Meet Laura Leighe Stockton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Leighe Stockton.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Laura Leighe. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I grew up in the small, center of America town of Duncan, Oklahoma… started piano at age eight with my incredibly talented great-grandmother, and singing when I was 11. I was inspired seeing a couple of my friends perform their song for American Kids singing competition, and I just had to start lessons and competing too! I competed through middle school, and at age 14, ended up winning the Vocal Grand Champion title at Nationals with a gospel song!

It was an exhilarating experience and one that helped me discover my talent and absolute, raw, passion for music! I would lie on my bedroom carpet listening and studying the lyrics and harmonies to everything from Boyz 2 Men and Mariah Carey, to oldies of every decade, to No Doubt, to Shania Twain and Nichole Nordeman. I knew without a doubt it’s what I was meant to do, and dedicated my life to music ministry.

Throughout high school, I constantly sang all over Oklahoma and began writing songs with the help of my youth pastor and music mentors from The Oklahoma Opry. I majored in vocal music education at The University of Oklahoma while continuing to write and record demos, and learning to stand on my own musically. I found my own sound and style which was piano driven alt/pop-rock with chords containing rich jazziness and lyrics about life through the perspective of faith. Some songs were about stupid boys, some about God, and others about giddy, girly love.

After college, I auditioned for American Idol, and made it to the Hollywood finals! It was my first trip to LA, and an exciting moment which gave me the final boost I needed to release my first album under my maiden name, Laura Gossett. I played every show and church I could in Oklahoma to sell those CD’s, then followed my boyfriend (now husband) to LA! I’ve been playing shows and making music between LA and OK ever since.

Amidst moving back and forth, I met producers in LA I continued to work with remotely while in Oklahoma, which helped keep me in the loop and develop my sound in a positive mainstream pop direction. In the last six years, I’ve released four EPs, and a few singles independently, and am now extremely thrilled to have just released my new single, “Never Gonna Leave,” a collaboration with orchestral EDM artist, Ark Theory, via Hinky Records, which just hit 20k streams on Spotify in the first 2 weeks!

After working my entire life, it feels incredible to have an amazing team and label support on this release that is giving it so much more reach than I’ve ever had on my own, and I’m looking forward to continue growing and building from here!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has been anything but smooth… lol! It’s been wonderful tho… there’ve been moments of ease, elation, excitement, and things just totally coming together by divine appointment, knowing I’m in the right place at the right time, doing exactly what I’m supposed to, and there’ve also been moments of absolute sorrow, fear, and regret, knowing some of my risky decisions were more naive and less divine than I felt at the time…but you never know where even your mistakes will lead you one day!

I have the most incredibly supportive family and a husband who has breathed inspiration, vision, structure, and strategy into every song, and every step I’ve taken in the eight years we’ve been married, and 12 years we’ve been together. Without them, I may have been livin’ in a van down by the river! But thank God, I’ve had a partner to help this crazy artist mind get her s*** together, and pick us up when I’ve set our lives on fire.

All that to say, we’ve literally bet the farm on my music, and there’ve been a lot of sharks in LA who have taken complete advantage, leaving us empty… but I’ve grown, and learned how to be a businesswoman in a world that has taught us to be polite. I wasn’t taught to negotiate and stand up for myself growing up with my southern manners and etiquette… it’s not something our sorority focused on… lol. But it’s nothing less than guerrilla warfare in the LA music industry, so you either learn or get eaten alive.

That’s actually what “Never Gonna Leave” is about… after escaping near death out here, it’s a declaration to say, none of this drama is gonna break me. I’ve learned that successful people are people of action. Don’t stew on decisions too long… do what you feel is truly right in your heart at the time and if it doesn’t work, “c’est la vie!” Cross it off the list, and move on to the next thing. That’s the attitude it takes to learn, grow, and build a successful career and fulfilled life.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
My sound is an ever-evolving brand of mainstream pop crossover, combining vintage keys and brass with modern pop and electronic beats. My music has always been very retro pop, playing with styles ranging from doo-wop, electro-swing and Beach Boys-inspired slow jams, all the way to ’80s/90s old school hip-hop and dance beats.

The newest collaboration, “Never Gonna Leave,” meshes my vintage inspired pop style with Ark Theory’s orchestral electronic sound, and came out more majestic and huge than I could have imagined! I’m thrilled that it’s finally out and resonating with listeners, and I hope to have many more EDM/ Pop Crossover collaborations to share in the future!

Thus far, my proudest moment was when my 2015 single ‘Boys Just Wanna Have Fun’ exploded in the US and UK dance club scenes and was featured on season 31 of MTV’s ‘The Real World.’ Ranking Top 5 on the ‘Music Week Pop Dance Club Chart’ and #27 on ‘Billboard’s Dance Club Chart.’

I’ve also recently had a new song featured on ESPN’s broadcast of Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball, which is MY TEAM, so I was crazy ecstatic to learn of this!! I’m planning to release the song sometime soon!

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a girl who loved life and having fun. My favorite activities in the world were swimming at the pool or having friends over because I was the only girl, and my brothers didn’t wanna play Barbies with me… idk? My amazing mom drove me to all my lessons, practices and comps… voice, piano, ballet, jazz, tennis, cheerleading, basketball and golf and of course later, the pom squad!

I realized in high school through the requirement of playing five summer tennis tournaments in order to make varsity, (which I always put off until after singing comp season when it was 105 degrees in August) that I’m not really a tough girl… rather, more of a song and dance girl. I found myself hitting balls in the net just to get the match over-with so I could go swimming.

I was also known for taking extra long water / inhaler breaks in between sets, always with an icy cold towel on my head, while glugging the jug of water, as any singer must do to stay alive. I think I chose the right path!

Pricing:

• Mar. 3rd – The Hotel Cafe – Full Band Show – Pre Sell Tickets: $10.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lauraleighemusic.com/
• Email: natasha@timelapsemusic.com
• Instagram: @laura_leighe
• Facebook: @lauraleighe
• Twitter: @laura_leighe
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ocmm11FxxScx8a0MVrA33
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/LauraLeigheMusic

Image Credit:
Stephen Levy, Zosia Photography, Jeremy Sazon

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.