Lady Leshurr
Lady Leshurr BEM | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Melesha Katrina O'Garro[1] |
Born | 15 December 1988 |
Origin | Kingshurst, Solihull, England[2] |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2009–present |
Labels |
Melesha Katrina O'Garro BEM (born 15 December 1988), known professionally as Lady Leshurr (/ˈliːʃər/),[3] is a British rapper, singer, songwriter and producer.[4] She is known for her Queen's Speech series of freestyles,[5] the fourth of which became popular in 2016. Her subsequent freestyle, Queen's Speech 5, was called "brilliant" and "2015's crowning freestyle" by Spin.[6] In 2021, she entered the Channel 4 series The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer, catfishing as Big Narstie, and won. She also competed in the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice, where she reached the semi-final.
Early life[]
Born to parents from the Caribbean[7] Isle of Saint Kitts,[2] her first foray was into poetry and writing at age six[8] but she decided that writing music would bring her to a wider audience,[7] releasing her first mixtape at age fourteen.[9] In her words:
I grew up around music. My mum used to play a lot of reggae like Sister Nancy and Bob Marley around the house so basically, when I was around six, I was messing about and doing my own little raps and songs. My family are all rappers and singers anyway so I was always involved in it from a young age.
— Lady Leshurr, 2011[10]
Career[]
Leshurr played one of the lead female roles in Vertigo Films' 2009 film 1 Day.[11] She won second place in the Best Female category of the Official Mixtape Awards 2011. To complement the music releases, she has designed a range of merchandise, the "Friggin L" clothing line[12] named after her 2011 mixtape Friggin L.[13]
In 2016, she won the MOBO Award, celebrating excellence in black music, for Best Female Act. In 2019, she won the award for "Best Rap / Grime Act" and in 2020 she won "Best Solo Female" at the Birmingham Music Awards.[1] In 2019, Leshurr performed at The Nicki Wrld Tour in Birmingham and Manchester as a special guest for rapper Nicki Minaj. She was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity.[14] In 2021, she appeared as a contestant on the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice, partnered with Brendyn Hatfield.[1] After surviving three skate-offs during the competition, Leshurr was eliminated in the semi-final, leaving her in fourth place.[15] She also won The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer.
Influences[]
Leshurr has named Ashley Walters, Eminem, Ms. Dynamite, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott and Lil Wayne as her primary influences.[16] Nia Kay, a competitor on The Rap Game season 2, stated that Leshurr was one of her influences due to her uniqueness and rap skill.[17]
Personal life[]
Leshurr came out as pansexual in September 2018.[18]
Discography[]
Mixtapes[]
Title | Details |
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Friggin L |
|
2000 and L |
|
L Yeah! |
|
Mona Leshurr |
|
Lil Bit of Lesh |
|
Extended plays[]
Title | Details |
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Queen's Speech |
|
Mode |
|
Quaranqueen |
|
Astronaut |
|
Singles[]
As lead artist[]
Year | Title[20] | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | "Friggin L"[21] | Friggin L |
"Lego" | Non-album singles | |
2015 | "Lukatar" | |
"Queen's Speech 1" | Queen's Speech | |
"Queen's Speech 2" | ||
"Queen's Speech 3" | ||
"Queen's Speech 4" | ||
2016 | "Queen's Speech 5" | |
"Panda Freestyle" | Non-album singles | |
"Where Are You Now?" (featuring Wiley) | ||
"Queen's Speech 6" | ||
2017 | "Juice" | Mode |
"Queen's Speech 7" | Non-album singles | |
2018 | "R.I.P" | |
"New Freezer" | ||
"OMW" | ||
"Black Madonna" (featuring Mr Eazi) | ||
"Black Panther" | ||
"3AM In Brum" | ||
2019 | "Horrid" | |
"I've Gotta Be Me" | ||
"Your Mr" | ||
2020 | "Carmen" | |
"Quarantine Speech" | Quaranqueen | |
"Quaranting" (featuring Busy Signal) | ||
"Unleshed 4" | Non-album single | |
"Astronaut" | Astronaut | |
"DIV" | ||
2021 | "Fake Flex" | |
"Brenda" | Astronaut | |
"Dynamite Flow" |
As featured artist[]
Year | Title | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | "Move" (Fire Camp featuring Lady Leshurr and Scrufizzer) |
Move |
2012 | "Murder" (Lea-Anna featuring Lioness, Lady Leshurr and Ce'Cile) |
Murder EP |
"Finally" (Leon & Harvey featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Finally EP | |
"Wonky"[22] (Orbital featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Wonky | |
"Boring Bitches"[23] (Etta Bond and Raf Riley featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Emergency Room | |
"Run Your Mouth" (Noisses featuring Rtkal, Foreign Beggars and Lady Leshurr) |
Run Your Mouth EP | |
"Step in the Dance"[24] (Mike Delinquent Project featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Step in the Dance EP | |
"Sick Love"[25] (Vince Kidd featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Sick Love EP | |
2013 | "Blazin'" (Torqux featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Blazin' EP |
"Bet on It" (Young O featuring Griminal and Lady Leshurr) |
Bet on It | |
"Swag Fi Dem" (RSXG Productions, Juki Ranx and Brooklynne featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Swag Fi Dem EP | |
"I Ain't Rich... Yet" (J. Appiah featuring Lady Leshurr) |
I Ain't Rich... Yet EP | |
2016 | "Run"[26] (Tiggs Da Author featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Non-album singles |
2018 | "Block and Delete" (C4 featuring Lady Leshurr) | |
"Don't Believe You" (Lethal Bizzle featuring Lady Leshurr) | ||
2019 | "Pretty Little Thing"[27] (will.i.am featuring Lady Leshurr, Lioness & Ms Banks) | |
"Mike Myers" (Swifta Beater featuring Lady Leshurr, Remtrex and Bowzer Boss) | ||
"Still Here" (Offcourse featuring Lady Leshurr) | ||
2020 | "Up In Smoke" (Remtrex feat. Lady Leshurr and Yates) |
Bars From the Pen 2 |
2021 | "No Time For Tears" (Nathan Dawe and Little Mix) |
Non-album singles |
Guest appearances[]
Year | Title | Album | Label |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | "This is SRE (Drop the Funk)" (Invasion Remix) (SRE featuring Lady Leshurr, Jaykae and Hitman) |
This is SRE EP | Sidewinder Raw |
2011 | "We Know" (Trilla featuring R.I.O and Lady Leshurr) |
01:21 | Trilla Music |
"Ready" (Remix 2) (Cons featuring Tor, Kasay, Tempa, Lady Leshurr and Nolay) |
June Bug | RGS | |
"Gangster" (Lady Leshurr Remix) (Zdot featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Gangster | Elite Music | |
"So Much More" (Manga featuring KOF and Lady Leshurr) |
Obzokey Wranglings | N/A | |
2012 | "Heart of Stone" (Bashy featuring Dot Rotten, Black the Ripper and Lady Leshurr) |
The Great Escape | SB.TV |
"Level Up" (Remix) (Sway featuring Kelsey and Lady Leshurr) |
Level Up EP | 3Beat | |
"WAVY" (Seamix) (Kano and Footsie featuring Lady Leshurr, Jme, D Double E and Sway) |
WAVY / Kano Stencils | N/A | |
"Hoods Up" (Remix) (Teddy Music featuring Lil Nasty, Double S, Lady Leshurr, Scrufizzer, Dot Rotten and Tre Mission) |
Hoods Up EP | Teddy Music | |
"I Wanna Rock" (All Stars Remix)[28] (Maxsta featuring Tinchy Stryder, Rizzle Kicks and Lady Leshurr) |
I Wanna Rock EP | Sony | |
"Move to Da Gyal Dem" (Female Remix) (Donae'o featuring Mz. Bratt, Lioness, Terri Walker and Lady Leshurr) |
Move to Da Gyal Dem | Zephron | |
"Da Cypher (Part Deux)" (Bigz featuring Lady Leshurr and Mistah Fab) |
The Bigz Bang Theory | DCypha | |
"Va Heter Det" (Max Peezay featuring Lady Leshurr) |
F.A.S 3 | Devrim | |
2013 | "Let the Dogs Run Wild" (Labrinth featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Atomic | Odd Child |
"Now That You're Gone" (Remix) (Tanya Lacey featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Now That You're Gone EP | Laceywood | |
"Hoods Up" (Remix) (Lil Nasty featuring Double S, Lady Leshurr, Dot Rotten and Tre Mission) |
This is UK Grime Vol. 3 | Defenders | |
"Off the Leash" (Teddy Music featuring Double S and Lady Leshurr) |
Rehearsals | Teddy Music | |
"Spitfire" (Big Shizz, Lady Leshurr, Jammer, Realz, Jammin and Villain) |
Lord of the Mics V | Lord of the Mics | |
2014 | "Evolution 2.0" (Kid Bookie Samantha Mumba, Kuniva, Crooked I, Scrufizzer, Lady Leshurr & Dot Rotten) |
That SP Compilation, Vol.1[29] | That SP Studios |
"Bother You" (Remix) (D'banj featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Bother You | Mi7, DKM | |
"Got It" (Zdot and Krunchie featuring Krept, Konan and Lady Leshurr) |
Adrenaline EP | Sonus Music | |
"Blow It Up" (Zdot and Krunchie featuring Lady Leshurr) |
Filmography[]
Film[]
- 1 Day (2009) – Shakia
- Lapse of Honour (2015) – Eve
- The Intent 2: The Come Up (2018) – Cameo Role
- On the Other Foot (2021) – TBA
Television[]
- Later...With Jools Holland (2018) – Musical guest
- Sunday Brunch (2018) – Musical guest
- Don't Hate the Playaz (2018–present) – Team captain
- The X Factor UK (2018) – Musical guest
- Happy Hour with Olly Murs (2018) – Musical guest
- I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp (2018) – Guest panelist
- The Rap Game UK (2019) – Special guest judge
- CelebAbility (2019) – Contestant
- Even Later... with Jools Holland and Lady Leshurr (2019) – Special guest co-host
- Celebrity MasterChef (2020) – Contestant
- Ghost Bus Tours (2020) – Participant
- Shopping with Keith Lemon (2020) – Guest
- Dancing on Ice (2021) – Contestant – Semi- Finalist
- The Celebrity Circle (2021) – Contestant – Winner
- Rock of All Ages (2021) –Mentor –TBA
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Dancing On Ice Lady Leshurr: Real Name, Most Famous Songs And Instagram Handle". Capital FM. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Lady Leshurr". SXSW. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr Reveals Origin Of Her Name and Correct Way To Pronounce It" Archived 18 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "About << LadyLeshurr.com". Progresslink.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr: 7 interesting facts about the 'Queen's Speech' rapper". What's Good?. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ^ Carley, Brennan Lady Leshurr's Brilliant 'Queen's Speech 5' Is 2015's Crowning Freestyle Archived 1 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine Spin. 30 December 2015
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Lady Leshurr: 'The industry just doesn't know what to do with women'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr". Britishunderground.net. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "Glastonbury Festival – Lady Leshurr". BBC. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Errol. "Lady Leshurr: The female Busta Rhymes". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "WRAP UP AND WATCH OUT: LADY LESHURR". MTV UK. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ "lady leshurr". RTD Productions. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr unleashes Friggin L Mixtape". . Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ "No. 63142". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B74.
- ^ "Dancing On Ice fans devastated as Lady Leshurr is 'unfairly' axed ahead of final". 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr Loves Lil Wayne". MTV. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Everyone is talking about Lady Leshurr". Shazam. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Shakeena (21 September 2018). "Lady Leshurr comes out as pansexual: "If you can't take me for who I am then you can leave"". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Mixtape: Lady Leshurr – 2000ANDL (hosted by DJ Whoo Kid)". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "Lady Leshurr on iTunes". Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "2012 Official Mixtape Awards". Missing or empty
|series=
(help) - ^ Pelly, Jenn. "New Release: Orbital: Wonky". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "Etta Bond featuring Lady Leshurr – Boring Bitches". Soundophiles.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – Step in the Dance (Remixes) (feat. Lady Leshurr) – Single by Mike Delinquent Project". iTunes Store. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ "UK Chart > New Entries: 12 December 2012". zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ "Tiggs Da Author - Run (Official Video) ft. Lady Leshurr". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- ^ "Pretty Little Thing (feat. Lady Leshurr, Lioness & Ms Banks) - Single by will.i.am". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ "20 Years of East London in 20 Minutes!". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ "That Sp Compilation, Vol. 1 - EP by Various Artists on iTunes". Retrieved 24 February 2021.
External links[]
- Lady Leshurr at IMDb
- Lady Leshurr (BBC Radio 1Xtra)
- 1988 births
- Black British female rappers
- Black British singers
- British hip hop singers
- English female singers
- English female rappers
- English people of Saint Kitts and Nevis descent
- Grime music artists
- Living people
- LGBT musicians from England
- LGBT rappers
- LGBT singers from the United Kingdom
- Recipients of the British Empire Medal
- Pansexual musicians
- LGBT Black British people