Young musician launches debut EP

YOUNG musician, Leah Mari, is living her dream of making music for all to enjoy.

Leah , (15), a Glenwood resident and Durban Girls’ High School pupil, has just released her debut EP, a collection of original compositions which she recorded live, and will release her creation at an event on Friday, 25 November at UKZN’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at 6.30pm.

Leah has been playing the piano, singing and composing for as long as she can remember. “I grew up going to gigs with my parents, who are both jazz musicians and I would go listen to them play. It was second nature to me and I just knew I couldn’t go on without playing my own music,” she said.

The young musician started writing small, simple songs which evolved into what has been put on the EP today.

“My dad played a big part in making this a reality. He took me to the studio and introduced me to the idea of putting together an EP. We shot around a few ideas and recorded a month or two ago. I recorded piano and sang and did a photo-shoot. We had a few title ideas, and decided on ‘You’ve got time’, the title track of the EP, as this is a song which means a lot to me,” she said.

Performing and making music is a passion for Leah, who is a member of the school choir and actively participates in the school’s arts and culture events.

In 2012 she was the winner of the inaugural song writing competition South Africa Siyakhanya organised by Festival in The Hills and her winning composition, Siyakhanya was orchestrated by Ian Holloway and performed by the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Orchestra, featuring Leah singing with massed choir conducted by Richard Cock, at Makaranga Lodge.

A few months later she was invited to perform the same song at two concerts at the Playhouse with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. Leah, one of the youngest participants, was placed 3rd in the 2012 Gateway To Fame singing competition and two years later won the same competition where she performed another original composition entitled You’ve Got Time.

Leah has played keyboard and featured as the singer for the youth band The Faze and in 2013 performed at the Hilton Arts Festival with her sister Ella Mari (drums) and other young performers. In 2014 Leah and Ella were the ‘Prelude Performers’ for a Friends of Music concert at the Durban Jewish Club and Leah performed at the uShaka Staff Awards ceremony at the Dolphin Stadium.

Leah was approached by independent local film maker Charlotte Mbali to write a piece of music for a short film, African Christmas Journey, submitted to the Berlin Youth Film Academy. In 2015 and 2016 she was selected for the Young Performers Programme directed by Themi Venturas at the Sneddon Theatre – she played the female lead characters, Rose, in Soldiers In The City and Maria Elena Santiago (Buddy Holly’s wife) in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. She also played Rosemary Pilkington in the Glenwood High School musical production How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and was in the ensemble of the Durban Girls’ High School annual school play Girls Like That. She ws recently selected for the KZN Youth Choir under the direction of Gerard du Toit. Leah is also currently writing a musical about what it’s like to be a teenager, which she feels will appeal to a modern, contemporary audience.

“I’m very excited to be launching my EP! We had a rehearsal on Sunday, and it’s great to see how far I have come. It’s scary as my music shows my feelings, but it is also exciting to be able to share my music,” she said.

Leah describes it as a ‘chilled’ EP with piano and voice, adding that she has a few other projects in mind for the future, which will include more up-tempo songs and will feature a band.

She counts herself lucky in being able to perform with her musiican parents, Debbie and dad, George.

“I’m really enjoying it, I love making music and performing and it helps when you have the motivation to keep going. My big dream for the future is to bring arts and culture into high schools. I would love to create my own school where learners can study arts, drama and dance which other schools don’t offer. I also want to carry on with my own performing,” she said.

Entrance is free to the launch on Friday, and there are a few giveaways to be won with EP purchases (R50) such as a necklace from Nicky Savage, a meal voucher from Sushi Corner and three R100 vouchers from Pop Up Society in Glenwood.

Leah said she is grateful to Glenwood businesses for supporting local talent.

Contact: marigoldmusic@gmail.com.