Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Simmons.
Hi Leah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got my first guitar when I was 15 years old. I taught myself various chords so I could play along to songs that I loved. I would perform these cover songs at open mic nights, for friends, etc. I casually played in bands throughout high school and college, never really thinking I could make a career out of it. As time went on, I began to write my music. I didn’t share much of it with anyone until I moved across the country.
After graduating from college, I moved to South Florida and got a gig playing at a coffee shop every Friday night. The owner requested that I only play originals. It’s what got me serious about songwriting. I would spend all of my free time noodling around on the guitar and coming up with vocal melodies. I allowed myself to just let everything go in the form of a song.
I started getting regular listeners, booking new venues, and building a fan base. It was time to take the music to the studio. I recorded my debut album with a full studio band in the spring of 2020, right before the world shut down due to COVID. I spent the next six months on the phone working alongside my engineer and friend, Nate Lanzino, to make sure we got the songs how we wanted them.
The release of my debut album was well received and I went back to the studio to record new music in the spring of 2022. Those songs have all just come out within the last few weeks, along with my first real-deal music video. It’s all very exciting. I’m always writing, performing live, and collaborating with other musicians. I’ve found a way to make a living from my art which feels pretty dang amazing.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Hmm. It’s a bit of a thrill ride. It seems that almost every day random opportunities are coming to the surface. The last-minute show offers songwriting collaborations, various deadlines, etc. As I find more success in my music career, I find myself quite the busy bee. It’s been a little tough- going from having a lot of free time for writing and playing to running an entire business.
I joked with a friend the other day that having the freedom to work for yourself is wonderful until you realize you’re working 24/7. I’d say aside from the casual double booking or online advertising error, the biggest struggle has been navigating the current music industry. Online streaming platforms are great for accessibility but for independent artists such as myself, the streaming doesn’t bring in enough revenue to pay the bills.
All the music I record is paid for with my savings and fundraisers. The goal is to have my current music make enough money to pay for my future music recordings and so on. The road is ever-winding and I’m having a fun time discovering what’s around each curve.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in writing music and lyrics that bring emotions to the surface. I’m neither here nor there when it comes to genres. My songs are full of melodic earworms and have moments of varying intensities. They’re like little stories, each one unique. I’m most proud of my newest single “Little Blue”- it is a reflection of who I am as a songwriter and human being. “Little Blue” is dramatic, with elements of pop and rock.
I filmed a music video for the song with my friend, Mike Juliano, and I can’t stop sharing it with the world. I’m sure I constantly change what I am most proud of whenever something I’m super passionate about comes afloat, but “Little Blue” is it right now.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Authenticity, hard-work ethic, creativity, open-mindedness, and taking everything with a grain of salt. You have to be able to give it your all, not be afraid of rejection, allow collaborative ideas to flow, and not get too bummed when things don’t work out. I still have a hard time shaking off the haters, but I’m pretty sure no matter what you do, someone out there is gonna talk smack about it.
If you don’t have the energy to play a hundred shows for audiences that won’t give you the time of day, you won’t make it to the shows where everyone is there to see you. One must remain true to oneself to keep going- writing songs is like therapy, one must let it all out there to see results. I’m not gonna drag this on, I think my success stems from my desire to simply keep creating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leahsimmonsmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahsimmonsmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahsimmonsmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5vPM60mKQXHguwIHl4OloQ
Image Credits
Ian Rowan, Jerrod Mathias, Matt Faciana, Marie Machin, and Daniela Reyes
