Leah Marlene’s Musical Evolution: From American Idol to a New Era

William Brown | June 11, 2024 | News, Tournews | No Comments

Eclectic indie singer/songwriter/producer Leah Marlene has been creating music since she was big enough to hold a guitar. Her career received a significant boost after securing third place on last year’s season of American Idol, but Leah has been passionately singing and songwriting for as long as she can remember. With two self-produced albums, “The Space Between” and “Many Colors,” an EP titled “Arrow,” and several singles to her name, she now releases her first post-Idol music with the single “Feel Like,” which she describes as “pure musical serotonin; the perfect summer tune,” adding, “It sounds like my personality in sonic form.”

“I love to move through genres, sounds, and various influences from all the music I’ve absorbed over the years. The choices we made in the writing and production of ‘Feel Like’ deeply mirror this approach,” she shares. The song, co-written with Megan Redmond and Brett Truitt, marks a new direction for Leah. “It’s a bit of a different direction than other things I’ve released, but at the same time, everything I release is going to vary from the last. I will never create music that fits in a box. ‘Feel Like’ marks the beginning of a new era of music to come, and I could not be more ecstatic to share it with you all!”

Leah is currently headlining a 23-date tour with her band, featuring Matthew Pittman on lead electric guitar, Cory Hale Williams on drums, and her father, Derry Grehan, a Canadian guitarist best known as a member of the rock band Honeymoon Suite, on bass.

“I’m working toward an album, but this year, I’m mostly building up the foundation for what’s to come in 2024,” she says of her current plans. On stage, Leah’s quirky banter creates a unique connection with the audience. “If you come to my show, you’re going to feel like we’re best friends by the end of it.” Her performances transport the audience on a journey through time, genre, and emotion.