Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’m Leah, and I’m from Blackburn, which is in the North West of England. I’ve loved music all my life, whether it’s listening to it or learning about it and how to play and sing etc… My childhood impacted my involvement with music massively, especially with my parents really supporting me musically. Unfortunately my mum isn’t with us anymore, and we lost her not long after I turned 16. But I think she would’ve loved the stuff I do now and the songs I write and the fact I teach music too. I always bear that in mind in hopes that she’s proud.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Leah Eccles”?
A: ‘a.t.m’, along with my previous releases are going to be part of an album that I am finishing off as we speak. It’s called ‘Complete Wisteria’ and is scheduled to be released on the 28th of June! It includes songs from my debut EP, Wisteria, as well as 4 completely new and exclusive tracks, making what is in my eyes a Complete collection of emotive pop and easy listening songs, all independently produced by myself with my little set up at home. Alongside this, I’ll be performing these new songs at my next gigs and I may even have an album launch in the works which is so exciting! Really looking forward to sharing it with those who listen and support my original work!
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I take a lot of inspirations from so many different artists and sometimes literally what is around me or what I’ve experienced, or what someone else may be experiencing. I’ve been inspired by the likes of Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, Ryan Tedder and Onrepublic, to Alt-J, Jimmy Eat World, Loreen, First Aid Kit, etc… just a mash of different artists and composition/production elements I like from what I hear really. In terms of lyrical content and themes, I’ve creative narratives from things as simple as instagram stories with timestamps on, or based a track around how I’m feeling at that time. It just sort of depends what I’m exposed to and what I build from it when I’m in writing mode.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “a t m (at the moment).”?
A: a.t.m is all about that feeling of being behind in life, especially in comparison to those around you who may have reached milestones in their life that you’d like to have achieved by now, like owning your own home, working in your dream career or being able to drive, etc… and it’s a reflection of how I’ve been feeling in areas of my life recently. I’m trying to save up for a house and get confident enough with driving to get my license (slowly but surely), and am working as hard as I in my areas of work to hopefully make them more sustainable and permanent. It’s so easy now to compare yourself to other people around you and on social media and even though it’s not a true reflection of reality, it’s how myself and a lot of other people feel. So, I wanted this song to be a relatable pop song that recognises that feeling and shows listeners that they’re not alone in feeling that way and we’ll get our goals in the end.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: I’d say either ‘Dreamy’ or ’emotive’ . I can’t decide between the two
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “a t m (at the moment)”?
A: ‘a.t.m’ is a song that really speaks how I have been feeling about some aspects of my life, and it was definitely a challenge to articulate that in the phrasing and lyrics clearly but specifically and straight to the point too. I also love layering vocal harmonies and adlibs, but when I do this, all my takes turn out completely different sometimes, and I’m very indecisive at the best of times so, trying to find the perfect balance and not overdoing those were also challenges when recording this song.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I’d say the biggest message in my work is “it’s okay to feel whatever you need to feel, and vocalise it if that helps you.” My music is very emotive, and I’ve written a lot of my songs with what I like to think as more substance and authenticity in the themes. As an artist, I really don’t want to lose that. In terms of my goals, I just want to write and produce as much as I can, keep performing where possible, and see where this all takes me. I am really enjoying what I do and what I’m making musically right now and just want to keep that going.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: I have so many, the list is endless! If I had to pick one artist, it’d have to be Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic. I grew up listening to a lot of their music and really look up to Ryan Tedder as a songwriter too.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: one thing I always say to myself, students I teach, and other artists that I work with is to always make music for you and how you want to. Not just to follow trends or to tick a box or do something for the sake of it in your work. I think ultimately you’ve got to like what you put out there and be proud of yourself for producing your art, no matter how long the song is, or if it’s going to be the next viral audio, be suitable commercially, etc… And I feel that it makes the music much more authentic and what listeners resonate with personally.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Looking back, I really wish I had the confidence to start writing my own songs and trying to progress with my ideas sooner. So, I would tell my younger self to keep going with any ideas I had, and push myself to learn more about how to produce my own music earlier than when I did; keep trying to play more instruments and develop my skills at every opportunity, no matter what anyone else thinks. I owe so much of my musical confidence to what I’ve learned, who I’ve learned it from, gained support and feedback from etc and I truly believe that the most valuable things you can do as a musician are to keep producing, developing ideas, getting feedback, and learning.
