Rising Stars: Meet Leah Lahkiah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Lahkiah.

Hi Leah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ever since I could remember, I’ve felt like a star. I’ve always felt like my purpose was not only to entertain but to take people to a different place and move my audience. As I got older, I chased opportunities to perform! Any moment I could be onstage, I was. I danced in church, I sang for kid’s church, I competed in singing competitions, I lived for musical theater and before I knew it, I was in college, performing at volunteer events on campus and learning how to record my own lyrics and what it meant to be an actual artist.

All of those moments happened in Ohio and in Kentucky and once I graduated from the University of Louisville, real life and the “delusion” of being Leah Lahkiah would slowly creep in. In 2021 I made the decision to pack up my Mazda and move all the way from Kentucky to Los Angeles by myself. I knew of a distant cousin in LA at the time but had no ties to Los Angeles in the nearly two years that I’ve lived here, I I’ve pushed through the lonely barriers, the haunting questions of “Am I enough?” And so many more hurdles that the industry, as a female artist, presents.

Because I continue to push, I’ve been able to secure a super-talented independent team that believes in me as much as I believe in myself! A manager who invests time and money, a photographer and a couple of talented videographer(s) along with support from a couple of close friends! From all of these years of work, and waiting and failing and learning, I now understand what I want as an artist for myself and how I want it to look. Also helped me navigate the kind of team I wanted behind me and strapped in for the ride! I am ultimately grateful for my journey!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, nothing worth having is easy. Success and a career as a superstar is challenging in SOO many ways. For starters, it takes an emotional toll. As an artist, I have to remember to take care of myself and my needs mentally and emotionally, if those things are no good, I’m no good! And living in a place like LA can sometimes feel more like survival than living.

For me, this means sleeping in when I do get the chance, not being too hard on myself and NEVER comparing my art and self to others. I know what I have to offer and I know I have the love of God over me so I’m protected and safe in my journey, so spreading my light is my one and only concern.

I’ve also realized that you have to stand up for yourself and for what you believe and you CANNOT waiver in that! You’ll lose yourself swiftly otherwise. I’ve experienced this being particularly hard when it means you have to part ways with someone or won’t experience certain things because they don’t align with you or what you believe to be good for you. But I’d rather stay focused and follow what God has made to be my path than to fall through the cracks of my own misguided steps.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a pop music singer-songwriter. I love taking control of the stage, implementing my dance and musical theater experience to help take my fans to a new place within my music. As a songwriter, I feel like my strength is in hook writing. And my verses are usually inspired by my personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. I hate boxes and satisfying expectations, so pop has become a perfect lane for me to defy the odds and express myself the most authentically.

Being an artist in this time is about more than having talent. You have to also have a sense of business and be willing to work and push harder than the millions of people in this city alone, you have to push and keep confidence too. Because I know who I am and what I bring to the table as a singer, songwriter and entertainer, this confidence radiates when I perform on stage and even as I simply exist in the world. I think the key is that I am staying genuine in the things I work for and do, and I truly love the art of my gift.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My escapes are listening to or writing Music and Praying. Not that I love to read, but a couple of books that have made an impact are Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Get Out of Your Way by Russ.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.leahlahkiah.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahlahkiah/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeahLahkiahOfficial
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leahlahkiah
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJKWAQsdqC7bahvtQBhNokw
• Other: https://songwhip.com/leahlahkiah/reasons?fbclid=PAAaa09NplUsJjrzaC08gj1-oP81ALHx-_F9gkWZrfH6uPXeXCodgDpW9F8Fg

Image Credits
Jamal Marshall and his instagram is @jmlakl