The Wild Card is the ninth studio album by American singer and songwriter Ledisi. It was released on August 28, 2020, by Listen Back Entertainment, and distributed by BMG Rights Management.[2] Her first independent album since Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue (2002) and the first project release on Listen Back Entertainment, Ledisi wrote and produced the album with Kal Banx, Ivan Barias, Phil Beaudreau, Jeff Gitelman, Robert Glasper, Cory Henry, Rex Rideout, SiR and various other collaborators.[3][1]Sa-Roc and Cory Henry also appear as featured musicians.[1]
The album debuted at number 79 on the US Top Album Sales chart. The lead single "Anything for You" was released on April 3, 2020, and reached number one on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart for two weeks, making it Ledisi's first song to top that chart.
In January 2019, Ledisi departed from Verve Records and founded her own label Listen Back Entertainment. She began recording the album in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, Ledisi had recorded most of the album except two songs; one of them being a cover version of "Without You" by Badfinger.[3] Due to social distancing, Ledisi created her own home studio where she recorded and engineered the remaining songs.[3]
On the day of the album's release, Ledisi held a livestream listening party via YouTube and Facebook, hosted by American radio personality Cayman Kelly. On September 2, 2020, she appeared on Good Morning America and performed "Stone". In November 2020, Ledisi appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show to promote her album and also performed "Anything for You".
Singles
"Anything for You" was released as the lead single on April 3, 2020.[9] The song was inspired by the death of her long-time music producer Rex Rideout's father.[10] The song peaked atop the US BillboardAdult R&B Songs chart for two weeks, making it her first number-one song on the chart.[11] On July 31, 2020, a duet version with PJ Morton was released.[12]
"Wake Up", which features American rapper Sa-Roc, was released as the second single on August 24, 2020.[13][14] In February 2021, "Same Love" was released as the third single. The song peaked at number twenty-two on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[11]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ledisi was unable to tour in the latter part of 2020. On September 12, 2020, she gave on a free virtual concert titled This One's for You: A Night of Ledisi Live.[5] The concert was recorded at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California and released as a live album titled Ledisi Live at The Troubadour on April 30, 2021.[15] On June 18, 2021, Ledisi announced the Wild Card Tour via her Facebook account.[5] The concert run began on October 13, 2021, at Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. The tour concluded on November 18, 2021, at Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina.[5]
Andy Kellman, writing for AllMusic, wrote that Ledisi "and her supporting musicians still incorporate shades of bygone eras with natural grace. Even the overtly retro moments retain a freshness, and whenever a song bears some obvious likeness, Ledisi's entrancing and singular voice – bolstered by some subtly dazzling harmonies and arrangements – is at the fore to distinguish it. A spirit of unrestrained individualism powers some of the best material."[1]
