A classically trained vocalist, she is the daughter of the pre-eminent singer and composer Donny Hathaway. Lalah has said of herself that she was born a musician – she, never had a choice to be anything else.
Hathaway has released 16 studio albums that combined the traditions of R&B, jazz and soul but that show also the influence blues, funk, gospel, classical, country, rock and folk music have had on her.
Her performance on jazz collective Snarky Puppy’s “Something” garnered widespread attention and praise due to her rare ability to sing a chord (three notes at once. The song won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for her and the group. Snarky Puppy is part of the Sunday line-up for the Coltrane Jazz Festival. Hathaway won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance along with Robert Glasper and Malcolm-Jamal Warner for “Jesus Children“.
Hathaway has also done songwriting and recording collaborations with bassist, Marcus Miller. She has also performed with as Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, Prince, Mary J. Blige, Metropole Orkest, Esperanza Spalding, Natalie Cole, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dianne Reeves, Dizzy Gillespie, David Sanborn, Rachelle Ferrell, Take 6, The Winans, Me’Shell NdegeOcello, Kirk Whalum, Donald Lawrence, Christian McBride and more.
