R&B/funk group Labelle, best known for their iconic hit “Lady Marmalade,” is the subject of a new rock opera now in development.
The show, titled Labelle, is being written by band member Nona Hendryx and Tony Award winner Lynn Nottage. It will follow the group — which also included Patti LaBelle and Sarah Dash — from their beginnings as a doo-wop group in the 1960s to their reinvention in the 1970s.
According to the description, the show plans to capture “how Labelle broke barriers of race, gender, and genre— blending rock, funk, soul, and glam to forge a bold new sound that transformed the music industry and inspired generations of artists to follow.”
“This rock opera will be an immersive celebration of artistic liberation, cultural defiance, and the timeless power of women who refused to be contained,” Hendryx says. “I cannot wait to bring our story to life in a way that honors our legacy while pushing the boundaries of what theatrical storytelling can be.”
Labelle, the first Black vocal group ever to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, released “Lady Marmalade” in 1974. The song went on to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. They also had hits with such tracks as “What Can I Do for You?” and “Nightbirds.”
“Lady Marmalade” has been covered several times, most notably in 2001 by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya and Lil’ Kim for the soundtrack to Moulin Rouge. Their version also went to #1.
In 2021 the Labelle version was chosen by the Library of Congress for induction in the National Recording Registry.
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