Lu Kala
- Singer
- songwriter
Lusamba Vanessa Kalala (born July 21, 1995), better known by her stage name Lu Kala (stylized as LU KALA), is a Congolese-Canadian singer. She is best known for her guest appearance on American rapper Latto's 2023 single "Lottery", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100.[1]
Career
Kala began her career with songwriting, as she is credited as a writer on Jennifer Hudson's track "Dangerous" from her 2014 studio album JHUD.[2][3]
Kala performed at the Canadian Music Week in 2019[4] where she performed her debut single, "DCMO (Don't Count Me Out)".[5] She also won the grand prize at Royal Bank of Canada's Emerging Musician Program,[6] earning $10,000 worth of studio time among other prizes.[7]
"DCMO (Don't Count Me Out)" was described as "powerful" by Complex.[8] Kala's second single, "Body Knew", was praised by Unheard Gems[9] and Sidedoor.[10] Her third single, "Want You" also received good reviews from critics.[11][12] Sidedoor described her 2020 single "No Smoke" as "upbeat, catchy, and empowering".[13]
In February 2023, Latto released "Lottery" which featured Kala, marking Kala's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100[14] and Billboard Canadian Hot 100.[15] On March 1, Latto and Kala performed the song at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event.[16] In April, her 2022 single "Pretty Girl Era" entered the Billboard Canadian Hot 100,[17] marking her first solo entry on the chart. On September 24, 2023, Kala received the Emerging Artist Award at the Legacy Awards.[18] On December 10, she performed at TikTok's inaugural In the Mix festival in Mesa, Arizona.[19]
Kala was nominated for two Juno Awards in 2024,[20] and she performed at the opening night of the show.[21] In March, Kala received two No. 1 Song Awards from SOCAN for her singles "Hotter Now" and "Nothing but Love".[22] Following this, "Hotter Now" became her highest peaking song on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.[23] In April, it was revealed that Kala had written a song with Katy Perry.[24] On July 4, Kala won the Billboard Canada Women in Music Rising Star Award.[25] In the same month, her single "Who's Gonna" the entered Canadian Contemporary hit radio chart.[26]
Discography
Extended plays
- Worthy (2020)[27]
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [28] | CAN AC [29] | CAN CHR [30] | CAN HAC [31] | RUS [32] | |||
"DCMO (Don't Count Me Out)" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | Worthy |
"Body Knew" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Want You" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"No Smoke" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Love Like" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Pretty Girl Era" | 2022 | 49 | 6 | 9 | 23 | — | Non-album singles |
"Hotter Now" | 2023 | 40 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 13 | |
"Nothing but Love" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Who's Gonna" | — | — | 19 | — | — | ||
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [33] | US [34] | US R&B/HH [35] | US Rap [36] | NZ [37] | ||||||||
"Today" (Polun featuring Lu Kala) | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||||
"Lottery" (Latto featuring Lu Kala) | 2023 | 51 | 83 | 29 | 17 | —[A] | ||||||
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
References
- ^ "Lu Kala: Professional R&B songwriter takes the stage". SOCAN Words and Music. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ jayemkayem. "LU Just Released Her Powerful Debut Single "DCMO"". Complex. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ JHUD (Media notes). Jennifer Hudson. RCA Records. 2014.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Canadian Music, Week (8 August 2019). "LU KALA 'Don't Count Me Out'". YouTube. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020 – via YouTube, owned by Google.
- ^ "LU KALA Is On The Rise, Watch Her Debut "DCMO (Don't Count Me Out)"". D'ARCC. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Canada's Walk of Fame". Canada's Walk of Fame. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Ruta, Mike (1 October 2018). "Ajax singer LU connects with 'Don't Count Me Out'". DurhamRegion.com. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Cruz, Josephine (6 September 2018). "LU Just Released Her Powerful Debut Single "DCMO"". Complex. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ Team, Unheard Gems (4 March 2020). ""Body Knew" – LU KALA | Review". Unheard Gems. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "LU KALA – Body Knew". Sidedoor Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "LU KALA speaks on self sabatge and self love in new single, "Want You" – Reignland". Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Listen: Want You – Lu Kala — BlackPlastic.co.uk". Bla ck Plas tic .co .uk. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Lu Kala Drops Another Pop Anthem, "No Smoke"". Sidedoor Magazine. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ^ "Hot 100: Week of March 4, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100: Week of March 4, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Latto Promises She's 'Kickin' Down the Door' for Female Rappers at 2023 Women In Music". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100: Week of April 1, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Jully Black, Lu Kala among recipients of 2023 Legacy Awards celebrating Black excellence". CBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Cardi B, Niall Horan, Anitta & Charlie Puth to Perform at TikTok in the Mix Event". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Trapunski, Richard (6 February 2024). "Tate McRae, Daniel Caesar, Charlotte Cardin & More Nominated for 2024 Juno Awards: See the Full List". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "Begonia, Lu Kala, Jah'Mila and more to perform at the 2024 Juno Opening Night Awards". CBC. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Music News Digest: LU KALA, Allison Russell and Josh Ross Earn SOCAN No. 1 Song Awards | Billboard Canada". ca.billboard.com. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ tolsen (2 January 2013). "Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (24 April 2024). "Katy Perry Teases Upcoming Single, Which She Predicts Will Be One of Her 'Biggest Songs' Ever". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "LU KALA Wins Billboard Canada Women In Music Rising Star Award | Billboard Canada". ca.billboard.com. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ devops (6 March 2013). "Canada CHR/Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ Ju, Shirley. "Lu Kala / Reminding You You're 'Worthy' & The Importance Of Mental Health". Flaunt. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
- ^ Peaks in Canada:
- "Pretty Girl Era": "Canadian Hot 100: Week of July 15, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- "Hotter Now": "Canadian Hot 100: Week of March 30, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Peaks in Canada:
- "Pretty Girl Era": "Canada AC: Week of November 4, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- "Hotter Now": "Canada AC: Week of March 23, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Peaks in Canada:
- "Pretty Girl Era": "Canada CHR/Top 40: Week of August 5, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- "Hotter Now": "Canada CHR/Top 40: Week of March 2, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- "Who's Gonna": "Canada CHR/Top 40: Week of August 17, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Peaks in Canada:
- "Pretty Girl Era": "Canada Hot AC: Week of August 5, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- "Hotter Now": "Canada Hot AC: Week of May 4, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Peaks in Russia:
- "Hotter Now": "Top Radio Hits Russia Chart: Nov 24 – Nov 30, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Latto Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Latto Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Latto Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Latto Chart History: Hot Rap Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
Notes
- ^ "Lottery" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 32 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[38]
External links
- Official website
- Lu Kala at IMDb