Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Dowdy
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hey Queens! My name is Leah Dowdy, and I am a singer/songwriter. I grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, taking dance lessons, performing in musicals and teaching myself to play pop songs on my great-grandmother’s baby grand. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with degrees in Film Studies and Communication, I moved to New York City where I spent the first chapter of my career teaching dancing lessons, acting in television shows and partying with my friends until ungodly hours, as all twenty-somethings should.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, I was forced to leave the city and put my acting career on hold, which is when I turned to songwriting as a means of creative expression. I self-produced and released my first single “The Fool” in the spring of 2020 and somehow ended up performing it live on the TODAY Show with Hoda & Jenna. That sentence still blows my mind to this day.
Shortly after, I decided to pursue music full-time, but not in the way you might expect. I accepted a position working as a Membership Manager for the Recording Academy, home of prestigious GRAMMY Awards. As an artist, I had always been taught to fear the dreaded nine-to-five job, that it would crush my soul and leave no time for creativity. Thankfully, over the past two years I have found the opposite to be true. My position at the Recording Academy has allowed me to serve and uplift a community which I care deeply about. It has empowered me to open doors and create space for other artists who look just like me, and it has inspired me to chase my own dreams with a renewed fervor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am a black female working in the entertainment industry. It has been an absolute cakewalk. Just kidding! I have had to work twice as hard to achieve half as much, but my parents prepared me for that reality, so I am up for the challenge. Learn the rules, beat “The Man” at his own game and generate the positive change you wish to see in the world.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I recently released my very first EP, What Almost Was! I spent about nine months writing and recording with my producer, Allen Tate, and I am super proud of the stories I chose to tell. A close friend described my sound as alternative-soul, and I think that perfectly encapsulates the vibe. I also hired an all-female production crew to capture the visual elements and self-choreographed the entire project.
As a listener, I hope it makes you dance. I hope it makes you smile. I hope it moves your heart in unexpected ways. Music has saved my life time and time again, and it is an honor to contribute to that legacy.
Looking ahead, I would love to focus on songwriting for other artists and specifically for film and TV. If I heard one of my songs in a movie trailer, I think I would spontaneously combust.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Dancing in the rain with my mom! I couldn’t have been more than four or five years old when a huge thunderstorm rolled in and spoiled the chalk masterpiece I had been crafting in our driveway. I was sulking inside when my mom suddenly gave me this mischievous look. She charged through the screen door and started splashing around like a big kid. My older brother and I were absolutely stunned, but it didn’t take us long to run after her and join in the fun. It was such a magical and carefree moment. That was the day I learned to turn a soggy situation into a celebration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leahdowdy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leebee3168
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/1yXF1Oev7SQL41Tka8kV1y?si=36kbiSx7TjStRJ4nSJ0Nwg
Image Credits
Denise Reed (photos 1, 3,4)
Kelsey Campbell (photos 8,9)
