Leyla McCalla

The Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from the folk music of the American South and from her Haitian heritage. McCalla first gained renown as a member of the traditional string bands The Carolina Chocolate Drops and Our Native Daughters, alongside bandmate Rhiannon Giddens. She has since risen to produce a distinctive sound all her own. McCalla’s new album, Sun Without the Heat is playful and full of joy, with melodies and rhythms derived from Afrobeat, Ethiopian modalities, Brazilian Tropicalismo and American folk and blues.