine