Episode 237
#237 - Interview with singer-songwriter Leah Simmons
South Florida’s own Leah Simmons returns to the pod with stories, songs, and soul. Since her last appearance in 2023 on Episode #149. Leah has released new music, gotten married, and stepped deeper into her creative self. We talk about the power of feeling safe in love. The bittersweet truth behind trying (and trying again), and the parts of the artist’s life. That no algorithm will ever understand, because of human it is.
From heartfelt reflections to laugh-out-loud honesty. This episode dives into music, memory, and the weird joy of being alive in a world that doesn’t always make sense. Come for the mixtapes, and midnight musings. Stay for the real talk about growth, grief, and the beauty of just being.
For a bit of nostalgia, check out Leah's first interview on L.I.T.G:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1leuAqcFauhjOiUYNsEyYE?si=_WO_RW6SRUektAkczjfX0g
Where to Find the Guest?
🌐 Website: https://leahsimmonsmusic.com/
🎧 Work: Listen to Leah Simmons on Spotify, Apple Music, and all streaming platforms. Check out, Leah's new song Hello Clare:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2luaUhe3NsGHuqhDrw69sw?si=d85d15470f7d4e53
📲 Social: Follow Leah @leahsimmonsmusic
And of course, you can find all the links for L.I.T.G, and where to listen at:
👉 www.linktr.ee/lostinthegroove
Transcript
Dave: Yes.
Leah: Okay. Yeah. It's called Hello Claire. It comes out on June 20th. Um, I just got the master back this week and it is so beautiful. my friend Brennan and I have been working for the last seven months, I think, back and forth. Um, he lives in LA and I'm here in South Florida. So it's like between the time change.
Exactly. Uh,
Dave: Yeah, that's three hours difference.
Leah: three hours difference. And, um, like me trying to explain melodies that I hear in my head, I'm like, maybe try it on like bass guitar, maybe. I don't know. And I like, would voice memo a melody? And Brendan would be like, let me see what I can arrange. And made magic happen.
And uh,
Dave: Of course.
n of me performing the song, [:Dave: You, you
Leah: see it. I'm just like, go get it.
Dave: okay? Like the thing like people don't understand about Leah and I, I, I mentioned this the last time we talked, right? You and those photo shoots. Okay. This gal over here like has like these like Met or Vogue style photo shoots and I'm just like,
Leah: I, uh,
Dave: it's amazing,
Leah: that, so very nice. Um,
Dave: right? I don't know who your photo, I don't know who your photographer is, but damn.
Leah: Um, his name is Ian Rowan usually, but I also do a lot of work with, uh, Roberto Badillo, whose name is Spin Style, his handle. A lot of my,
Dave: Italian.
, but, um, like all my album [:So like, I was wearing these big ass boots and I'm like kind of clunky or whatever, but then I get to the end where it's like the photo session and I kill it. So I was like, let's just take that little section and that'll be the real anyways. point being that I'm like saying yes to other modeling opportunities and working with different artists.
And so it's been really fun and creative and I've been doing stuff outside of my box, which I think is a wonderful way to grow. And, um, so I'd be growing,
Dave: I think it's [:It's like getting like the right ingredients when you're making, um, uh, when you're making cake, you know? I don't know. You,
Leah: yeah. Oh yeah. To make the cake. You still need, you need your oil, you need your eggs.
Dave: You need your flour,
Leah: flour? Yeah,
Dave: right?
Leah: You need your flour. Taking a flour. Yeah. Sue you over there.
Dave: I'm trying to light this over here in this thing. It's just like, nah. I'm like, come on, come on.
Leah: Come on buddy. You can do it. You got this light, light that looks good. Looks
Dave: Ooh,
Is she good? She looks good. [:Dave: it's good. South Florida, you know. Good. A quality vape store. Delta eight,
Leah: Uh, the D eight. I have my medical card. It's amazing.
Dave: isn't it? Oh no,
Leah: Oh my gosh. It's like,
Dave: I got, I got a sunburn out here like sometimes whenever I have a chance. I don't know if you've been out to,
Leah: yeah, yeah, yeah.
Dave: yeah.
Leah: is a little further away from me, but I have popped in there a couple times.
Dave: Do you go to the one in Lauderdale or the one West Palm?
Leah: Fort Lauderdale. I'm rarely in West Palm. Oh my gosh.
Dave: So they have one.
Leah: to.
o, you know, from the Velvet [:Um, okay, so her name is Nico. She's this, um, singer. There was a part of the VE Underground, which was like, um, what's his name? Uh, John Kale. Um, trying to think who else was in there. Uh, well my brain like works properly anyway. They were playing this band like, it's like from the proto punk era, like from like the 19, like sixties, like late sixties.
And I was just like, who chose this playlist? And he is like, it just plays randomly. I'm like, what do you, what do you mean randomly? Like this is the kind of like, you know what I mean? Like there are songs like, feels like somebody purposely put this on the playlist. Didn't just, yeah. Right.
Leah: I like the math is too good here.
Dave: Way too Good.
Leah: [:Dave: Have you, seriously, have you seriously never heard of Nico?
Leah: No, I mean like I've heard of the Velvet Underground obviously, but like Nico, I think of like Nico and Medicine for the people or whatever the band is.
Dave: All right, let me, let me find this for you. 'cause I think you would like, like I love this kind of stuff, like those like artists and stuff from like a bygone era that like everybody kind of forgets who they are. You know? It's kind of like why we have like online streaming and stuff. Think about it in the sense, like you even said earlier where you were able to collaborate with an artist that's all the way in la.
Right. So we live in a time where like you could theoretically like just tap into a completely different market.
Leah: a hundred percent. It's like anything is, I mean there are no limits is what I'm trying to say. Like anything's possible. You can do, do it all. There are no rules.
Dave: Yeah.
Leah: I
Dave: What?
Leah: you. Here's a little link.
Dave: [:Leah: I see chat. Okay. This is a cool website.
Dave: Yeah, it is. I like, I, I think we talked about this earlier before, but like, I did change over a lot of stuff since um, we last recorded. Um, it's so, it's so strange, right? Because I've had like, felt like such a short period of time and I, I even know for yourself, like so many things have like changed in that amount of time.
You know, when you start to like think back of all of the things that you've accomplished in that timeframe, you're just like, damn.
Leah: Isn't that crazy? I
Dave: Right.
Leah: I think about like our last interview feels like perhaps it was just yesterday to me, and I'm like, oh, that was almost two years ago. Okay.
Dave: Yeah.
e time in between. It's been [:Dave: New pets or same pets,
Leah: same one, perfect pet. My cat pku, similar to Nico, kind of Pku Miko. Um,
Dave: the same realm.
Leah: amazing. Yeah. I did get married, so as you know,
Dave: Congrats.
Leah: thank you so much. That's a big life step and I'm still used to being wife and, um, calling my husband, my husband. I'm like my boyfriend, I mean, my husband, my husband.
Dave: A little adjustment right there, you know.
Leah: it's, it's fresh.
It's been, uh, not even two full weeks. So, um, yeah,
Dave: think,
Leah: and
now we, we talked about this [:Leah: Yeah. Yeah. So I do, I do find inspiration from every moment of my life, but with the wedding specifically, I guess there's this sense of like, I have my person now for the rest of the days, and so regardless of what those days I am not scared anymore. Does that make sense? I just feel safe and good and now I feel comfortable and safe in all the aspects of my life. Um, to be able to
Dave: You, you feel more in tuned.
Leah: [:Dave: Okay.
Leah: myself and, and more open to letting myself be,
Dave: Okay.
Leah: worrying so much about perfecting the track or whatever.
Dave: Hmm. You know, something I was talking over with somebody the other day, which is really interesting, right? Is a lot of the times, even for myself, we sometimes get into this mindset of when you're creative, when you're artistic, that life is more valuable, you know, um, being able to pay your income, being able to give yourself success, uh, stability, and all of those things are the most important things.
that whole equation, because [:It's just they're not a thing that you could buy on Amazon, you know, and get
Leah: my gosh,
Dave: two days shipping.
version of themselves. And I [:Dave: It's weird because, you know, sometimes for a lot of, even for myself, one of the earliest phases of being able to get that is that experience of even getting from your own pets, which is very much unconditional love. And we tend to, and I had somebody on this podcast when we were talking about this too, like, animals teach us so much about human relationships because in the end of the day, we are animals, we are mammals, you know, in every sense of that word.
uage isn't the only level of [:Leah: Mm-hmm.
Dave: all of these things affect the people around you. And.
Leah: A hundred percent.
Dave: Told you we're, we're going deeper this time.
Leah: I know, I know. And I see, I've been seeing all these memes lately that are like, um, you know, the people who can, you don't like talk to animals, obviously. I mean, I do talk to animals,
Dave: Of course,
Leah: you know,
Dave: Twix,
Leah: but like,
Dave: Twix,
Leah: um, the animals that are like, uh, drawn to you, I don't know.
They're not, let's say, um, there's three people in the room. The cat will go to one of the three, you know, like, that's me. I'm that person in the room. I feel like, and not everyone has that energy,
Dave: no.
ings. This is a safe person. [:Dave: My, my little fluff ball, she likes to share stuff that I'm eating. And I just, sometimes I'm like, honey, I can't give you some of this stuff. 'cause like, I know you're gonna, and sometimes she'll just wanna see what's in the bowl. Okay. Like I just have to bring it down. And she looks and she's like, okay, I'm done.
I just wanted to see what you were doing. And,
Leah: still wants to smell my coffee every morning. I'm like, you know, this isn't for you, girl. Like, this would kill you. I think.
Dave: but you know what, something I've realized also, we don't realize even in relationships, okay. Whether in your case, like for example, you have a partner or you have like a really close friend, they'll have moments like that with you where they'll just watch you or they'll get curious in what you're doing.
o the zone and they're like, [:Because you don't just see that all the time.
Leah: Yeah, I remember like the first time I heard that tale of you feel your ear itched, it means someone's talking about you, I think is the thing.
Dave: Ooh.
Leah: I think is what it
Dave: Oh, I like that.
Leah: I was
Dave: Okay.
Leah: and I was just like. Oh, they must be talking about me, like fucking, just wanting to be the center of everyone's attention all the time. She's like, oh, ears are scratching. Maybe it's not lice. Maybe it's just that I'm so cool. I've actually had lice twice.
Dave: Wow.
Leah: Uh,
Dave: True story.
I've been a gel. Wait, hold [:Dave: Oh my God. You're like, lemme, lemme just spill the beans right now. I've had lice three times. Okay.
Leah: Yeah, I wanna say, I wanna say two for sure. Third one, I don't know if I actually ever got it, but we treated it as if I did first time was in middle school. My friend, like my best friend, she was on the girl soccer team, like a traveling soccer team,
Dave: Oh, of course.
Leah: Soccer practice every night, whatever.
to suffocate any of the lice [:It was insane. And then the third time was for my niece and nephew. I don't even know how I got it. That one, I just snuggle them all the time. I love them. So,
Dave: Oh my God,
Leah: so
Dave: I, I feel like if Bob Dylan was in the room right now, he would just like get that inspiration of like, oh my God, I gotta write a lice song. Like, Bob, Bob, don't I know you're old man. Like, don't end your career with a freaking lice song.
Leah: I am like, is that my ticket to fame? I write a kid's album and
Dave: Song.
Leah: songs is featuring on life, how to, how to get it out.
Dave: Oh my God. So kids, this is the time I got lice three times because of you.
Leah: it's been, it's been about like, um, three years since I've had, so pretty good, pretty
Dave: Oh my God.
Leah: Uh,
Dave: Oh
Leah: that I'm not even embarrassed actually. It's
o. I liter. Well, okay. Like [:Okay. So I basically had like unprotected. Okay. Not re Yeah. All right. So, and then like six months down I started like having symptoms. And then I had a friend of mine, like, I was certainly getting coughing and I was having like a hard time breathing and stuff. And she was like, you should get tested. And I'm like, what do you mean tested?
ike everything was okay, but [:Leah: know about that a little sooner, I'd say.
Dave: Crazy.
Leah: that's hard.
Dave: Your life's free. I'm, I'm HIV, free the Lord.
Leah: goodness
Dave: Yeah. But yeah, I, I,
Leah: I.
Dave: it's so, it's so weird 'cause like, this is stuff like, I honestly like, have always been like afraid and stuff. But you know what, we run into like sometimes the most wildest medical scenario. Just, you don't even plan to be there. You're just like the, the, the person sitting there in the doctor's office and then they finally call you and like, all right, cool.
ve ended up, that sucks. Um, [:Dave: Car accidents.
Leah: ac, two scooter accidents and one car accident. All in South Florida, all in Miami, all on the beach, I believe too.
Dave: Wow.
Leah: Miami.
Dave: I think that, that, that should say something about Miami's, um, citation and traffic control and, you know. Yeah.
Leah: not looking
Dave: I.
last week sometime, I think. [:You see it and you're just like, no, 'cause, 'cause she's there on the social media. So she's alive and it's just so heartbreaking and
Dave: I, I, I, I don't like, I don't mean to kill the mo, the mo, like the mood, but it's amazing on how we demonize psychedelics. We demonize cannabis, but yet we glorify like medical grade cocaine and methamphetamines. And alcohol. And it's like alcohol has killed more people than cannabis has in its entire existence in this country.
[:Leah: Well hopefully the weed would just make you not wanna kill anyone anymore. Whereas like alcohol would be like, yeah, feed the flame.
Dave: Isn't that it?
Leah: be like, Hey, maybe let's think twice about murder.
Dave: Isn't it interesting though, like a lot of cases where people get like killed in, um, alcohol, like DUI like situations they. Tend to survive, but the person that they hit usually dies. Like the person that's under the influence of alcohol, like lives.
of the, I don't know why the [:Dave: I don't know.
Leah: happen to good people.
Dave: Uh
Leah: yeah. My brother-in-law was hit by a drunk driver when he was a kid.
Dave: oh, shit. Damn. We went down a dark hole. Jesus.
Leah: Yeah, we did. But it's a good lesson to know because we need to encourage people to stop fucking drinking and driving because people are fucking dying.
So like, just be more responsible
Dave: Yeah.
Leah: smoke more pot. It's not that fucking hard.
Dave: Shrooms man.
Leah: My brother is in a wheelchair, by the way. So that is how that story ended. He was 12 on his way to Dairy Queen with his mom and his sister and his cousin, and they got hit by a drunk driver. And uh, so now he is 40 something years old and still in a wheelchair for the last 30 years.
So don't do that. And then the girl that I know is dead. So
Dave: Yeah,
Leah: and also a, we're gonna move on. Love and peace and don't do it.
Dave: [:I, I feel that's becoming more and more rare these days. You know, being creative doesn't mean you have to always be political, okay? You don't have to stand there to stave a message like, holy shit man, just be you. Give a fuck.
Leah: Yeah, I think art's allowed to just be, you know,
Dave: Just be
have a clear message. It can [:Dave: no. And you know what? That's why honestly like, um, I don't know if we talked about this the last time, but I. One of like, my all time like favorite modern records like albums, uh, was from David Bowie, his last album, which was Black Star and solely for the fact that his last hurrah is his eulogy. It, it, it, it's just, I, I don't know, but like, it's the ultimate like message of like, here, who, this is who I am as an artist.
how I wanna leave the world. [:Leah: know I'm going, and here we go. You know, like, oh my God. I remember the day that David Bowie died and I just laid in my bed, like with the covers over me and listened to that album, and I, I haven't listened to it since.
Dave: it's very hard.
Leah: way too fucking depressed. I was like, I can't revisit it now.
Maybe enough time has passed, but I remember being very, affected by that
Dave: They, they're hard. The truth is, they're hard albums and they're hard songs to listen. Like even with Leonard Cohen, like his last album, it's because like you're, you're hearing their dying voice. You're hearing them giving out everything, like even spiritually, like everything that's left in their soul that's powering this and they're pouring that into here.
f-expression. It's like, how [:Leah: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I'm like, maybe you're, you're taking it without even subconsciously doing it. Right? It's almost like go back to baking that cake. I'm like creating the different parts. In my mind, maybe, you know what? I've really. So, speaking of cakes excited about is like I'm joining all these different opportunities, clubs, whatever, creative endeavors with people and meeting a lot of people and not really expecting anything in return from it other than just like, I wanna hear about your experiences.
rus now. All these different [:It, it's like the long term recipe. Maybe it's like a sourdough, you know, you gotta let it sit overnight. I don't know. Life's crazy.
Dave: It is crazy. And you know what, I think that's the most beautiful fact about it, is we don't get to control every single aspect of our lives, but we get to shape and mold them and define them as we go along with them. You know,
Leah: those surprises and our response to those surprises are what define our journey, I guess.
I, I, I feel this too, where [: this, I'm sorry Joe. Um, but [:And so the fact that they got recognition later and like proper placement, you know, um, it just really gave me some hope, you know, that uh, maybe it's not that what I'm doing isn't great, it's just perhaps home hasn't yet been found beyond me. You know? I feel like I'll hold onto all these things until ready to find their way into other people's
Dave: blossom.
Leah: they do already.
They are, but, like, we need total world domination, you know?
Dave: No, and I, you know.
Leah: saw you [:Dave: no, no. It, this, this is just, this is very good. This is,
Leah: getting ripped over there.
Dave: man. Like, come on. Like, I, I'm telling you, I, I strive so much as an artist being able to see the accomplishments of others. You know, something that somebody told me that, like I never even realized was she told me like, you realize you're like one of the best people to talk to.
And I was like, what do you mean? And she's like, you just have a way of how you talk to people that really like shines true of who they are. And it's not just about the person who I'm talking to. It's about being able to have those connections in your life. Like you said, there's so many things that you can pour yourself out to and a lot to blossom, and you don't have to always focus if those things ever gonna happen.
d being able to say, I. Down [:Leah: Yeah.
Dave: we're creating trees.
Leah: doing what feels right, you know? I saw a great post today that said something like, you know, if it takes away the sparkle in your eyes, it's not worth it. And I felt so deeply I resonated with that.
Dave: Yeah.
Leah: like, yeah, I'm kind of done wasting my energy on things that aren't fulfilling my endeavor.
ased. I don't need a fashion [:My makeup is insane. They have like black vines growing out of my eyeballs. It's insane.
Dave: You had a Billie Eilish moment, is that what you're saying?
Leah: The, the kids might say that they might.
Dave: Look, I, I think, you know, one thing I will like, kudos to Billie Eilish is her bringing back that avant garde. I don't know that noir that we got from like, people like Kim Wild, you know, or, uh, pat Benatar, um, what's her name? Uh, Kate Bush is a great example of that too. I don't know, like that. That glamazon that like darkness you got from those queens from the eighties.
Leah: like a thought, darkness almost. You
Dave: Yes.
ot just like the stark black [:Dave: Gotta get that in black and white.
Leah: too deep?
Dave: No, I, I, I'm serious. I love, I love the portrayal of like, mixing elements of even like music and art together. That's why I feel like music videos are sometimes masterpieces in itself. 'cause it's not just the music. It's like the whole ambiance of the whole experience is just ah,
Leah: Music videos used to be so good. I
Dave: I know.
Leah: some good ones, but like, I'm not, I don't follow them anymore. Back in the day,
Dave: They were amazing.
Leah: a kid,
Dave: You two had some really good, yeah. You two had some really good ones too. Oh.
Leah: You
Dave: know.
Leah: Brittany Spears come on the toxic music videos. She's on a plane.
Dave: I know,
Leah: murdering people,
Dave: right? Or um,
Leah: grade. Like, damn, what's she doing, Brittany?
like black eye peas, where I [:Leah: I was literally listening to Fury earlier.
Dave: Really?
Leah: she? She's Black Eyed Peas, right?
Dave: Yes. Fergie.
Leah: yeah, yeah. thing. My camera going blurry. It looks blurry now, but I don't know if that's me or just the lighting.
Dave: It could possibly be the lighting, but you keep in mind it does record our track separately. So
Leah: great.
Dave: yeah, so we're gonna look nice and kosher and clean afterward, but right now we look kind of awful and shit. But
Leah: amazing all the time.
Dave: yes, all the time and every time it's just sometimes technology doesn't wanna prove that it is true.
Leah: It is.
Dave: It is indeed, indeed. You need indeed not sponsored.
Leah: any other, any other fun guests coming on or, or, uh, you're excited about that you would like to have on?
ve: Um, well, I do have this [:So, um, a lot of films that are becoming more successful these days are being made by these Canadian film houses that are working alongside with other creators here in the United States and in Europe. And, um. He was basically talking about where there's becoming now this ever So more of a push of actually making movies, more movies like no political ties, no agendas, none of this crap.
Like it's a movie.
nd I talk all the time about [:Dave: Yeah. And you know what they, okay, I'm gonna go on a little tangents here for a second. They, I watched the Newly Low and Stitch movie. I don't know if you have, but,
Leah: No, but I want to, so, but go ahead.
Dave: okay. No spoilers. But one spoiler, which I think is important to throw out there, is they changed ohana.
Leah: How?
Dave: So you know how it's, Ohana means family. And family means nobody gets left behind. Forgotten. Yeah. They forgot they took out or forgotten part.
Leah: Oh,
g of the movie, they started [:But like,
Leah: happens to Lilo if her sister goes to college? No, spoilers do need to see it.
Dave: you should definitely see it. But the, the problem, okay, see this is the problem too, right? Is especially where you're making all of these remakes, okay? Is a lot of these franchises, even like Lilo and Stitch has already had other movies and other stuff that's already been made. It's like we've gotten a hundred west side stories.
We've gotten a hundred uh, stars born. Like we've gotten hundreds of remakes of the same movies over and over again. I don't know about you, honey, but I'm getting sick and tired of it. Okay. Like,
Leah: we need some freshies. Come on. And I know they're out there, I think. I think it's people are having a hard time finding their audience and so access to good writing is being looked over maybe, or I, I don't know what the issue is.
Dave: [:So I'm just like, okay. But he can do it. Quinn Tarantino can do it. All right. Martin Scorsese's old kudos to the man. He's,
Leah: Yeah,
Dave: yeah, it's,
Leah: yeah, yeah,
Dave: yeah. Yeah. We don't have to continue.
Leah: I get what you're saying though.
Dave: Right.
Leah: I think it's, it's coming. Maybe it's gotta be coming. There's people, like, I think there's a demand for it. It's gonna be a matter of time before there's funding for it, and someone will write it. Who knows?
Dave: But that's what I'm saying is I,
Leah: it'll [:Dave: you're not wrong. Like indie podcasts are over here. South Florida Superstar over here. Like, I don't know, like I'll take producer
Leah: just,
Dave: with the Mercedes rental. Please, please,
Leah: yeah,
Dave: please, please.
Leah: please
Dave: It's a little hard.
Leah: give them the rims.
Dave: Yes, and the engine from Vroom, you just wanna go around the corners. But I, from what I've seen so far, the independent industry has really been booming and really kind of focusing on this more and more, creating more of these stories.
y wanna see. You know what I [:Leah: Do you remember back in the, back in the day? I
Dave: back in the day. Back
Leah: so
Dave: the day. Oh,
Leah: But
Dave: I love that shit. Hashtag back in the day. Yes. I.
Leah: the early two thousands, um, when Netflix used to be on DVD and
Dave: Yeah, they used to mail them to you. Yeah, I remember that.
Leah: yeah. So yeah, we've come a long way.
Dave: I was telling, I was telling, um, I was on a date with somebody and I was telling him that. And we both remember this company. I'm 26. I remember watching Lilo and Stitch on VHS because I remember as a kid growing up in the early two thousands, like Blockbuster used to have this thing where if you had a membership and you wanted to watch the new releases, they would charge you a fee.
a fee if you take it out on [:We both remember. We were like, girl, you gotta go to Blockbuster and change out the DVDs.
Leah: fun it was too though, to go like,
Dave: Popcorn. Popcorn.
Leah: I was like, God forbid my mom allowed me to pick out a candy. Like, whoa. It'd be like, we would get like two movies for the weekend and we were a family of six and it was like, okay, my parents are gonna pick out something they want and then we're gonna get a family movie.
So I never got a vote. I was the youngest. I'd be like, why but like sometimes I'd be able to pick out candy and that was my special treat.
r before Christmas? 'cause I [:Leah: Oh man, I was so scared of that movie.
Dave: really.
Leah: favorite. Yeah. And I am, it is still one of her favorites and I'm just like, I don't like Claymation that much. It, it gives me like a yucky Like James and The Giant Peach, that movie fucked me up when I was a kid.
Dave: I mean that movie honestly fucked up a lot of us. Like
Leah: Horror line, all of those Claymation is just, I'm
Dave: Cor. Okay. Coralline was another level of insanity. Okay. The, the button ice.
Leah: I know it was a little deeper than just the Claymation,
Dave: It was, yeah.
Leah: you know, nightmare Before Christmas had like great soundtrack and like, you know, it's fun,
't know, there was something [:Uh. Yeah, I found my passion in cars, so yeah, baby, watch out.
Leah: so cool. Congratulations.
Dave: So I, I love especially like 3D animation and seeing how far it's come. And I remember watching Toy Story two, you remember Toy Story two, and that was the most incredible thing because it felt like the toys that we had around us, like it, it felt like our toys.
Leah: Yeah.
Dave: It added some like really beautiful, I don't know. It, it made fun. It made childhood feel more sweet, even though it was kind of a psycho story. Like in the end you're like, holy shit, that toy is fucking.
ke children's media from our [:Dave: You know what?
Leah: just.
Dave: know what it, okay, look, it's not about like the TV and the shit. It, honestly, it's just the culture and the vibe that we grew up in. We grew up in a culture and a vibe was, even though I grew up in like a cult community and more like conservative and closed, but you are constantly surrounded by like this open attitude of, you know, try something new, try something different.
r one. Like. They were crazy [:Leah: Yeah. Oliver and Company
Dave: Oh. Oh my God. You get me, girl? Yes.
Leah: girl. I know. I can't believe it took us this long to get this call together. I'm
Dave: Oh my God.
Leah: more often.
Dave: No, but seriously, like even the, look, I'm one of those, like, I even, like, I love the music scene, especially like from the eighties and nineties, especially like r and b, and it's because like, people forget this, like, there was a time where it was just so lyrical and poetic, you know, even if you're like listening to salt and pepper, you know, shoot, shoot.
ow it into the CD player and [:We don't have like, where we get bored and we just like throw on our headphones, you know? Or just like throwing that tape and just like zone out or whatever.
Leah: Though now I, no one does that anymore. I
Dave: Right.
Leah: being in high school and I took this one class called Current Music, and in it we, it was a really cool class actually. But I just remember on the first day, one of the things the teacher asked was, does anyone ever just sit and listen to music? Not listen to music while you are doing your homework or doing the dishes, but like, just do that. And I was one of only two people who rose their hand. I was like, yeah, I do that. No, what else? Just listens. I'm like, I would just lay in my bed with my headphones on and put on my iPod because I had an iPod.
Dave: I did too.
onna listen to John Mayer or [:I don't know.
Dave: it was, you know what? Honestly though, it was like personal because like your iPod was like your own was like your own like music memory in a physical device. Like okay, just throwing it out there for these kids these days where they don't understand this, okay, they were damn expensive, alright? They weren't like cheap.
Like you couldn't be like, mom, can I buy an iPod? And they'd be like, it's $389.
Leah: not, yeah, if you didn't know how to illegally download your music, like that shit was a dollar per song. Like what? You're gonna listen to the same 12 songs because that's all your 14-year-old ass
Dave: And no one's gonna teach you how to burn CDs. Okay? Like your older brother's not gonna be like, yeah, come here. Let me show you like, where to put it. Like, nah,
because I did burn a lot of [:Dave: we had to burn CDs, honey. Like, who's paying 99 cents per song?
Leah: like, I mean, what making a Spotify playlist is a romantic gesture, I guess. But like making a fucking burn cd. I can't even imagine a cassette tape. I mean, that's before my time. But the CD at least like how Tre Manque.
Dave: You needed a mix player to make a, like a tape mix and like that, that shit required skill. Like you needed one of those professional boxes with the dual like, uh, decks. And like, you need to know what switches and knobs like you.
Leah: And you gotta know where you're playing the songs from. I mean, yeah, I don't know.
Dave: You had to be like the coolest person to date back in the day. If you pick, like pick somebody up in a VW rabbit cabriolet with a convertible top and you mixed your own tapes,
Leah: Yeah,
Dave: were the shit, man.
Leah: yeah. You'd have [:Dave: you. I got more mixed tapes. Like, when we come back to my place, I'll make you another. And you're just like, damn.
Leah: I'll make you your own mixed tape.
Dave: Have you, okay. Serious, serious note, like serious note right now. Have you thought about making a mixed tape?
Leah: what do you mean?
Dave: Like
Leah: just.
Dave: yeah. Like have you thought of like, maybe like making like, like a collage, like if you could make your own modern interpretation of a mix tape, maybe even with your own music. Like, what would that look like? I don't know why I wanna, I'm, I'm, I'm like curious. I wanna peck your brain at this.
, would, I think a lot about [:Dave: Okay. What about you right now in the present moment, the way that you're feeling, you, your present aura, where your mind is at, that that is the emotion that you're packing into this mix tape.
Leah: It would be like Ella Fitzgerald Gold album. Like just really like you see all these candles, but I am like
Dave: Oh,
Leah: fuck. After we get off this phone call, I'm headed up to the showers. I'm hitting the showers. I'm going to get my PJs. Onm gonna eat some brownies. I made brownies with peanut butter chips in them.
Dave: So peanut butter brittle basically,
Leah: It's like Reese's peanut butter brownie.
Dave: [:Leah: They're not special brownies. No,
Dave: no.
Leah: gonna smoke a joint before I hop in the shower. I smoke a joint before hopping on the call too. I just smoke outside. Otherwise, if I was outside, I'd be like, but I'm inside. So, yeah, I don't smoke inside. And my, my husband does not a smoker, so, uh, I, I
Dave: You,
Leah: his
Dave: you know what that means. I mean, that means more for you.
Leah: That does mean more for me.
Dave: Honestly, like I found it to be a really great creative outlet. Um, it allows me as to get into my own head space to get into my own mind. And, um,
Leah: I.
ust creating something like, [:There's like this hole that builds up in a person and you try to fill it up, like we said earlier, like it could be alcohol, it could be pills, it could be toxic relationships, it could be a lot of different things.
Leah: Sure
Dave: Can't kill the spark. I think that should be the model for this month is. Can't kill the spark.
Leah: it kills the spark in your eye, it's not worth it.
Dave: No,
Leah: kill the spark.
Dave: don't kill the spark.
Leah: Don't kill the spark.
ant to, or there's something [:Leah: Yeah, I think everything that I'm doing currently is, um, stuff that feels fun in the moment and in execution and stuff too. Um, I think I am heading towards, um, wanting to do more stuff in acting and television and writing. Um, so I, I
Dave: shoots.
Leah: so much, but like I'm, I'm really into jokes. That's my, my big passion as well.
And so if you ever see me live, there's like a lot of humor involved in my live performances and, um. So, yeah, I think I kind of have been always interested in that and feeling like, why not take an acting class or two, see what happens. I've done some things here and there and you know, you just keep doing things and bring you joy, hell yeah.
And if they don't, [:Dave: You want to be able to explore and kind of figure out what works for you, you know?
Leah: Yeah. And, and it's hard because like, yeah, at the end of the day, I do love making music and I wanna do that all the time, but I am not finding the funding that I need to do it in a way that is like, I can produce at the rate that I want to. Like, I have dozens of songs that I want recorded, but it's like I just don't have the money to do it right now.
And it's like, okay, one song at a time until I can get like thousands of dollars again. You know, some
Dave: I,
Leah: behind it.
able to not. Spread yourself [:It's, you wanna do the thing that you love, but you need to be able to find ways to be able to support that. And
Leah: Right.
Dave: it doesn't happen overnight, you know, it doesn't happen by becoming, becoming a YouTube store. It comes from being able to find something you're passionate about and you can make a career out of it.
Um,
Leah: totally.
Dave: and I don't know, like you don't know either. We don't know where this is gonna go. Like it can go in completely different directions, you know, and you just, yeah, it's gotta go with the waves, man.
ive to have control. Um, and [:Dave: You know, something, I think the, the truest thing that you can admit to yourself is every single person is gonna be unique. There's no quick, easy solution. There's no slap all diet that's gonna solve all the problems. You know, you have to be able to get yourself out of your own head and realize. You are worth investing in.
You know, you are somebody that has these talents, you have these capabilities, and it's not that you can never get success. Maybe that is the pur one of the purposes and the reasons why you're here in this life. But there could be other reasons. There could be
Leah: Yeah,
Dave: things you can work towards and be able to make something out of.
Um, [:Leah: know that's, I'm totally with you on that. Never limit yourself a hundred percent. It's like. I'm not just a singer, I am also a chef and a gardener, and a very loving auntie, and like very environmental enthusia. And I, you know, I think people, I think are always gonna try and define you like the way they want to. And you, you almost can believe it, like, you believe what other people think of you to be true. And it's like, oh, no, no, no. But people don't actually know, know you at all, generally speaking.
Dave: No,
Leah: and, and so you need to be the one to know yourself and what they think isn't gonna matter once you in the know about your own whatever.
Being, I'm
Dave: it,
no, I'm sorry. Like,[:I think that's something that's really hard is to also be able to understand like you have limitations and that doesn't mean that you, you cannot be good at certain things or it's just that no two people are made equal. You know, and understanding sometimes you need that break, like we were talking before, like being able to have that like moment of just being able to zone out in the boredom and being able to get into your own head.
Um, I can't say this enough. You, you have to be comfortable in your own skin with all of your flaws. Let's be real, like as wonderful as we are as people, we come with a lot of flaws and, and I don't think any artist is perfect. I mean, I think we gave the greatest example of the all we were talking about David Bowie.
ut he made something of that [:Leah: Yeah. Yeah. We are nothing if not our flaws amongst our greatnesses as well. Um, I, I do feel like, uh, has, we've had a lovely conversation,
Dave: I know
Leah: it is wrapping up time perhaps.
Dave: we should end, of course. Um, I'm gonna make sure to put your link, uh, for your socials and stuff below, so we'll be able, these wonderful people will be able to find you. Um, you said you have a new song that's coming out. Any anything else new?
next live show is in Pompano [:And so I've got a bunch of new songs and some new covers that I'm gonna be playing there. Um, and then hopefully I'll be back in the studio as soon as I get some more money and know the wedding really was a lovely. And costly thing that we did. And,
Dave: It usually is.
Leah: spend the summer recouping and just being happy and, and who knows what the fuck the fall and the winter will bring.
And:Dave: We don't know, but hey, it's gonna happen. It's gonna happen, baby.
Leah: Thank you Dave for having me.
ou motherfuckers on the next [:Alright. Peace out. Yeah. All right.
Leah: much. Have a good one.
Dave: Yes.
Yeah, that's three hours difference.
Of course.[:You, you okay? Like the thing like people don't understand about Leah and I, I, I mentioned this the last time we talked, right? You and those photo shoots. Okay. This gal over here like has like these like Met or Vogue style photo shoots and I'm just like,
ur photographer is, but damn.[: Italian.[:I think it's also really good, especially like collaborating because something I I love seeing is collaboration, not only in the artist world, but how, how well it works. Okay. You, you see this so many times, right? It's not where like artists are conflicting with one another. It's like almost like a blend.
It's like getting like the right ingredients when you're making, um, uh, when you're making cake, you know? I don't know. You, You need your flour, right?
. I'm like, come on, come on.[:Ooh,
it's good. South Florida, you know. Good. A quality vape store. Delta eight,
isn't it? Oh no,
I got, I got a sunburn out here like sometimes whenever I have a chance. I don't know if you've been out to, yeah.
Do you go to the one in Lauderdale or the one West Palm?
now if you, you know who the [:Um, okay, so her name is Nico. She's this, um, singer. There was a part of the VE Underground, which was like, um, what's his name? Uh, John Kale. Um, trying to think who else was in there. Uh, well my brain like works properly anyway. They were playing this band like, it's like from the proto punk era, like from like the 19, like sixties, like late sixties.
st. Didn't just, yeah. Right.[:Way too Good. Have you, seriously, have you seriously never heard of Nico?
All right, let me, let me find this for you. 'cause I think you would like, like I love this kind of stuff, like those like artists and stuff from like a bygone era that like everybody kind of forgets who they are. You know? It's kind of like why we have like online streaming and stuff. Think about it in the sense, like you even said earlier where you were able to collaborate with an artist that's all the way in la.
completely different market.[:Yeah. What? Yeah. That's Nico. Nico.
Yeah, it is. I like, I, I think we talked about this earlier before, but like, I did change over a lot of stuff since um, we last recorded. Um, it's so, it's so strange, right? Because I've had like, felt like such a short period of time and I, I even know for yourself, like so many things have like changed in that amount of time.
ou're just like, damn. Right.[:Yeah.
New pets or same pets,
the same realm.
Congrats.
A little adjustment right there, you know.
k that experience, like, um, [:You, you feel more in tuned. Okay.
Okay.
Hmm. You know, something I was talking over with somebody the other day, which is really interesting, right? Is a lot of the times, even for myself, we sometimes get into this mindset of when you're creative, when you're artistic, that life is more valuable, you know, um, being able to pay your income, being able to give yourself success, uh, stability, and all of those things are the most important things.
that gets missed the most is [: w, and get two days shipping.[:It's weird because, you know, sometimes for a lot of, even for myself, one of the earliest phases of being able to get that is that experience of even getting from your own pets, which is very much unconditional love. And we tend to, and I had somebody on this podcast when we were talking about this too, like, animals teach us so much about human relationships because in the end of the day, we are animals, we are mammals, you know, in every sense of that word.
or cats or dogs, even birds, [:Of course, Twix, Twix,
no.[:My, my little fluff ball, she likes to share stuff that I'm eating. And I just, sometimes I'm like, honey, I can't give you some of this stuff. 'cause like, I know you're gonna, and sometimes she'll just wanna see what's in the bowl. Okay. Like I just have to bring it down. And she looks and she's like, okay, I'm done.
I just wanted to see what you were doing. And,
with you where they'll just [:And then like you get into the zone and they're like, what are you playing? And you're like, what? What, what are you playing? And you're like, you have that brief moments like, oh my God. Like people are actually like paying attention to what I'm doing. And I think that that is something really powerful, right?
Because you don't just see that all the time.
Ooh. Oh, I like that. Okay.[:Wow. True story.
Oh my God. You're like, lemme, lemme just spill the beans right now. I've had lice three times. Okay.
Oh, of course.[:Oh my God, I, I feel like if Bob Dylan was in the room right now, he would just like get that inspiration of like, oh my God, I gotta write a lice song. Like, Bob, Bob, don't I know you're old man. Like, don't end your career with a freaking lice song.
Song.
Oh my God. So kids, this is the time I got lice three times because of you.
Oh my God. Oh [:Okay. So I basically had like unprotected. Okay. Not re Yeah. All right. So, and then like six months down I started like having symptoms. And then I had a friend of mine, like, I was certainly getting coughing and I was having like a hard time breathing and stuff. And she was like, you should get tested. And I'm like, what do you mean tested?
like one of those situations [: ou and like, all right, cool.[:Car accidents.
ntrol and, you know. Yeah. I.[: cohol has killed more people [:And it's just baffling to me that like nobody takes a message. Like we have some of the loosest regulations on alcohol, the loosest out. Like seriously, you could be a poor ass human being in this country and get drunk and kill somebody. Easy try doing that with weed. Yeah, good luck. Unless you're like, have a psychotic break, which is kind of rare, but yeah.
Isn't that it?
uence of alcohol, like lives.[:I don't know. Uh
oh, shit. Damn. We went down a dark hole. Jesus.
Yeah.
Shrooms man.
Yeah,[:no. You know, and it's just, look, I'll tell you something honestly, and just on the spin of like being an artist, when you deal with artists that have that more open mind of thinking, you know, be able to be more comfortable with alternative healing, holistic healing, you know, more of a better way of how we can live lives, that really stems not only in how you are creatively, but who you are externally and who you are internally and.
an, just be you. Give a fuck.[:Just be
ke, here, who, this is who I [:This is who is me as a creative individual and this is how I wanna leave the world. And
it's very hard.
They, they're hard. The truth is, they're hard albums and they're hard songs to listen. Like even with Leonard Cohen, like his last album, it's because like you're, you're hearing their dying voice. You're hearing them giving out everything, like even spiritually, like everything that's left in their soul that's powering this and they're pouring that into here.
w, this is not like a divine [:It is crazy. And you know what, I think that's the most beautiful fact about it, is we don't get to control every single aspect of our lives, but we get to shape and mold them and define them as we go along with them. You know,
there is, you know, [: blossom.[:No, and I, you know. No, no, It, this, this is just, this is very good. This is, man. Like, come on. Like, I, I'm telling you, I, I strive so much as an artist being able to see the accomplishments of others. You know, something that somebody told me that, like I never even realized was she told me like, you realize you're like one of the best people to talk to.
ave to always focus if those [:You just have to focus on pushing forward and being able to say, I. Down the road. Yeah, I remember that. I'm really happy for you. You know, and we're creating trees.
Yeah.[:You had a Billie Eilish moment, is that what you're saying?
Look, I, I think, you know, one thing I will like, kudos to Billie Eilish is her bringing back that avant garde. I don't know that noir that we got from like, people like Kim Wild, you know, or, uh, pat Benatar, um, what's her name? Uh, Kate Bush is a great example of that too. I don't know, like that. That glamazon that like darkness you got from those queens from the eighties.
Yes.[:Gotta get that in black and white. No, I, I, I'm serious. I love, I love the portrayal of like, mixing elements of even like music and art together. That's why I feel like music videos are sometimes masterpieces in itself. 'cause it's not just the music. It's like the whole ambiance of the whole experience is just ah, I know.
They were amazing. You two had some really good, yeah. You two had some really good ones too. Oh. know.
I know, right? [:Really? Yes. Fergie.
It could possibly be the lighting, but you keep in mind it does record our track separately. So yeah, so we're gonna look nice and kosher and clean afterward, but right now we look kind of awful and shit. But yes, all the time and every time it's just sometimes technology doesn't wanna prove that it is true.
ou need indeed not sponsored.[:Um, well, I do have this guy coming on from Canada. He's a filmmaker. Uh, his name is Jays. And, uh, something I didn't realize about the filmmaking industry, so something just being able to talk with other people. Uh, right now, independent indie filmmaking, um, as well as the underground music scene is kind of booming right now, especially with streaming and like, yeah.
So, um, a lot of films that are becoming more successful these days are being made by these Canadian film houses that are working alongside with other creators here in the United States and in Europe. And, um. He was basically talking about where there's becoming now this ever So more of a push of actually making movies, more movies like no political ties, no agendas, none of this crap.
[: goes to college. In the end [:But like,
you should definitely see it. But the, the problem, okay, see this is the problem too, right? Is especially where you're making all of these remakes, okay? Is a lot of these franchises, even like Lilo and Stitch has already had other movies and other stuff that's already been made. It's like we've gotten a hundred west side stories.
and tired of it. Okay. Like,[:I think it has, honestly, like I'm not trying to get, like a lot of it has to do with agenda. There's like an agenda that plays where you can't say certain things or you can't make certain things a certain way because of, but then you get people like Wes Anderson that just throws out these psycho movies that make absolutely no sense and they like are smashing successes, which he's coming out with one coming out in a couple of months.
So I'm just like, okay. But he can do it. Quinn Tarantino can do it. All right. Martin Scorsese's old kudos to the man. He's, yeah, it's, yeah. Yeah. We don't have to continue.
Right.[:But that's what I'm saying is I,
you're not wrong. Like indie podcasts are over here. South Florida Superstar over here. Like, I don't know, like I'll take producer with the Mercedes rental. Please, please, please, please. It's a little hard. Yes, and the engine from Vroom, you just wanna go around the corners. But I, from what I've seen so far, the independent industry has really been booming and really kind of focusing on this more and more, creating more of these stories.
hese independent film houses [:back in the day. Back the day. Oh, I love that shit. Hashtag back in the day. Yes. I.
Yeah, they used to mail them to you. Yeah, I remember that.
watch the new releases, they [:Okay, this is wild. They charge you a fee if you take it out on DVD, so you take it on VHS and it was covered by your membership. So we just played VHS 'cause it was cheaper, you know? And we take this stuff for granted so much because now it's just. Pop up Netflix on your TV and you can watch whatever you want.
We both remember. We were like, girl, you gotta go to Blockbuster and change out the DVDs.
Popcorn. Popcorn.[:Did you get like pick out like Tim Burden's and Naper before Christmas? 'cause I definitely was one of those that did that really.
I mean that movie honestly fucked up a lot of us. Like Cor. Okay. Coralline was another level of insanity. Okay. The, the button ice.
It was, yeah.
ra for Disney, you know, and [:Uh. Yeah, I found my passion in cars, so yeah, baby, watch out. So I, I love especially like 3D animation and seeing how far it's come. And I remember watching Toy Story two, you remember Toy Story two, and that was the most incredible thing because it felt like the toys that we had around us, like it, it felt like our toys.
Like in the end you're like, [:You know what? know what it, okay, look, it's not about like the TV and the shit. It, honestly, it's just the culture and the vibe that we grew up in. We grew up in a culture and a vibe was, even though I grew up in like a cult community and more like conservative and closed, but you are constantly surrounded by like this open attitude of, you know, try something new, try something different.
remember that, you know, or, [:Oh. Oh my God. You get me, girl? Yes.
Oh my God. No, but seriously, like even the, look, I'm one of those, like, I even, like, I love the music scene, especially like from the eighties and nineties, especially like r and b, and it's because like, people forget this, like, there was a time where it was just so lyrical and poetic, you know, even if you're like listening to salt and pepper, you know, shoot, shoot.
here was this like beautiful [:We don't have like, where we get bored and we just like throw on our headphones, you know? Or just like throwing that tape and just like zone out or whatever.
Right.
I did too. [:Like you couldn't be like, mom, can I buy an iPod? And they'd be like, it's $389.
, where to put it. Like, nah,[:we had to burn CDs, honey. Like, who's paying 99 cents per song?
You needed a mix player to make a, like a tape mix and like that, that shit required skill. Like you needed one of those professional boxes with the dual like, uh, decks. And like, you need to know what switches and knobs like you.
tible top and you mixed your [:you. I got more mixed tapes. Like, when we come back to my place, I'll make you another. And you're just like, damn.
Have you, okay. Serious, serious note, like serious note right now. Have you thought about making a mixed tape?
anna peck your brain at this.[:Okay. What about you right now in the present moment, the way that you're feeling, you, your present aura, where your mind is at, that that is the emotion that you're packing into this mix tape.
Oh, So peanut butter brittle [:then they're like, they're not the eight miles high. No, no.
You, you know what that means. I mean, that means more for you.
u know, especially like when [:There's like this hole that builds up in a person and you try to fill it up, like we said earlier, like it could be alcohol, it could be pills, it could be toxic relationships, it could be a lot of different things. Can't kill the spark. I think that should be the model for this month is. Can't kill the spark.
No, don't kill the spark.
ou're, um, do you think that [: shoots.[:You want to be able to explore and kind of figure out what works for you, you know?
he electrical and electronic [:It's, you wanna do the thing that you love, but you need to be able to find ways to be able to support that. And it doesn't happen overnight, you know, it doesn't happen by becoming, becoming a YouTube store. It comes from being able to find something you're passionate about and you can make a career out of it.
gotta go with the waves, man.[:You know, something, I think the, the truest thing that you can admit to yourself is every single person is gonna be unique. There's no quick, easy solution. There's no slap all diet that's gonna solve all the problems. You know, you have to be able to get yourself out of your own head and realize. You are worth investing in.
e other reasons. There could [:Um, never limit yourself. Honestly, I don't know. I feel.
No,[:it,
no, I'm sorry. Like,
I think that's something that's really hard is to also be able to understand like you have limitations and that doesn't mean that you, you cannot be good at certain things or it's just that no two people are made equal. You know, and understanding sometimes you need that break, like we were talking before, like being able to have that like moment of just being able to zone out in the boredom and being able to get into your own head.
Um, I can't say this enough. You, you have to be comfortable in your own skin with all of your flaws. Let's be real, like as wonderful as we are as people, we come with a lot of flaws and, and I don't think any artist is perfect. I mean, I think we gave the greatest example of the all we were talking about David Bowie.
I mean, that man was flawed [:I know
g out. Any anything else new?[:It usually is.
Pod and we are on Rumble and [:Alright. Peace out. Yeah. All right.
