Singer, songwriter and rookie actress LeToya Luckett, formerly of bestselling girl group Destiny’s Child, recently stopped by retailer DTLR in the Mall at Prince George’s to promote the release of her sophomore album Lady Love.

The album is a mixture of emotional, finger-wagging songs that declare the singer’s independence and unwavering self-esteem.

Standout cuts on the 15- track album include “Not Anymore,” “Lazy,” “Don’t Need U” and the feisty lead single, “She Ain’t Got,” where Luckett playfully tells a cheating boyfriend no other woman will ever compare to her.

Lady Love presents a new, stronger side of the Texas native. Where her first album LeToya showcased the singer as a forlorn lover eager to please her mate, her August release debuts a more defiant, grownup woman with a new perspective on life and love.

“You have to love yourself, you can’t be selfish, but a lot of time we find ourselves in relationships giving everything to the point that we don’t have anything to give back to ourselves,” said Luckett in an exclusive interview with the AFRO.

“It can get to the point where we don’t know how to receive because we are so used to giving. I also learned that you don’t have to be so emotional. Sometimes women are just ready to fight about everything.”

As part of her own evolution into womanhood, the 28-year-old vocalist said reflecting on her past breakups, make-ups and tears has helped enrich her music and her personal life.

“It helped a lot,” she said of reliving her most painful experiences. “I was able to get into that head space again. I remember being in the studio and thinking about the past and actually feeling my heart break all over again. But I was happy at the same time because those moments are what shaped me as a lady, that’s actually why I called my album Lady Love.”

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