Lalah Hathaway

Lalah Hathaway
Name	Lalah Hathaway
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Eulaulah Donyll Hathaway
Birth date	16 December 1968
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, producer
Years active	1990–present
Label	Virgin, Mesa, Stax, Concord
Associated acts	Donny Hathaway, Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller, Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy

Lalah Hathaway (born Eulaulah Donyll Hathaway; December 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and arranger known for her work in contemporary R&B, soul, jazz, and neo-soul. She is the daughter of soul singer Donny Hathaway and has recorded for labels such as Virgin Records, Mesa Records, and Stax Records. Hathaway has collaborated with artists across genres and earned recognition including multiple Grammy Awards.

Early life and education

Hathaway was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in a musical family; her father, Donny Hathaway, and her mother, Eulaulah Hathaway, provided early exposure to soul music, gospel music, and jazz. As a child she studied piano and voice, attending choir and music programs associated with institutions like the Chicago Public Schools system and local church choirs in the South Side, Chicago. She later moved to Los Angeles, California and pursued formal studies at the Berklee College of Music-affiliated programs and attended classes connected to the University of California, Los Angeles music scene to develop technique in composition and arranging.

Career

Hathaway's professional recording career began in the early 1990s when she signed with Virgin Records and released her self-titled debut album in 1990, featuring producers and musicians linked to the contemporary R&B and soul scenes. Over subsequent decades she released albums on Mesa Records and later on Stax Records, collaborating with figures such as Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller, Robert Glasper, Bobby Lyle, and members of Snarky Puppy. She charted on Billboard charts and toured internationally, appearing at venues and festivals including The Hollywood Bowl, Montreux Jazz Festival, and Newport Jazz Festival. Hathaway has also contributed vocals to soundtracks, television programs, and recordings by artists like Kenny Garrett, Wayne Shorter, George Duke, and D'Angelo.

Musical style and influences

Hathaway's style blends soul music, R&B, jazz, and neo-soul, often featuring complex chord changes, polyrhythms, and improvisational scatting informed by her jazz studies and performance work with jazz fusion artists. Her use of multi-tracked vocals and close-harmony arrangements shows influence from vocal groups and soloists such as Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and her father Donny Hathaway, as well as contemporary peers including Sade, Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, and Erykah Badu. Instrumental collaborators like Marcus Miller and Robert Glasper shaped her harmonic palette, while producers associated with Philadelphia soul and Stax Records traditions influenced her approach to rhythm and groove.

Discography

Studio albums - 1990: Lalah Hathaway (Virgin Records) - 1999: A Moment (Mesa/Blue Moon) - 2004: Outrun the Sky (Mesa/Bluemoon) - 2008: Self Portrait (Concord/HD Music) - 2011: Where It All Begins (Stax Records) - 2015: Lalah Hathaway Live (Concord) - 2017: Honestly (eOne) - 2020: Live (recordings with guest artists)

Selected notable collaborations and appearances - Duets and features with Kirk Whalum, Marcus Miller, Snarky Puppy, Robert Glasper Experiment, Common, and Kendrick Lamar on studio and live recordings. - Guest performances at concerts and televised events associated with Grammy Awards ceremonies and tribute concerts for artists such as Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack.

Awards and recognition

Hathaway has received multiple nominations and wins from the Grammy Awards, including recognition in categories such as Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Performance. She won a Grammy Award for her collaborative performance on recordings with Snarky Puppy and has been honored by music organizations such as the SoulTrain Music Awards and the NAACP Image Awards for her vocal artistry. Industry publications including Rolling Stone, Billboard, and DownBeat have profiled her work, and she has been cited in retrospectives on soul music and contemporary jazz vocalists.

Personal life

Hathaway maintains connections to musical communities in Chicago and Los Angeles and participates in educational outreach, workshops, and masterclasses at institutions such as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz and university music departments. She has been involved in benefit concerts and advocacy events for mental health and arts education alongside organizations like the American Music Therapy Association and community arts groups in Illinois and California.

Category:American singers Category:Living people Category:1968 births