Though she grew up far away from the glow of Hollywood lights, the Maine native always knew she had something important to express with not only her voice, but her words as well. Leah began taking piano lessons at 8, and sang in choirs from her childhood through her teens. She also started Classical vocal training at 14, but in between practicing Italian arias, Leah used every moment to listen and sing R&B and Pop music. Some of Leah’s earliest musical influences were Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, and Anita Baker, but the definitive moment in Leah’s musical journey as an adolescent came when she borrowed a cassette tape of 60’s music from her parents. She latched onto one song in particular – “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. There was something about the range, attitude, and strength of Aretha’s delivery that made an indelible mark on this shy young girl from a small town. It ignited a dream that Leah had to be a performer and somehow make an impact on the world.
Leah eventually moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music, where she began writing music for the first time. After her first attempt at writing was successful, Leah felt confident that she could create an album that would represent her life experiences, while simultaneously constructing catchy pop melodies that would be relatable to a widespread audience. Work on the album came to fruition when Leah met Boston-based producer Angel Angelov. The two spent all of 2007 working on the album, and in June 2008, Leah’s debut album, Rising, was released. The music is a combination of pop ballads, mid-tempo R&B tracks, and up-beat dance songs fashioned after one of Leah’s favorite genres of music – 70’s disco and funk. The album features five songs written by Driscoll, three by Angelov, and one they co-wrote. There is also a track penned by hit songwriter Shah Salmi.
As a performer, Leah has twice sung the National Anthem for the Boston Red Sox, as well as the Boston Bruins, and most recently for the LA Dodgers. Leah’s been invited to perform at Palm Springs Pride and LA Pride. Additionally, one of Leah’s songs, “Rising Up,” was included in the online videogame, “Audition” and will also be featured in the online feature, “The Show So Gay” in 2009.
In the fall of 2008, Leah relocated to Los Angeles to promote Rising and to collaborate with new songwriters and producers, as both a solo performer and session singer. Already Leah’s music has caught the ears of several LA DJs and has been played in clubs in West Hollywood, as well as Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Currently, Leah is in the studio working on three new songs with producer Gary Miller.
Posted in Uncategorized |
