Syleena Johnson: Legacy - Album Release Celebration
City Winery Philadelphia presents Syleena Johnson: Legacy - Album Release Celebration live on Sunday, October 20th at 6:00pm
Grammy-nominated recording artists, Syleena Johnson is a woman of many titles and talents. Singer, songwriter, author, and daytime talk show host are just a few avenues that she is able to share her gifts with the world. As an R&B/soul songstress, Syleena Johnson was destined to touch people and impact lives. Her sultry voice, combined with her timeless beauty, classic style, and piercing delivery has made her a fan-favorite for nearly twenty years.
Inspired by the pain, struggle, strength, and resilience of women everywhere, Syleena returned to the studio with Grammy award-winning production team, Toxic Productions. In January of 2019, Syleena dropped her highly anticipated single, WOMAN, from her forthcoming new album with the same title. Their collaboration resulted in a battle-cry for women everywhere, signaling a spirit of empowerment and amplifying the desire for cultural change. WOMAN is the opening single on the soundtrack of socially conscious revolution. Both Chicago natives, Toxic and Syleena decided to join forces again on her 11th studio album, Woman, which is set to be her most compelling work to date.
In 2018, Syleena Johnson added the title of author to her repertoire by releasing her highly anticipated self-help book, "The Weight Is Over". “The Weight is Over” is her compelling and triumphant journey toward self-love and discovery, while chronicling her battles with body image birthed in adolescence and carried throughout her music career. Honest, humane, and heart-warming, "The Weight Is Over" shares Syleena's pain and progression; while providing practical ways to identify and eliminate stressors to sustain optimal mental, emotional, and physical health. A love letter of life's lessons, “The Weight Is Over” shines a spotlight on the complexities of love and demonstrates how self-worth can dictate how we emotionally invest in ourselves and others. An ode to obstacles faced and conquered, this self-help book sets an indelible tone for reflection, resurgence, and redemption. Syleena Johnson's highly anticipated self-help book, "The Weight Is Over," shares her compelling and painful journey toward self-love and discovery; while chronicling her battles with body image birthed in adolescence and carried throughout her music career.
In 2017, the R&B Diva united with father - Legendary Soul/Blues Singer Syl Johnson for their first recording together in over two decades. The iconic Etta James once said about authentic soul and blues music, “you can’t fake this music. It’s how you connect to the songs and to the history behind them.” Syleena Johnson is one of those undeniable talents whose unfaltering truth shines through every note she sings. Undoubtedly one of the most talented singers of her generation, Johnson has collaborated with everyone from Kanye West and Common to Anthony Hamilton and many more. In recent years, she has enjoyed mainstream exposure appearing on such television shows as TV One’s “R&B Divas: Atlanta” and WE TV’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars” and as of September 18, 2017 Syleena is featured on the live TV One daily talk show “Sister Circle.” On November 10, 2017 Shanachie Entertainment released REBIRTH OF SOUL, a recording that Syleena has long wanted to bring to fruition. Conceived and produced by her father, the legendary soul/blues singer and producer Syl Johnson, whose original hit version of “Take Me To The River” was covered by Al Green and Talking Heads. Syl Johnson’s recordings have been sampled by artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Usher and Kanye West.
REBIRTH OF SOUL featured Syleena Johnson’s sultry interpretations of classic R&B songs, mainly from the fifties and sixties; recorded in real time, with live musicians, just the way “real music” used to be made. Recording in Chicago, Syl Johnson’s long-time base and Syleena’s hometown, the sessions include musicians who played on hit R&B recordings there over the years and a majority of the album features songs associated with Chicago artists, songwriters or record labels. Syleena shares, “The inspiration behind REBIRTH OF SOUL is my father. In a time when auto-tune and electronic beats reign supreme, I wanted to honor my father and the beauty of musicianship.”
Syleena Johnson grew up outside of Chicago and one might say music chose her. Her mother, incidentally, became the nation’s first Black female police commissioner. Syleena released the independent album LOVE HANGOVER in 1996. A Jive Records executive immediately offered Syleena a recording contract upon hearing her demo. The dissolution of a relationship with an abusive boyfriend provided raw material for her major label debut album, CHAPTER 1: LOVE, PAIN & FORGIVENESS, in 2001, which yielded the hit “I Am Your Woman,” penned by fellow Chicagoan R. Kelly, and led to critical acclaim as an exceptional new voice on the R&B scene. Her follow-up, CHAPTER 2: THE VOICE, which featured guests such as Busta Rhymes, yielded the hit “Guess What” and was hailed as one of the best R&B albums of the year. Meanwhile, Kanye West tapped Syleena to handle the vocals on the Top Ten worldwide hit “All Falls Down,” which also garnered her and West a Grammy nomination and four VMA nominations for the video. With momentum building, Syleena released CHAPTER 3: THE FLESH, which featured guests R. Kelly, Anthony Hamilton, Jermaine Dupri, Common and Twista—a mark of respect from her peers—as well as the hit “Another Relationship.” Subsequently she also scored a hit with Cam’ron and Kanye West with “Down & Out” and appeared on albums by DMX and Shawnna. Syleena released CHAPTER 4: LABOR PAINS on her own Aneelys Records in 2008. The album opened with sounds from the birth of her and her husband’s first child, a son. In 2011 she gave birth to their second son. CHAPTER 5: UNDERRATED followed and featured the single “A Boss” and a stunning duet with Tweet, “Angry Girl.” In 2012 Syleena released the ACOUSTIC SOUL SESSIONS EP and the following year she joined forces with Musiq Soulchild for the reggae album 9INE. CHAPTER 6: COUPLES THERAPY followed in 2014, coinciding with her national profile via the reality show R&B DIVAS ATLANTA and MARRIAGE BOOT CAMP, as well as an appearance with her family on IYANLA: FIX MY LIFE. With the release of REBIRTH OF SOUL, Syleena Johnson reaffirms her place as one of the most dynamic singers of her generation, rooted in the great soul tradition and uniquely capable of moving it forward.
Syleena’s passion doesn’t end on the last note at the end of a song. A few years ago she launched, SheLean Health & Fitness, which helps women in the area of health, nutrition and fitness. SheLean Nutrition, Health, and Fitness is an online company created to cater to women of various demographics. SheLean believes that optimal health and wellness starts in the home with the woman, who is the threshold of the family. Thus, by motivating and educating people with the tools to achieve mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health; others will in turn, inspire families and help to prevent disease, mental illness, and obesity by the masses. Our mission and goal is to create an online network
where women can attain the resources to do just that. Our Motto is that in order for one to achieve health and wellness, one must first understand health from awareness. SheLean intends to save lives, but to also increase the quality of living of those lives. For more information, go to www.SheLeanLife.com. Since launching SheLean, Syleena has had the opportunity to spread the message of health and wellness through several speaking engagements. She was the guest speaker at The African American Wellness Walk in Dayton, OH and at The Integrate to Success Conference in Columbia, SC.
Currently, Syleena is preparing for the release of her new album, working on Sister Circle and rehearsing for her City Winery and Festival Tour Summer 2019.
