Conversations with Léah Duque

Today we’d like to introduce you to Léah Duque.

Hi Léah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a Filipina-Japanese American singer and actress based in Los Angeles, originally from a small town called Port Orchard in Washington state. People might recognize me from the most recent season of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’, or from commercials I’ve done for brands like Coca-Cola and Nike Swim. Lately, I’ve also been releasing new music—it’s become a new space for me to channel my storytelling.

My sound is definitely rhythm-driven, but it bends genres in a way that reflects the different parts of who I am. A lot of my music explores themes like identity, love, and loss, and it’s all rooted in lived experience. I always try to bring emotional clarity to the lyrics, but with a beat that makes people want to move.

My debut single ‘Makes Sense’ was produced by BLK ODYSSY. I actually wrote and recorded the vocals myself first, then cold-pitched the song to a list of producers I had put together based on the kind of sound I was going for. It was definitely an unconventional approach, especially since BLK ODYSSY is signed to a label—but he really resonated with the track and the intention behind it. He said he appreciated the clarity and determination I brought, and from there, we built it out together.

My newest single ‘Pleasure’ came together in a similar way. I made the demo on my own and sent it around, and the producer Loverground really connected with it. That track is another example of how I approach music independently—I create first, then find the right collaborators who genuinely get the vision.

I also have three more singles coming out, all produced by DJ Grumble. That collaboration actually started because I posted an outfit video on Instagram using Pedigree by Ari Lennox, and I tagged everyone involved with the song—including DJ Grumble. He messaged me to thank me for the tag, we started talking, and a few days later he sent over some beats. They immediately clicked with me, and I ended up writing and recording vocals that same week. Now we’re working on three songs together that all came together really naturally and just feel super fun.

In addition to music and acting, I also paint and sell my artwork under the name Otreuh Paintings. Visual art has always been another important part of how I express myself. Over time, I’ve been lucky to build a community that values authentic expression, cultural nuance, and creativity in many forms—whether it’s music, painting, acting, or fashion. For me, it’s all storytelling.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was always drawn to the arts, but the environments I was in felt really limiting. I grew up in a household that valued discipline above all else, and in a lot of ways, I felt like I had to put my dreams on pause. I ended up pursuing a path that felt more accepted by my family before allowing myself to return to the things I loved.

Even though I had this creative flame inside me, I decided to channel it into a different part of the entertainment industry—corporate Hollywood. When I moved to California for college, I studied Communications at UC Riverside. During that time, I was balancing a lot: I worked as the Films and Lectures Director for the Associated Students Program Board, was a Scene Shop Assistant in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Arts, and served as the Marketing and Advertising Coordinator for the Highlander Newspaper. On top of that, I took on media and entertainment internships outside of school—all to support myself while living far from home.

After graduating, I started my PR career at ICA, a beauty and fashion agency, where I worked with brands like Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, JVN Hair, and more. That led me to NBCUniversal, where I joined the Peacock publicity team. I’ve had the chance to be part of strategic campaigns for shows like Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne and Ted by Seth MacFarlane, among others.

But acting has always been in my heart. I did plays, musicals, and student films growing up, and once I created some stability for myself in L.A., I felt ready to return to it—this time with more confidence and a clearer sense of self. I trained in the Meisner technique at the Baron Brown Studio, and things really started to take off from there. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to land roles in major television series, films, and commercials. I’m now represented by KD Talent Management and Aqua Talent Agency, which has been such a blessing.

Even though I feel like I’ve finally come home to my passions—acting, singing, and painting—the journey here hasn’t been easy. It’s been a process of breaking out of old molds, both from my upbringing and from communities I found myself in later that didn’t fully reflect who I was becoming. One of the hardest parts of my artistic journey has been relearning who I am and unlearning ideas that no longer align with where I want to go. But I’m so grateful for all of it. Every chapter has deepened my connection to my identity, and that’s something I try to express in everything I create.

You can hear those themes in my new singles ‘Makes Sense’ and ‘Pleasure’—they’re both really personal and reflect that process of reclaiming who I am.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actress, singer, and painter—but more than anything, I’d say I’m someone who really feels, communicates, and lives through my art. I’ve learned that my ability to move through the world with openness and intention is one of my biggest strengths, and I try to bring that energy into everything I create.

I’m really proud of a few upcoming projects that mean a lot to me. One of them is a film I star in called ‘El Día Que Me Quieras’, which will be premiering at festivals before making its way to streaming. It’s a really special story and being a part of it has been such a beautiful experience.

My new song called ‘Pleasure’, produced by Loverground also meant a lot. It was a collaborative effort on every level—I worked on the artwork with the visual artist Hell Take Me Home, and I also creative directed the music video. This whole campaign is incredibly close to my heart because it marks the start of a waterfall release that will continue through the Fall with songs I’ve made in collaboration with DJ Grumble. It’s a season of music that feels like a full-circle moment for me creatively.

In addition to music and acting, I also paint. I run an Instagram page called Otreuh Paintings where I share and sell my visual art. That’s another space where I celebrate feeling and healing in a more visual language.

What sets me apart, I think, is that I move through my work as a multimedia artist with love at the core of everything I do. My heart is wide open—toward life, toward growth, toward healing—and I think people can feel that in the art I create.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories was from Kindergarten. There was an assembly at school, and they were doing a skit where they picked different kids to play different parts. They chose me and gave me this little role where I had to make a chicken noise. I remember doing it—and the whole school just burst into laughter and applause. The woman who picked me looked at me and said, ‘Wow, that was really good.’ I’ll never forget that moment. It was the first time I realized how much I loved making people feel something—making them laugh, connecting with them. That feeling really stuck with me. I think that’s when I knew I wanted to keep performing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@leahduqueh?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahduqueh/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-duque/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSS3kWvtZDE
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6XdMA61n9RBPgJdZaSjXoS?si=Oz4iSTHMQkuwcReyJ4DuPw

Image Credits
Ben Pham, Hell Take Me Home, Soren Lang