5 Things to Know About Labelle Before Nightbirds

The group started as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. They released four albums under that name before rebranding.

The name change to Labelle marked a shift in sound and image. They moved from traditional girl-group harmonies to funk and glam rock.

Nightbirds was their breakthrough album. It came after years of earlier work that didn’t achieve major commercial success.

Patti LaBelle was the lead singer from the beginning. Her powerful vocals defined the group across both eras.

The Bluebelles era included hits like “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman.” These earlier songs had a different style than their later space-age funk.