Ledisi Releases New Singles 'Teach Me Tonight' & 'What a Difference a Day Made (Village Studio Session)', Out Now Via Candid Records

Today, Ledisi releases two new singles, “Teach Me Tonight” and “What a Difference a Day Made (Village Studio Session),” via Candid Records. With these releases, Ledisi continues her tribute to Dinah Washington, unveiling two special follow-up recordings from For Dinah.

“Teach Me Tonight” sees Ledisi interpret a beloved Dinah classic that was not included on the 2025 album, while “What a Difference a Day Made (Village Studio Session)” offers a fresh reinterpretation of the album standout, recorded live at Village Studios. Released in celebration of Black History Month, these recordings honor Dinah’s enduring legacy through Ledisi’s singular voice and deep-rooted jazz lineage.

Listen To 'Teach Me Tonight' & 'What a Difference a Day Made (Village Studio Session' HERE

Listen To "For Dinah" HERE

Last October, Ledisi released her new album For Dinah, her tribute to the great Dinah Washington, on Candid Records. Produced by jazz heavyweight Christian McBride and Ledisi’s longtime producer Rex Rideout, the album blends Ledisi’s signature soul with Washington’s bold spirit, reclaiming space for a pioneer who made it possible for women like her to thrive. The album features standout collaborations, including a duet with Grammy-winning vocalist Gregory Porter and appearances by top-tier musicians like Paul Jackson Jr. and rising star Michael King.

Like every triumphantly gifted female singer who has transcended barriers, Ledisi is a child of Dinah Washington. “She gave me permission to move freely, create freely, be a woman in leadership, wear and say what I want,” explains Ledisi. “Before there was Aretha, there was Dinah. She deserves to be recognized in today’s music as well. So instead of asking me ‘Why Dinah?,’ you should be asking ‘Why not Dinah?’”

Born in New Orleans and shaped by the Bay Area, Ledisi has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary R&B. She’s earned a Grammy win, 14 nominations, and widespread acclaim for portraying her musical heroes on stage, record, and screen — including Mahalia Jackson in Selma and Remember Me. Her most recent Grammy nod was for Ledisi Sings Nina, a tribute praised by The New York Times for capturing both Nina Simone’s depth and Ledisi’s own stunning vocal range. As the critic Salamishah Tillet pointed out in their glowing profile, Ledisi Sings Nina lifts up “the diversity and depth of Simone’s musicianship and the breathtaking range and reach of Ledisi’s own voice.”

Ledisi describes her connection to Dinah Washington’s music as deeply personal, offering a space to fully embrace and express her femininity. “There’s a sensuality in this music,” she says, “in my fur, my curves, the tightness of my dress — and in how I move with the music.” Ultimately, For Dinah is Ledisi’s tribute to representation and resilience. She sees herself in Washington’s struggle for acceptance in a male-dominated industry, as a dark-skinned woman navigating similar challenges. “I felt her pain, her rejection,” Ledisi says. “This is where I come from — and this is my way of saying her name out loud.”