Leilani Li: 2024 Adult Empire New Performer of the Year

Self-aware, ambitious, driven, and determined are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about Adult Empire’s 2024 New Performer of the Year Leilani Li. To call the year she’s had a success would be an understatement after starting and ending this year with award after award. Starting her career in 2014, Leilani has become a powerhouse throughout the industry, and being awarded New Performer of the Year illustrates her efforts in advancing not just the trans community, but the sex work community overall. Recently I had the privilege of speaking with her about winning the award, her motivation to be the best, and what her future holds. (See full video interview at the bottom of this post.)

Adult Empire: You’ve had a very busy and productive year. You started with AVN awards and nominations and now you’re ending with more awards. How would you describe your 2024?

Leilani Li: I would describe my year as surreal, busy, and really fruitful. As far as, like accolades go, it’s kind of unrealistic. Coming into the industry I wasn’t looking to receive any type of awards. I did always tell myself it would be cool to get nominated, but I thought that would be at the height of my career. So to be nominated for so many awards and then to receive so many it’s really surreal and a happy feeling.

What was your motivation heading into this year?

My motivation heading into this year was to perform and take myself seriously as a performer and make sure that the way I presented myself, and my work reflected me as a serious reformer, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of that. My biggest weapon this year was to do every project that was presented to me, and then do it to the best of my ability.

What does this particular award mean to you?

Well, this award is a really, really special award, because I feel like a lot of the words that I get, and I appreciate every word that I get, but a lot of the awards that I get are niche like best new trans performer or something like that. It always has to do with my trans identity. I am a trans performer, so I’m totally fine with that, but to get an award from Adult Empire for new performer of the year really is special to me, because that’s an umbrella of all performers, not just within the trans community. So I felt like that was like pretty cool.

Tell me about the importance of your fans to you and your career, and how they motivate you?

Well, first and foremost, my fans are why I’m here. I’m here to perform for my fans, the ones that enjoy me as well as hopefully gaining new fans along the way. But my fans are my motivation because they’re my viewers. They’re the ones who support me and without a fan base I wouldn’t be a star, now would I?

Are there any porn related or sex work causes that you’re passionate about right now?

I’m passionate about any type of organization that benefits trans women. There is one organization that TS Madison runs called the TS Madison Starter House that helps black trans women in survival sex work, and I’m really passionate about that because even though I’ve always been about glitz and glam it was like a delusional state of being in the beginning, and I was doing survival sex work. I was not a, you know, a porn star with with a team and making a living off of it. And I definitely got into sex work because I needed to survive and to be able to overcome that and create something else out of sex work and take full control over my career.

Browse Lielani Li Movies & Clips

 

Full interview

Listen to Adult Empire’s NEW Leilani Li interview on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the video version below or on Adult Empire YouTube.

Listen:

• Or download and listen on your preferred podcast platform: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn

Watch:

 

Pornstar Of The Year: Tiffany Watson (interview) | Movie of the Year: Fuck Angela (interview) | Best VOD Project: Arrow HD remastered classics (learn more) | Trans Performer of the Year: Brittney Kade (interview) | New Performer of the Year: Leilani Li (interview) | MILF Performer of the Year: Dee Williams | Male Performer of the Year: Zac Wild (interview) | Director of the Year: Angelo Godshack (interview) | Porn Clip of the Year: “9-Man Gang Bang Challenge” from Anna Claire Clouds: Dark Side | Lifetime Achievement: Axel Braun (interview) | Creativity Award: Hentaied (interview) | Comeback Porntar of the Year: Jessie Rogers (interview) | New Niche of the Year: Free Use (learn more)

Adult Empire Awards Week Premiere Movie: Silver Linings