View source for N'Dambi

{{Short description|American singer from Dallas, TX}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = N'Dambi
|birth_name = Chonita N. Gillespie [Gilbert]
|birth_date = 1970
|birth_place =Dallas, Texas, U.S.
|image = N'Dambi JazzFest Wien2010 b.jpg
|caption = N'Dambi at the Vienna Jazz Festival 2010
|genre = {{hlist|[[R&B]]|[[soul music|soul]]|[[jazz]]|[[Rock music|rock]]|[[Pop music|pop]]|[[Indie soul]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ndambi-pink-elephant-1070782/|title=N'Dambi, "Pink Elephant"|website=Billboard.com|date=October 9, 2009}}</ref>}}
|instrument = [[singing|Vocals, Piano]]
|occupation = Musician, singer-songwriter
|associated_acts  = [[Erykah Badu]], [[Snarky Puppy]], [[Lecrae]], [[Keite Young]]
|label = [[Concord Music Group]]<small>2006–present</small>,<br> Cheeky-I (independent)<small>1998-2019</small>
|website = [http://ndambionline.com NDambiOnline.com]
|background=solo_singer
}}
'''N'Dambi''' is an American soul/jazz singer from Dallas, Texas.<ref name=Feature /><ref name=Interview /><ref name=Grammy>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/ndambi|title=N'Dambi|publisher=[[The Recording Academy]]|website=Grammy.com}}</ref>
==Early life==
N'Dambi is the ninth of eleven children born to a Baptist minister and missionary. Her name, "N'Dambi" means "most beautiful". Her father was a minister and singer in a quartet group. She got her professional start singing with Gaye Arbuckle, a local gospel singer, touring with Arbuckle for two years (from the ages of 18 to 20). Shortly thereafter she sang as background singer and collaborator with  [[Erykah Badu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rnation.com/bits/mar00.shtml|title=''The Spirit Of N'Dambi''|date=March 23, 2000|website=Rnation.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hellobeautiful.com/876572/meet-ndambi-erykah-badus-back-up-singer-makes-a-name-for-herself/|title=Meet N'Dambi! Badu's Back-Up Singer Makes A Name For Herself|website=Hellobeautiful.com|date=March 25, 2010}}</ref><ref name=Interview>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/707/ndambi_true_colours/|title=N'Dambi: True Colors|author=Lewis, Pete|publisher=[[Blues & Soul]]|website=bluesandsoul.com}}</ref> In the liner notes for Badu's debut studio album, ''[[Baduizm]]'' (1997), she thanked N’Dambi for her backing vocals on "Certainly (Flipped It)", calling her by her nickname, "Butterfly".<ref name="Badu liner notes">{{cite magazine |last1=Mitchell |first1=Gail |title='Baduizm' at 20: Erykah Badu Explains the Album's Most Unlikely Dedications, From Steve Harvey to Craig Mack |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/baduizm-20-erykah-badu-steve-harvey-craig-mack-7686104/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 15, 2021}}</ref>
==Career==
===''Little Lost Girls Blues''===
N'Dambi debut soul album ''[[Little Lost Girls Blues]]'' was recorded in 1996 in Oak Cliff, a community in Dallas. It was independently released in 1999 and went on to receive critical acclaim throughout the world. It sound scanned over 20,000 units and sold over 70,000 units worldwide. The album was primarily marketed via word of mouth lifestyle [[marketing]], press and [[college radio]].<ref name="DALLASOBS01">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/soul-alone-6391326|title=Soul Alone|first=Zac|last=Crain|website=Dallas Observer}}</ref><ref name=Feature /><ref>{{cite book|last=Eustache|first=Joanne|title=Hard Rock: Nas, Eve And Sisqo Take It To The New Millennium|date=February 2000|publisher=Vibe Magazine|page=169|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5CcEAAAAMBAJ&q=n%27dambi+chonita+gilbert&pg=PA169}}</ref>
===''Tunin' Up & Co-Siginin{{'}}''===
This two disc set contains live recordings from ''Little Lost Girls Blues'' and new recordings. The album was recorded in Dallas with a group of local musicians.  It featured Ode 2 Nina, was a tribute song to [[Nina Simone]].
===''A Weird Kind of Wonderful''===
This album was released independently and recorded with a live band in Los Angeles, California. It has a more funk, rock, soul vibe with more influences of [[Mother's Finest]] and [[Tina Turner]].
===''Pink Elephant''===
''[[Pink Elephant (album)|Pink Elephant]]'' was recorded in [[Santa Monica]], California with producer [[Leon Sylvers III]]. N'dambi insisted the record have a modern sheen yet adhere to the sturdy influence of classic R&B and soul artists like [[Slave (band)|Slave]], [[Heatwave (band)|Heatwave]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[Betty Davis]], [[Isaac Hayes]], [[Smokey Robinson]], and [[The Sylvers]]. On December 2, 2010, ''Pink Elephant'' was nominated for a 2011 [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical|Best Engineered Album]].<ref name=Feature />
===Work with other artists===
N'Dambi has collaborated  with artists such as Keite Young, Down To The Bone, [[Lecrae]] and [[The D.O.C.]] She has also worked with [[Jessie J]], [[Ariana Grande]], [[Nicholas Payton]], DJ Kemit and [[Snarky Puppy]]'s Family Dinner vol. 1. N'Dambi's performance on that album earned her a [[SESAC]] Award for Best Jazz Performance.<ref name=Feature>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulinterviews.com/ndambi-2010/|title=N'Dambi: Interview|date=May 8, 2010|website=Soulinterviews.com}}</ref>
==Discography==
{| class="wikitable"
! Albums:
|-
|''[[Little Lost Girls Blues]]''
*<small>First studio album</small>
*<small>Released: September 7, 1999</small>
*<small>Cheeky-I Productions</small>
|-
|''[[Tunin' Up & Cosignin']]''
*<small>Two-Disc Set</small>
*<small>Released: August 14, 2001</small>
*<small>Cheeky-I Productions</small>
|-
|''A Weird Kind of Wonderful''
*<small>Released in Japan</small>
*<small>Released: November 16, 2005</small>
*<small>Village Again/Coco Red Music</small>
|-
|''[[Pink Elephant (album)|Pink Elephant]]''
*<small>Released: October 6, 2009</small>
*<small>[[Stax Records]]</small>
*<small>Single: "Can't Hardly Wait"</small>
|-
! Remixes/Singles:
|-
|"Call Me" <small>(Yam Who reworks)</small>
*<small>Release 2003</small>
*<small>label: Yam Who<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/NDambi-Call-Me-Yam-Who-Reworks/release/119085|title=N'Dambi : Call Me (Yam Who reworks)|website=Discogs.com}}</ref></small>
*<small>12" Vinyl, Unofficial Release</small>
|-
|"Can't Change Me"  <small>(Ron Trent Remix)</small>
*<small>Release 2007</small>
*<small>label: R2Records<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.r2records.co.uk/product.php?products_id=28|title=R2records.co.uk|website=R2records.co.uk}}</ref></small>
*<small>12" Vinyl</small>
|-
|"If We Were Alone"  <small>with Keite Young (AaronCarl Mix)</small>
*<small>Release 2008</small>
*<small>label Wallshaker Music<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Keite-Young-NDambi-Backspin-Musiq-Presents-Future-Soul-Sessions-Vol-1/release/1370872|title=Keite Young N'Dambi Backspin Musiq Presents Future Soul Sessions Vol 1|website=Discogs.com}}</ref></small>
*<small>12" Vinyl</small>
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/707/ndambi_true_colours/ N'dambi interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2011]
* [http://www.dallasobserver.com/1999-04-01/music/lady-sings-the-blues/1 ''Dallas Observer'', 1999]
* [http://www.dallasobserver.com/2001-10-11/music/soul-alone/ ''Dallas Observer'', 2001]
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/N'dambi discogs.com N'dambi Discography]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:N'dambi}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Dallas]]
[[Category:Stax Records artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:American women jazz singers]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:American soul musicians]]
[[Category:American neo soul singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from Texas]]