Lady

Lady formed in 2009, when vocalists <a href="spotify:artist:0x8TJV6fy1BwsZUpHJC13S">Terri Walker</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3opP52YUU3kBoPizkJETnm">Nicole Wray</a> met in New York City and decided their mutual love of late-'60s and early-'70s soul was strong enough that they should join forces. Both women had extensive backgrounds in the music business prior to their starting up Lady. <a href="spotify:artist:0x8TJV6fy1BwsZUpHJC13S">Walker</a>, who hails from London, recorded four solo albums, with 2003's Untitled nominated for the Mercury Prize; worked with <a href="spotify:artist:0rlS0SzVFk8BoiAW0fGBbN">Salaam Remi</a> on a side project entitled Champagne Flutes, and did backup vocals for <a href="spotify:artist:3r17AfJCCUqC9Lf0OAc73G">Fergie</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:35GL8Cu2GKTcHzKGi75xl5">Jennifer Hudson</a>. Virginia native <a href="spotify:artist:3opP52YUU3kBoPizkJETnm">Wray</a> made an auspicious debut providing vocals on <a href="spotify:artist:2wIVse2owClT7go1WT98tk">Missy Elliot</a>'s Supa Dupa Fly album in 1997 (when she was just 17), then went on to release a solo album under the name <a href="spotify:artist:3opP52YUU3kBoPizkJETnm">Nicole</a> (1998's Make It Hot) before turning primarily to work as a hired vocalist. She appeared on <a href="spotify:artist:7iMvwE8qANp3aIfAGKEAwS">Cam'ron</a>'s Purple Haze, <a href="spotify:artist:0fA0VVWsXO9YnASrzqfmYu">Kid Cudi</a>'s Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, and <a href="spotify:artist:7mnBLXK823vNxN3UWB7Gfz">the Black Keys</a>' Brothers (she had also featured heavily as a member of <a href="spotify:artist:7mnBLXK823vNxN3UWB7Gfz">the Keys</a>' side project <a href="spotify:artist:193xIEtje6LUhfsFZvGjpM">Blakroc</a> in 2009). The two experienced singers teamed with two of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Truth+%26+Soul+Records%22">Truth & Soul Records</a>' founders Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman. Both had experience crafting authentic retro soul for artists on their label like <a href="spotify:artist:3MAzDpqE01xyUmzNsc0Ee0">Lee Fields</a> and El Michaels Affair, but also worked with <a href="spotify:artist:2yQf6b8hxahZaT5dHlWaB1">Raekwon</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6FD0unjzGQhX3b6eMccMJe">Ghostface Killah</a>. Fittingly, Lady's sound combines the old-school sound of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Motown%22">Motown</a>, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Stax%22">Stax</a>, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Atlantic%22">Atlantic</a>, with a modern, hip-hop-savvy approach. After the release of two singles ("Money" in late 2012 and "Get Ready" in early 2013), Lady's self-titled album came out on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Truth+%26+Soul%22">Truth & Soul</a> in March of 2013. Later that year, <a href="spotify:artist:0x8TJV6fy1BwsZUpHJC13S">Walker</a> left the group amicably and <a href="spotify:artist:3opP52YUU3kBoPizkJETnm">Wray</a> continued on with the addition of two background singers for live shows. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi