Last Saturday, February 4, R&B singer, songwriter, and all round superstar Patii LaBelle kicked off the 2023 concerts at Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.
Patti LaBelle, also known as the Godmother of Soul, worked her way through her back catalogue of greatest hits, including Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is), On My Own, and If Only You Knew, before ending with the classic Lady Marmalade, working the crown into a frenzy.
But although it was Universal that brought Labelle to Orlando, she spent her downtime at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, where the Godmother of Soul met up with the Fairy Godmother and her apprentices at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Cast members were all smiles (and even shed some happy tears) as the Grammy award-winning singer spread a little pixie dust of her own on their magical moment together.
After fronting the trailblazing vocal group LaBelle—they of “Lady Marmalade” fame, legendary singer Patti LaBelle embarked on a solo career that would earn her the nickname “the Godmother of Soul”.
The Philadelphia native began singing in church at age 14. She later became the lead singer of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. The group scored Top 40 hits with 1963’s “Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)” and 1964’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.
On the advice of manager Vicki Wickham, the group (now a trio) shortened its name to Labelle in the early ’70s and switched to an earthier, grittier sound informed by funk, soul and gospel.
LaBelle broke through with 1974’s Nightbirds. Their album features the classic single “Lady Marmalade”, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s pop and R&B charts.
Patti LaBelle released her self-titled solo debut album in 1977. She broke into the mainstream with the gold-certified 1983 album I’m in Love Again. The single “If Only You Knew” marked her first No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart.
LaBelle picked up a pair of Grammy nominations for her platinum-certified 1986 album Winner in You. The LP features the Michael McDonald duet “On My Own”, which reached No. 1 on the pop and R&B charts.
She kicked off the ’90s with a recurring role as Dwayne Wayne’s mother on the sitcom A Different World, appearing in eight episodes between 1990 and 1993.
The 1991 album Burnin’ earned LaBelle her first Grammy, for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. Her album 1998’s Live! One Night Only snagged her a second Grammy before the end of the decade.
LaBelle was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.
In 2017, LaBelle reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Traditional Jazz Albums chart with Bel Hommage, her first jazz album.
