Lalah Hathaway

Hathaway masters a rare type of polyphonic singing which allows her to "split" her voice and sing several notes at the same time. Hathaway earned her first career GRAMMY for 2013 for Best R&B Performance for "Something" with Snarky Puppy, where she displayed this ability.

On stage, Hathaway performs the songs longer than the album version, with new arrangements. In concert, the stage mainly consists of Lalah Hathaway, the back-up singers, and the band. Often at the audience's request, the vocals will be turned higher than band. Hathaway's band would often consist of a keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer. Most songs would last over approximately five minutes. Dawn! E. Robinson of VocalMusician.com attended a Hathaway in concert and her review stated: "The sound in the house was strange – the band was really too loud all evening. Even when the sound guy turned LALAH's vocals up (at the audience's request) the band got louder. I got the impression that the sound onstage was good though, because none of the singers appeared to be over-singing."

Stax Records released her fifth album, Self Portrait, in 2008. It debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 and reached the top 10 on the Top R&B albums chart, making this album her most successful album to date. She is the daughter of American Soul singer and musician Donny Hathaway. According to her website, in March 2020, Lalah is working on a studio entitled, "L.A.L.A.H. rebirth".

Her first single was "Love's Holiday" from the Earth, Wind & Fire tribute album Interpretations. In April 2008, Stax released "Let Go", which debuted at number 51 on the Hot R&B chart and number 16 on the Hot Adult R&B. In June 2008, Self Portrait was released. Collaborating again with producer Rex Rideout and working with Rahsaan Patterson and Sandra St. Victor, Self Portrait became her most successful album to date, debuting at number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 63 on the Hot 200.

After the release of Self Portrait, Hathaway went on tour beginning in July 2008. The Self Portrait Tour contained 10 tour dates in America and a collection of songs from her previous albums, Lalah Hathaway and Outrun the Sky and a few songs from Self Portrait. The tour only reached America. In late 2008, "That Was Then" was released as the album's second single. The single debuted at number 105 on the Hot R&B chart and number 32 on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.

In November 2008, Hathaway joined Will Downing and Gerald Albright for the Soulful Chr*stmas Tour in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Atlanta. In January 2009, she appeared on Black Entertainment Television in an interview and performed before an audience. She continued to support the album and was scheduled to perform at the Capital Jazz Festival in Columbia, Maryland, the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and Circle of Promise, which took place in July 2009. In December 2009 she won the Song of the Year award in the SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for her duet with singer Eric Roberson on "Dealing."

Hathaway was featured on Donald Lawrence's debut solo album I Speak Life as a lead vocalist on "Don't Forget to Remember". In 2005, she was seen on the international Daughters of Soul tour with Sandra St. Victor, Nona Hendryx, Simone, and Joyce Kennedy.

In 2004, she released a cover version of Luther Vandross's song "Forever, for Always, for Love". The song appeared on the all-star tribute album Forever, for Always, for Luther and on her fourth album Outrun the Sky. It reached number 1 on the Adult R&B chart. "Forever, for Always, for Love" became her first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, charting at number 112 and number 37 on the Hot R&B. Her first solo album in five years was produced by Rex Rideout, Mike City, and Chris Parks.

Although it might seem that "On Your Own" from Self Portrait, which reunites her with Rex Rideout and Rahsaan Patterson, is inspired by a past heartbreak, the idea for the song came to her in a dream. While Hathaway is often known for singing down tempo songs, during the period of 2004 and 2008, she had done mid-tempo songs such as "Let Go", "Let Me Love You", and "Better and Better". Keeping with the theme of her family, she often journeys back to her childhood with "Little Girl", which she co-produced with Rex Rideout, Rahsaan Patterson, and Sandra St. Victor.

She worked with established musicians such as Mary J. Blige, Marcus Miller, Take 6, and The Winans, writing, producing, and singing background vocals. In 1999, she joined GRP and collaborated with Joe Sample on The Song Lives On, which reached No. 2 on the jazz album chart. It became her second debut on the Billboard Hot 200 and later charted on Top R&B album chart.

In 1994, A Moment debuted at number 34 on the Top R&B albums chart and number 23 on the Heatseekers chart.

In 1990, Hathaway released her self-titled album. A Moment was released in 1994, debuting at number 34 on the Top R&B albums chart. In 1999, she collaborated with Joe Sample on the album The Song Lives On. After a five-year hiatus, she returned with her fourth album, Outrun the Sky. The single "Forever, For Always, For Love" peaked at number 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.

In 1990, Hathaway released her self-titled first album, which debuted at number 191 on the Billboard Hot 200 and number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Eulaulah Donyll "Lalah" Hathaway (born December 16, 1968) is a multiple Grammy-Award winning American singer.