Few artists have managed to slip under the radar while influencing so many others quite like Jhelisa.
It’s been 30 years since the singer’s groundbreaking debut Galactica Rush first landed on the scene, reshaping the boundaries of soul, jazz, and R&B in a time when soul and R&B seemed confined to tradition.
While Jhelisa herself may not be a household name, her influence has rippled through the music world, inspiring artists like Chaka Khan and collaborating with artists like Björk and Massive Attack.
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Born into a musical dynasty—her aunt and uncle played in James Brown’s band—Jhelisa’s sonic palette stretched far beyond her Mississippi roots. With her debut, she found herself in full creative control, crafting an album that defied the mainstream pop of the mid 1990s.
While contemporaries chased chart success, Jhelisa was busy pushing boundaries, creating a space where deep, soulful grooves met abstract, futuristic production.
When Galactica Rush dropped in 1994, it was hailed as “a potent brew of jazz, funk, and soul” by i-D Magazine, and quickly became an underground favorite. Tracks like “Death Of A Soul Diva” and “Friendly Pressure” tapped into something deeper—empowering unafraid to embrace complexity.
Her work is layered, atmospheric, and undeniably ahead of its time. The album’s blend of acoustic and electronic elements, alongside Jhelisa’s soulful, otherworldly vocals, captured a unique space where experimentation and emotion collided.
Despite the critical acclaim, Galactica Rush never quite reached the commercial heights it deserved. Yet, its cultural footprint still lingered, with the album’s standout track, “Friendly Pressure,” recently having found a new life thanks to a viral TikTok moment, where the Sunship remix became the soundtrack to millions of videos—introducing Jhelisa’s unique sound to a generation that wasn’t even born when the song first dropped.
Jhelisa’s sound resonated with queer-adjacent artists like Björk and Massive Attack, both of whom sought her out for collaborations. She contributed backing vocals to Björk’s hit album Debut and refined her vocal layering techniques after working with Chaka Khan, who later covered Jhelisa’s song “Death Of A Soul Diva” in 2002.
While Jhelisa’s name may not be as widely recognized among ’90s trailblazers, her bold creativity helped shape the fluid, experimental sounds in soul and jazz, influencing artists like D’Angelo and Erykah Badu.
Her debut album, Galactica Rush, became a must-have for vinyl collectors, and now fans have the chance to add two limited-run releases to their collection: Galactica Rush and a 12” of ‘Friendly Pressure’ remixes.
The full LP will be available on November 1, 2024, followed by the remix 12” on November 29, 2024. This resurgence reminds music lovers of any identity that true artistry carries a celestial power to have a full circle moment and continue to inspire new generations.
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