Canadian singer-songwriter, Leah Harris, announces her second EP, “Treat Me Good” slated for release May 15th, 2019. Comprised of 5 original soul/jazz songs by Harris, the EP explores love and the raw emotions we experience through it. She is releasing the first single off the EP, and title track “Treat Me Good”, on March 8th. “Treat Me Good” was one of the last records recorded at Brooklyn’s renowned Systems Two Studio, home to jazz music and generating records like Grammy-winning Jazz album The Mosaic Project by Terri Lyne Carrington, Jazz instrumental album Jungle-Provocative in Blue, and Tango Record of the Year Solo Buenos Aires-Fernando Otero.
Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Harris grew up in a musical family, beginning to play piano and sing at age 4. In 2008, Harris moved to Boston to study Piano Performance at Berklee College of Music where she met producer Adam Rhodes, who later produced Harris’ self-written EP, “I Don’t Believe in Love”, released in 2014.
In 2016, Harris embarked on a two year-long independent European tour of 15 countries. On the tour, Harris released two singles, “Don’t Blame Me” and “Better than the Truth”. During this time, she was invited to speak at Helsinki’s Slush Music Conference to represent indie artists and speak about artist branding. Combining her love for technology and her touring musician lifestyle, Leah Harris chronicled her entrepreneurial journey – a story that gained her over 100k online followers in less than a year.
With an illustrious career still ahead of her, I decided to chat with her about all things Leah Harris;
Photo Courtesy of David Jakob
Hi Leah, and Welcome to OLC! For all our followers out there tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a Soul/Jazz singer, songwriter and pianist. Ray Charles is my favorite artist and my biggest piano inspiration. I’m a huge fan of Fiona Apple when it comes to writing and Whitney Houston for voice. My music is some kind of combination of these three influences.
When did you discover your passion for music?
I’ve loved music ever since I was young. It has played many different roles in my life through the years, but it has definitely been there right from the beginning. Music has helped me deal with challenges and connect with people at times when I knew no other way to do that.
I was exposed to so many genres growing up right on the border to Detroit. At first, I took piano and voice lessons which were mainly classical, but it became pretty clear early on that Soul music was my true passion.
How were you discovered?
I don’t think I was! Haha. I’ve always been running my own business when it came to my music career. I’ve done all my own booking, managed my recording and releases, and, more recently, got into digital advertising, social media, and influencer marketing so I could promote myself. There’s so much you can do as a musician with an entrepreneurial mindset; although, to be fair, I’m reaching a point now where I would definitely prefer to have a team.
I’ve always taken the approach of showing up to gigs to appreciate the music, rather than solely trying to advance my career. I’ve supported other musicians and over time built up relationships and a strong network of successful people in the business. Not everyone agrees with this strategy, but I just think that being genuine, enjoying yourself at shows, and taking a real, personal interest in the industry people you meet goes a long way.
When it came time to book shows, it was easy because I had already developed real connections with people at those venues. They were also happy to put me in touch with venues in other cities. I planned an indie Euro-tour that lasted for two continuous years. This was possible because of these genuine relationships, as well as the entrepreneurial mindset and my decision to run a remote business during the day. So to answer the question, I guess I just thought about things differently and tried to find the path of least resistance to my goals.
You’ve recently announced your new EP, tell me about the first single “Treat Me Good”, was there any particular event that inspired you to write it?
Whenever I try to write about deep, important things, I somehow just end up writing about dating again. This song was written while I was sitting at home waiting for a guy to call and was truly amazed at myself, because I couldn’t just let it go. I tried everything, but nothing would distract me from wanting the phone call. It’s more of a cute, light song about moments like that. I think his name was Jimmy?
It’s the title track from your second EP, what can your fans expect for this forthcoming release?
I’m really excited to release the full EP. It includes 5 songs: two swingy jazz/blues tunes (one being Treat Me Good), two ballads, and one Motown-inspired song. My favorite one is “If I Never,” a soulful ballad inspired by the style of Amel Larrieux, another one of my favorite artists.
Who did you work with on the EP?
I love the people I worked with on this project! Adam Rhodes is a good friend of mine who produced my last EP and my recent singles. I love his production style, and he has the unique ability to translate what I’m saying into ideas that make sense. Rich Lamb was the sound engineer, and the songs were recorded at Systems Two (amazing studio, even though it’s sadly closed now). Bruno Esrubilsky played drums; Alex Hayes was on bass, and Adam played organ. We recorded the whole rhythm section live together with me on piano and voice. Andrae Murchison arranged the horn parts which were added later. Overall, it was an amazing crew and we had so much fun.
Tell me what went into the creative process for the EP and where did your inspiration come from to write the tracks?
For me writing usually just happens, from start to finish. Then suddenly there’s a song. I forget about everything during this process. It’s kind of like being possessed. I was living in Scandinavia at the time, which turned out to be way more of a culture shock than I’d expected. Something about the dark winters and more introverted culture made it harder to adjust to than other places I’d lived. The dating scene was a whole other mystery for me! Most of my inspiration came from my experiences building new lives in different countries and reflecting on what really mattered to me during those changes.
How important do you think it is to derive stories from personal experiences when it comes to songwriting, or do you think it just makes the process easier?
I tend to focus more on documenting a specific moment in time. That’s why I find it tough to go back to songs if they’re not finished in one sitting. In terms of topic, I try to take relatable situations and zoom in on a very specific moment or feeling, which gives me a chance to find my own voice within more familiar topics.
Who are some artists you currently look up to?
I am a huge fan of Hozier. I love the combination of rawness and blues with his catchy songwriting. My mom was born and raised in Dublin, so I also have a soft spot for some of the
Irish elements that come through in his music, like the melodies and backing vocals. James Bay is amazing too; his voice haunts me. There are so many great artists out there, but those two really stuck out for me.
Is there anyone you would love to record with and why?
Hozier! Haha. When I was living in Dublin, I used to joke with my family about creating situations where I would run into him on the street. Obviously it wasn’t that easy, since he would have been hiding from people like me who wanted to do that. Really though, his music just resonates with me, and I’d love the chance to sing a duet with him someday.
Do you have any plans to get back on tour and if so where can people catch you?
Honestly, after two straight years of it I’m kind of happy to stay in New York for a while. Once I hit the 6-month mark of living in one place, then I might be ready to think about touring again. The great thing about New York is that there are so many opportunities here to grow within one city. With that said, most of my listeners and followers are in the states, so I would love to plan a US tour within the next year or two!
Out of all the places you’ve performed, where’s been your most memorable venue and why?
Great question. There are many venues I love, like Stampen in Stockholm, Phog in my hometown (Windsor, Ontario), and Groove in NYC; but my most memorable gig would have to be in Dublin at the Sugar Club for the Circle Sessions Showcase. Circle Sessions is a weekly open mic that focuses on creative growth – songwriting, poetry, standup – and there’s something really special about it. I grew so much from attending it weekly and was honored to be included when they did this big showcase. Amazing venue and wonderful people!
What does 2019 hold for Leah Harris?
Let’s see what happens! It’s definitely time to grow my team as I said, so that will be a fun challenge. I need some help running Instagram, and I’m hoping to find some great photographers and videographers to work with regularly. I have my EP release at Sugar Bar on May 15th which will be a big highlight. Apart from that, I’m just going to enjoy New York, get lots of creative inspiration, and see where my music takes me!
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
