Hello Summer!!!

Hey all! Sorry I've fallen off the face of the earth for the past couple of weeks! I just finished my junior year of college, moved into an apartment, and started my new job for the summer. Needless to say, things have been a little nuts these days, but I'm glad to be back on track. Time to have a ball in good old NYC! (and Italy, which I will definitely have to post about as soon as I come back...)

My odd schedule for the summer has been making it super hard to book gigs, but I'm doing the best I can. As of now, I have a full set scheduled at the Bitter End on August 11. Although this seems incredibly far away,I'm super excited for it because it's my first time headlining there.

"What do you mean?" you ask. "Didn't you just play there two weeks ago and once before that?"

Well, yes. But I'll tell you why this show is different.

The past two times I've played at the Bitter End, I was a part of a thing called "Singer-Songwriter Sessions." For these events I would always play acoustic for exactly half an hour, and I would be one of many artists who played that particular night. "Singer-Songwriter Sessions" would also be on Sunday nights, which were sometimes difficult for people who had work or school in the morning. Nevertheless, I still had a great time, and I was happy to be a part of it.

The thing that separates my August 11th show from the past two Bitter End shows I've done is that this one is MY show. I'll be playing with a band for 50 minutes, and my sister Omnia (check out her website) will be opening for me - PS. she's awesome, and that's not my sibling-bias talking.

So that's just the beginning of what I have planned for the summer. Of course I will try to write and perform as much as I possibly can - that being said, I'll also make sure to live life a little so that I have something to write about.

Stay tuned.

Love and light,
Leila

PS - I'll be leaving for Italy next week, so if that's not inspiration, I don't know what is. ;)

SHOW THIS SUNDAY @ the Bitter End!!

Hey there! Just so you know, you are about to hear from someone who is truly ecstatic. I just finished all my finals, papers, etc. and now I'm can actually work on some music again!! All of these academic things have really been cutting into my songwriting time (and blogging time) these days. On the bright side, I'm going into my senior year of college and ready for a whole summer of writing and performing.

So Sunday (that's right, THIS SUNDAY, May 22nd) at 7pm sharp I will be playing an acoustic set at the Bitter End in NYC!! As you may have read in earlier posts, I think the Bitter End is an awesome venue. It's piano-friendly, which means that I don't have to lug my giant keyboard, and it just has a really cozy vibe overall. Not to mention that it has been frequented by so many incredible musicians, including but not limited to Patti La Belle, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and my girl, Etta James.

Here's a little photo from my last show at the Bitter End!

This will be my first show of the summer (well, almost summer) and I'll definitely be playing as many shows in the NYC area as I possibly can. So watch out, NY! You'll be seeing a lot of me.

For other details on my Bitter End show this week you can click here and check out the facebook event. I'm so excited, and I really hope you guys can come out!

Love,
Leila

Playing Acoustic vs. Playing With a Band

Hey all! So in case you guys were wondering, both shows went great!! Even though I was sick as a dog, coughing my brains out, and somewhat delirious, everything actually went pretty smoothly.

I ended up playing Thursday's show fairly acoustic, only performing with my band for half the set. My abilities to let it rip over the band were limited, and I decided to make my performance more soft and intimate. Saturday, my set was entirely acoustic, and although I feared sounding like a cartoon character (I was SICK), I really felt that I was able to connect with audience on a deeper level.

So here's the question of the day: would I rather play acoustic or with a band?

To tell you the truth, I have mixed feelings. I always love playing with solo piano because it allows me a lot more artistic freedom and it feels more personal. Since the songs are admittedly about my own life experiences, I sometimes feel that I can tell an even greater story when I play alone. However, there is something special about playing with a band that I can't get when I play alone. Obviously there is always a certain sense of camaraderie among all the musicians, but I especially love hearing other people that I play with bring my songs to life. It's just awesome.

I guess it all depends on the mood I'm in, and what's appropriate for the venue I'm playing. Whenever I want to have more direct and intimate conversation with my audience, I'll probably play acoustic. That's when I feel the songs are the most honest. The space that isn't filled by the band really allows people the room to think about what I'm saying, and allows me to make my performance even more dramatic. All the pauses can be longer, and I can hold on to each word for as long or short a time as I want. However, if the setting is a little bigger, louder, and more suited for head-bobbing, I'll probably play with a band. I've grown a great deal as a performer by doing both.

I'll leave you guys with two videos of "Monday." One with my band, one acoustic. You guys can decide which version you like better. ;-)

Ciao!

Two Shows This Week!!

Hey kids! So as you can see by the title of this post, I have two shows this week!! I'm a little sick at the moment, but I'm trying not to let my scratchy throat get in the way of my optimism. They say a positive attitude is everything.

 My first show this week is on Thursday at the Student Center of Purchase College. The event is called "Women Out Loud," and it's put on every semester by the Alternative Clinic (the women's health clinic on campus) to celebrate all the vibrant women out there. Without giving too much away, the focus is on a woman's pride in her mind, body, and sexuality, which is often a taboo in most societies . Whatever the case, I dig it, and I think it's freaking great - I'm always delighted to support events like this.

Now onto my second show! This Saturday night at 9:30, I'll be playing at Gallery 151 in Manhattan (350 Bowery on the lower east side). This place has a really interesting history, and although I've never been there, I can tell that it has a cool vibe. Founded in 2007, this hip Soho building is actually covered in graffiti, which the renovation developers discovered when they tore down the sheet rock on the inside walls. After realizing what kind of cool artwork was underneath, the main building developer decided to display it proudly as a testament to NYC art. Kinda cool, right?

So to sum it all up, I'm really excited to perform this week! Both of the shows I'm playing represent causes that I'm really passionate about (art and womanhood), and I'm thrilled to lend my voice to them.


Wish me luck!
Leila