Leela James (born June 2, 1983) is an African American soul singer. James cites legendary singers James Brown, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples and Stevie Wonder as her influences. Her deep, rich and, gritty vocals have drawn comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Tina Turner.

Leela James is a Los Angeles native and soul singer who cites James Brown , Roberta Flack , and Gladys Knight , among others, as influences. Her deep, rich and gritty vocals easily draw comparisons to Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. Her debut album was released on June 21, 2005, entitled A Change Is Gonna Come. The album is a soul music record incorporating the styles of 1960s and 1970s American soul singers, with a mixture of funk, R&B and gospel influences. The first single from the album,