FEATURE: Spotlight: Kelli-Leigh — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Kelli-Leigh

_________

AN artist that…

I have so much love and respect for, Kelli-Leigh is not only a tremendous solo artist and former backing singer. She is an incredible songwriter and someone who has just directed, edited, and graded the video for her new single, Never Dance Again. A remarkable talent who is among the best artists we have in music, I wanted to spend some time with her. There are a few interviews I want to get to. Whilst most of the interviews with Kelli-Leigh are from 2020 or before, there is one from last year that I want to finish with. I wonder whether there will be album later this year. She has this collection of remarkable songs under her belt, so I am curious whether we will get an album and then a nationwide tour to promote it. No doubting the fact that she is someone who has a huge fanbase that would love to see her hit the road. If you have not discovered Kelli-Leigh then make sure that you correct this. With her own label, Music Core Limited, this is an artist who I think will be releasing phenomenal music for many years to come. There is nobody in the industry with her sound. I have always loved Kelli-Leigh’s music. She has featured on collaborations in the past, yet I think she is at her strongest when she is at the front and leading. She can effortlessly work alongside any other artists, but I feel her solo material allows us to experience her full range. I want to go back a few years to Run That Again’s interview with Kelli-Leigh. Later that year (in September) she released the remarkable E.P., Can’t Get Enough. Here, she discusses running her own label, and how working in the industry has been a bit of a rollercoaster:

“I set up my own label so I could release my own music to give myself an opportunity, platform and a place for my voice, and selling it out showed me that backing myself was the right decision to make, I felt overwhelmed and extremely proud.”

Being exposed to every level of the music industry comes with many experiences both positive and negative. We ask her about these and what advice she might have for aspiring artists as well as the best advice she might have received herself.

“I have had negativity towards my journey, I’ve been told perhaps it would’ve been better to stay in my lane as a session singer and sing records for other people and earn a small living from it instead of wanting my own path as an artist. That came from someone I truly respected so that hurt the most.

“Other things have been; which I’m sure a lot of us have experienced, is that lack of support, people who don’t shout you out or want to credit you for your work. However, I have also met some of my best friends through working in the music industry, friends I will have for life and been on some of the most incredible adventures I could’ve dreamed off. As one of my besties Katie & I say ‘It’s a rollercoaster life’.”

“The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given was by my friend Leona Lewis who told me to make sure I have good management. I’ve definitely learnt my lesson from having bad management in the past!”

“I would love to work with Fink, I’ve been touched and inspired by so much of his music. One of my favourite concerts ever was seeing him and his band play with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam a few years back, absolute goose-bumps! I’d also love to work with Artist and writer Tayla Parx, the hits she’s written is insane and her own music is so fresh. I’d love to see how her brain works in constructing a song.”

Kelli-Leigh has already shown international success with her music: she’s appeared on Radio 1 Live Lounge, been played on KISS FM, been in the top 10 Shazam trending and even entered Virgin Radio Dubai’s HOT 30 chart as a global artist. But it’s not all about the music. We’re also interested in what she gets up to when she’s not grinding out results. What’s one thing no one knows about her?

“I’ve seriously got into video editing, I co-edited my last few videos, and have completely edit my next two. I find it so rewarding getting the visuals right to the music and the more I’m involving myself in the editing process the more I feel like I’m giving the most honest creative version of myself”.

I will move along to a later interview. Lady Gunn chatted with Kelli-Leigh about the Can’t Get Enough E.P. Released in 2020, it must have been a difficult year for an artist who was releasing this big statement. When the pandemic struck and touring was not possible, so many artists were doing promotion online and unable to connect with their audience like they were used to. That said, I remember the E.P. coming out in 2020. It was a bit of a lifeline at such a difficult time:

“Can’t Get Enough is a journey EP.” With this in mind, South London artist Kelli-Leigh takes us through the early stages of a blossoming relationship with her five track project. Beginning with the first sparks of romantic connection on the glistening “Can’t Get Enough,” to the malty sultriness of “Whiskey Midnight,” Kelli-Leigh is an engaging storyteller.

“Lyrically, the project follows a relationship from the early days, the build-up of sexual tension, and ultimately the ending. These are the songs that most represent me as an artist and the sound I have been developing.”

It’s a sound that’s been long in the making. Having featured on a number of club hits, including “More Than Friends” (James Hype), “I Wanna Feel” (Second City), and the Billboard Dance Chart and GRAMMY-nominated #1 “I Got U” (Duke Dumont & Jax Jones), Kelli-Leigh also toured with Adele as a backing vocalist for her second album 21 in 2010 and has joined Jessie J and Leona Lewis on stage.

However, it’s her work as a solo artist where she has been able to create the music she’s always wanted to make. The EP is a polished body of work, shimmering with elegant pop melodies and jovial dance melodies – a celebration of her artistic journey.

We chatted with Kelli-Leigh to find a little more about her new project, as well as the importance of championing the independent artist.

YOU’VE RECENTLY RELEASED YOUR NEW PROJECT CAN’T GET ENOUGH – COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE EP?

“Sure! The EP is a journey of my sound. When I started the label Music Core back in 2018, I was finding my way through the dark. With each release I was learning so much that I never knew about the industry and how to release music. I also felt a big weight of expectation on what my sound should be from all my dance features. This EP is my favourite body of work so far, and listening to the full EP opens up the sound of who I am and lyrically what I’m about.”

YOU DESCRIBE THE PROJECT AS A JOURNEY EP – LYRICALLY THROUGH THE STAGES OF A RELATIONSHIP BUT ALSO IN YOUR MUSICAL CAREER AS WELL. WHAT DOES THIS COLLECTION OF SONGS MEAN TO YOU RIGHT NOW?

“Honestly, it shows me how far I’ve come. I’ve worked really hard on building my self-esteem for my own project. I’m strong-minded and very honest but I have been left feeling insecure about who I am as I’ve had so many opinions of who I should be forced onto me. This EP is all my songwriting, it’s my visual direction (with each video getting more confident as I learn more about video editing and how I wanted to present my art, for my budget). It’s also a milestone for what’s to come.”

AS WELL AS SETTING UP YOUR OWN LABEL YOU ALSO RUN AN INDEPENDENT ARTISTS PLAYLIST WHICH IS REGULARLY UPDATED WITH FRESH NEW TUNES. WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO REPRESENT THE UNSIGNED ARTIST?

“I just feel like there is a lack of clear support for independent artists on the playlisting side. Spotify has one main independent artist playlist which is extremely hard to get on, and that playlist is then broken down into several indie playlists based on genre. When you submit your songs for editorial on any DSP there isn’t a button you can click for Independent artists. So you’re in effect competing to be heard by major label artists who already have the monopoly of playlisting. There is such incredible music out there and starting this playlist has proven that tenfold. I’ve heard songs on this playlist that have under 1000 streams and are amazing!”

WHAT HAS RUNNING A RECORD LABEL TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE INDUSTRY? WERE THERE ANY SURPRISES ALONG THE WAY?

“Be over-prepared. A release needs to be prepared at least 2-3 months in advance (finished production, mix & master, artwork, uploading to distributor, scheduling, marketing). You probably need more budget – marketing is bigger than any of us realize. Have a follow-up record if your previous one does well so you can piggyback off it.

Keep it moving, try to have no expectations as that can lead to disappointment especially for indie artists (I have been there several times). Most importantly, believe in what you’re releasing, as you’re doing it for you because you love the music. That has to be first.

Surprises, yes. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what stats you have, some people just won’t support a record, and one that you may not put as much attention on as the others will do amazing things. There is no industry consistency, all you can do is be consistent with yourself and hopefully the rest will follow”.

I will round off with an interview from Sound Plate. Talking about her Christmas single, Unwrap My Heart, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter also revealed why she was particular proud of her single, New Chic, and what she wanted to achieve this year (2023). I think this year has got off to a flyer for Kelli-Leigh. She is producing some of her best and most memorable music right now. This is someone everyone needs to keep an eye on:

“What advice can you offer other singers working with producers as session singers or featured artists. How important is being properly credited for your work?

Be aware of what the terms are before you agree to anything. Don’t be afraid to ask what the recording is for and what the intentions are for a record you are involved in. If you’d like to purely focus on the creative process make sure you have a manager or representation who is looped in with the producer and their team to query any concerns/make an agreement for the use of your work

This year, you have released a string of great commercial-dance tracks, how have they been received? Is their one track from 2022 you are particularly proud of?

I’m particularly proud of ‘New Chic’ it was my first release this year and my first release going back to being Independent after my 1st major label signed single the year before. It was rejected by the A&R however received a Spotify cover of New Dance Revolution and was supported and playlisted by Captital Dance, Kiss FM & Radio 1.

Having worked with so many stars in the past, have any of them given you any unforgettable advice or wisdom you can share with us?

I’ll never forget when Leona (Lewis) said to make sure to have good management.

I’ve had some ups and downs with that over the years and i always think back to her advice. Your management truly is an extension of you, the artist so you want someone who is honest, caring, strong and has your best interests at heart. It’s your career you are trusting someone with at the end of the day and a bad email, phone call or meeting can potentially hinder or ruin future opportunities for you as an artist. At the same time you need someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to bullies in the industry who will try and get something out of you because they are higher up. It’s the most important relationship you’ll have in your business career.

Looking forward, what does 2023 hold for you, will you be returning to Ibiza again, any other exciting projects we should look out for?

I’m looking forward to heading out to LA in January for some sessions to celebrate my Grammy Nominated writers credit on Diplo’s album with ‘Forget About Me’ which I co-wrote with Aluna. I’ve also got several collabs which will be dropping early in the year so looking forward to those out before continuing with my single release”.

If you are new to Kelli-Leigh or only know some of her work, go explore and spend some time with this stunning artist. She is someone I am predicting will enjoy many more years in the industry. As one of our very brightest and most astonishing artists, you need to ensure that she is…