Internationally acclaimed artist Jhelisa Anderson was born in Jackson, Mississippi, her father being a gospel radio announcer. The Anderson family was a singing family, with Jhelisa’s father on the piano and organ. She is the cousin of the equally acclaimed singer Carleen Anderson.
She began her career in 1990 in London with the UK band Soul Family Sensation releasing the album “New Wave” on One Little Indian. With lablemates The Shamen Jhelisa then recorded two top ten hit singles “Love Sex and Intelligence”, and “Phorever People” earning Jhelisa a platinum album with The Shamen. She also guested on Bjork’s “Debut” album.
In 1994, after developing into an accomplished solo artist singing, writing, and producing under her first name Jhelisa, she released her first album “Galactica Rush” on Dorado Records, followed two years later by “Language Electric”, both highly critically acclaimed. Shortly after she began to record with Bryan Ferry, Courtney Pine, Massive Attack, Chaka Khan, and Da Lata. Jhelisa’s best known track is “Friendly Pressure”.
Touring in the UK, Europe, and Japan Jhelisa shared the bill with the legendary James Brown, The Roots, Michael Franti, and Roy Ayers. Besides her musical activities, Jhelisa was featured in the Italian film “The Protagonist” starring British actress Tilda Swinton and was also one of the featured artists on the Nitin Sawhney tour in 2003, opening up for Sting, and culminating in a successful performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a sold out audience.
Jhelisa has traveled extensively in both Africa and Brazil and taken inspiration from the rich musical cultures around the world. In 2004 Jhelisa moved to New Orleans to record her new album “Discovery of Amazing” for INFRACom!. When hurricane “Katrina” hit New Orleans Jhelisa left the city. Her studio and her house were destroyed by the flood and part of the album is lost too. Jhelisa now is completing the recordings in Atlanta. The album will be re-named: “A primitvie guide to being there” and it will be sold as a bundle toghether with the DVD “One week with Jhelisa - Rediscovering America”.
Jhelisa was very outraged at the circumstances of the evavcuation and rescues at New Orleans and therefore held a press conference at the Popkomm Berlin 2005 and wrote a statement as well.
Film director Markus Bader and DJ and INFRACom! label manager Jan Hagenkoetter visited Jhelisa in New Orleans in spring 2005 and filmed Jhelisa in New Orleans as she worked on her forthcoming album. Jhelisa introduces to the diversity of New Orleans, from the slave plantations to the city?s boiling nightlife, always from a very personal and critical perspective, moulded by her European years and her journeys through Brazil and South Africa. “One week with Jhelisa - Rediscovering America” has become a rare and precious testimony of the sunken musical capital of New Orleans. The DVD will be part of the album package.
