Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Savant “TheActivistArtist”.
Leah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I like to think that I’ve always been singing. My father was a soul singer and used to play with The Tams and The Backstabbers. As a result, I was exposed to soul music at a young age. However, my mother “discovered” my voice when I was in the second grade. After that, it was a wrap. She used to make me sit on the kitchen counter and sing Hero by Mariah Carey or Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston. My first public performance was for a school crossing guard’s funeral; I sang Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler– I ran off stage crying.
The next year I entered the school talent show and sang You’re in Love by Wilson Phillips. I stayed on stage the whole time. Soon I was singing in church. I suppose my mother knew I needed to work on my stage presence. She enrolled me in modeling school and had me competing in oratoricle competitions. I began winning; a lot.
I recorded my first song in Atlanta at age 12 and by the time I was in high school, I perfected songs by Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu and started competing for real money.
Throughout high school, I began to really focus on writing. I recorded original songs– they were always a little too deep for a 14-year-old to write, but I had experienced a lot of trauma at a young age. This led to an adult-like awareness in my writing with which producers enjoyed working,
After graduating high school, I found myself stuck. I married a man at 19 and moved on to a military base. A combative relationship, we divorced nine months later. That’s when it happened. Laying on our bed on New Years Day of 2005, I heard a voice tell me to head north. And so I did. I hitched a ride on an 18 wheeler with one suitcase and my keyboard. I rented a room over an ice cream shop in Jersey City, NJ with three guys. From that point forward, I was grinding.
I responded to audition ads in Backstage Magazine, finding myself in sketchy rooms in Harlem and the Bronx. One of my roommates introduced me to a young lady who, in turn, introduced me to my first producer, Kazha Hornsby. He taught me how to attack a song vocally and keep listeners coming back. Then, while working in Starbucks, I met producer Shane Hoosong and Reggae artist Elly Ess who quickly took me under their wings and allowed me the creative freedom to write and record my first album. During this time, I also did background work for other artists and wrote music for off-Broadway shows.
Eventually, I left the professional music scene and served as a worship leader for ten years between NJ and GA.
Fast forward and I’m back in Georgia with a degree in English Creative Writing and working with a dope producer, A’major. I released my first full-length album, Fire2Feelings in December 2018. I have a new book (Valediction) and EP (Salutation) coming out at the top of the year. There are plenty of surprises in store in the coming year. I’ll be writing for other artists, playing more shows, releasing more music, etc. Keep your eyes on me.
Great, 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?
Perhaps the most difficult part of my journey is learning that all is fair in business. I think sometimes creatives come together and the vibe drives us, however. Eventually, someone becomes more business savvy and the relationship that was once about creating and good vibes becomes business. I learned this the hard way. These days I have a much stronger business acumen. I lead with that.
I heard “no” a lot. Rejection and disappointment broke me for a while. I was never skinny enough or sexy enough. My voice was too raspy and for a while, light and airy voices were dominating the airwaves.
Personally, I’ve been married twice and have two daughter’s from my second marriage. I changed careers after 13 years only to realize that I owe it to myself and my girls to do what makes breathing easier for me and that’s creating; writing, singing, producing, performing.
This is how I serve myself and my daughters. I embrace being a fluffy woman with a contralto voice. I love that I make music everyone can listen to and appreciate that I’ve made it easy for others to relate to me.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Musically, my influences are rooted in the musical styling of Marvin Gaye, Brandy, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Diamond Rio, and Mariah Carey. All of these singers/groups understood dynamics and that sometimes less is more. Their attention to vocal arranging is unparalleled. They also know how to just sing a song and allow their listeners to journey with them.
When I sing, I like to take my listeners on a voyage. I believe whole-heartedly in the concept album and am bringing it back. I describe my sound as afrofuturistic R&B. I don’t shy away from my lower vocal register. It’s what sets me apart, that and it’s raspiness.
My live shows are a range of emotions. I promise audiences that they will laugh, turn up, contemplate, and have a spiritual experience.
My songwriting style is one that is honest but still offers hope. I never want to be the soundtrack to someone’s suicide. I think everyone should feel her/his feelings fully but don’t stay there. Get up!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The best thing that ever happened to me was being burned in the industry. It taught me how to treat people well and how to build a team. It also made me be a better business owner.
Having a tribe (I call my Trybe Change Agents) is necessary. My Tribe consists of people in and out of the industry. They keep it real with me and show me love. I, in turn, go hard for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ellesavvy8490.wixsite.com/theactivistartist/home
- Email: theactivistartist@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahsavant/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/theactivistartist
Image Credit:
Digital Don: Donovan Ledee Jaundo
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
