This Soul Singer Brought a Choir to the Victoria's Secret Runway
Victoria's Secret announced the performers for this year's fashion show last week, but they added another artist to the roster just two days before the show. The last-minute addition was Leela James, a soul and R&B singer with killer vocals.
Despite the belated announcement of her performance, James, an alum of the reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles, was actually the first musical act of the night. She kicked off the runway spectacular with a performance of power ballad "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman. She even got a dramatic spotlit entrance for the set.
James wore a draped red dress, thigh-high lace-up sandals, and arm-length gloves as she serenaded the audience and models on the catwalk. VS Angel Taylor Hill was the first to walk out as she sang.
#NEW @taylor_hill OPENING🔥🔥 #vsfashionshow2018 #vsfs2018 #vsfs #vsfashionshow
A post shared by Taylor Hill Japan (@taylorhill.japan) on Nov 9, 2018 at 4:49am PST
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Familiar faces Josephine Skriver, Gigi Hadid, and Sara Sampaio, were also in the lineup.
Josephine Skriver desfilando no segmento “Glam Royal” ontem durante o Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show em Nova Iorque. #VSFS2018 #VSFashionShow pic.twitter.com/spOUSTKgDc
- Josephine Skriver Brasil (@joskriverbr) November 9, 2018
Josephine Skriver desfilando no segmento “Glam Royal” ontem durante o Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show em Nova Iorque. #VSFS2018 #VSFashionShow pic.twitter.com/V44pbKQrCC
- Josephine Skriver Brasil (@joskriverbr) November 9, 2018
A post shared by ✨Gigi Hadid ✨ (@gi_xhadid) on Nov 9, 2018 at 10:36am PST
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Kendall Jenner and Cindy Bruna were in the mix, too. Meanwhile, a choir of women sang along with James, gathered on the stage behind her.
A post shared by Victoria's Secret (@vsfs_angels6) on Nov 9, 2018 at 6:21am PST
Later on in her performance, they joined her at the top of the runway.
James later reminisced about her performance on Instagram: "I had a wonderful time being a part of and performing in the show."
This VS fashion show is the latest addition to the songstress' already impressive resume, which includes touring with The Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray; collaborating with artists like Wyclef Jean and Kanye West; and having her song, "Don't Want You Back," go number one on Billboard's Adult R&B chart in 2017.
James was just one of the eight musical acts of this year's fashion show, and she started off on a strong note. The artists who followed her were Shawn Mendes, Halsey, Kelsea Ballerini and The Chainsmokers, Rita Ora, Bebe Rexha, and The Struts.
Watch James' performance in full when the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs on ABC on Sunday, December 2 at 10/9 p.m. Central. Find out where to watch the broadcast here. Watch the VS Fashion Show
Listen to James' 2017 album, Did It for Love, below.
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