Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Leiter.
Hi Corey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small town called Aurora, OH. I remember watching TV with my family when I was nine and seeing an ad for the Beatles ‘1’ album. I immediately said, “I want that.” My early obsession with the Beatles led me to picking up the guitar very early, and I started writing songs soon after that. When my dad introduced me to Nirvana in middle school, it was game over. I knew I wanted to play music forever and tried to make it my job.
I moved to Nashville when I was 19 to pursue and degree and chase more music dreams. Nashville to me felt like a big city. The talent there is remarkable, and it seems like every person you meet is a musician in some way. That can be incredibly inspiring, but also maddening. The level of musicianship is so high that you have to up your game. I made some really amazing friends that pushed me get better just by being around them. I made my first two records in Nashville with the help of my closest friends. The first one we did in the basement of our shabby college house. The next one we tracked used tape at a studio called the Bomb Shelter. Eventually, after living in Nashville for a while, it started to feel pretty small. There’s so much competition to get booked there, and I felt like the music I was inspired by was all coming out of LA.
I moved to LA in 2018 after completing a three months long backpacking trip/tour through Europe. I played about 16 shows hitting everywhere from London to Athens, traveling mostly by train, and couch surfing as often as I could. Moving to LA was my way of keeping the adventure going a little while longer. I ended up in Silver Lake because I saw the big mural of Elliott Smith on Floyd’s off of Sunset and said, “yep this is where I want to be.” I bought a tape machine and started self-recording all the songs I had written during my travels. This is how my third record, “The Whale, The Calf, The Satellite” was born. Luckily enough, I found out my neighbor Joey had a studio in the valley, and he helped me start it off. A good majority of it I recorded in my bedroom, and the finishing touches at my new friend Kosta’s warehouse studio.
Just as I was getting my bearings in LA, preparing to release my record, and start playing shows, COVID happened. I was working at a record store called Supervinyl when everything started shutting down. My folks had an unoccupied house in Santa Barbara that I escaped to, and I ended up living there alone for 9 months. During this time I was writing, practicing, and meditating heavily, which were my ways of coping with all the turmoil and fear. I eventually came to LA with more songs than I knew what to do with. I met my now friend Ryan Pollie, who helped me whittle the songs down, and produced my latest record which is called ‘Fire Season.’ The songs are about anxiety, isolation, transformation, and focus on the shadow work I started doing while quarantined. Since recording it, Pollie has helped plug me into an amazing scene of songwriters and artists in East LA. Ever since bars opened again, I’ve been playing as many shows as I can. At the time of writing this, I’ll be wrapping up my first-ever residency at Gold-Digger’s to celebrate the release of my newest record. It was promoted by my friends Sid the Cat, which feels like a major milestone for me. Now I’m focusing on new ways to spread the word about my album and deciding which songs to record for my next record.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know if it’s ever a smooth road for musicians… The time spent and cost of making music vastly outweighs the compensation for it. It’s so hard to balance a work life, and a creative life, especially when LA is so expensive. Also, pursuing a career in the arts can take a major toll on your mental health. In the age of social media, the ‘comparing mind’ is strong and it often operates outside of our conscious awareness. Everyone’s path is so different, but when you see the highlight reels of people’s lives online, it’s nearly impossible not to judge your own life against theirs. Staying grounded and recognizing your own self-worth is huge. That’s easier said than done though. Gratitude for the rewards of being privileged enough to make music is also helpful. Right now, my rewards come from the community, shared connection, and the knowledge of reaching anyone in a profound way. Remembering why I make music (as an act of self-love and sharing love) and not missing the point has helped me keep moving forward.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am first and foremost a songwriter and storyteller. Songwriting is very spiritual for me. My best work always feels like it comes from somewhere else, and I’m just a channel. So a great deal of my process comes from trying to connect to the source. Meditation and mantra has been a huge influence on my music. My aim is that the songs can transport you somewhere beautiful or light a fire inside a part of you that you didn’t know existed. If not that, then hopefully my songs help you see love from different angles. My songs are therapeutic for me, and I hope that by listening to them they are therapeutic for others as well. At a live show, I try my best to create an atmosphere that is enlivening yet comforting, that leaves a listener feeling warm and inspired.
I’m really proud of my latest album ‘Fire Season.” Sonically, it’s one of the best-sounding albums I’ve made (thanks to Ryan Pollie). Song-wise, these songs are very honest, and I think they strike a nice balance between where I am and where I’d like to go. It is raw and feels very alive and earthy to me, but it also has some transcendent moments.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you’ve got to stay true to yourself. If you’re looking too much at what others are doing, you’re going to miss the point and lose out on what makes you unique. I’ve also recently discovered that my own capacity for what I can achieve is much greater than I originally thought. I used to think that to pursue music, you had to be broke, starving, and dedicate every waking moment of your life to playing and writing. I started working in schools as a 1 on 1 aide for kids with autism, and I recently started pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. This has totally reinvigorated my sense of purpose and also inspired much more music. I think being an artist is a noble pursuit, but I think our world needs many more helpers too. So a major lesson for me is that you don’t have to box yourself into any identity. Let yourself grow in whatever direction you’re being called. And never give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coreyleiter.com
- Instagram: @coreyleiter
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxWftv5gmJ_8s6csvLZWwTw
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zb3yUX6wmz1vvSk4hlJ4d?si=MiGqHd9MT1GiusDWS2ciIA
Image Credits
Wilder Rush Lillian Molayem
