Naydja CoJoe and the Lagniappe Section Band

Naydja CoJoe is a talented smooth jazz singer whose substantial career led her to being recently named as the newest members of one of the legendary Dixie Cups. CoJoe was raised in New Orleans and began singing while part of a NORD (New Orleans Recreation Department) summer camp. She sang and played piano in high school, winning many competitions and awards, but family and work eventually took precedent. In 2001 she began backing up the charismatic Southern soulman Mel Waiters, touring for several years and cutting her road chops. She came back to New Orleans to her first French Quarter Fest, and had her “Aha” moment: she needed to be on one of those stages. She mentored with Michael “Soulman” Baptiste and Kermit Ruffins, and was soon engaging in her own gigs, covering soul and gospel, R&B, Billie Holiday and Gloria Estefan with her own band, the Lagniappe Section, or with Sharon Martin and Rechell Cook as the Ladies of Soul.

CoJoe’s career recently took a jump when she was invited to join the Dixie Cups, the legendary 1960s girl group that took the world by storm with hits like “Chapel of Love” and “Iko Iko.” The New Orleans trio also includes original Dixie Cup Barbara Ann Hawkins, Athelgra Neville Gabriel (a sister to The Neville Brothers), and now, CoJoe.