Today we’d like to introduce you to Lea Grace Swinson
Hi Lea Grace, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hailing from Dorchester, Boston, I started my musical journey at the tender age of 4 when I landed my first professional gig in Langston Hughes’, Black Nativity. I’ve also sung the National Anthem for both the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox several times during my grade school years. In 8th grade and continuing through high school, I was accepted into the Berklee City Music Boston program, a very competitive music and performing arts scholarship organization where I received professional training and education by critically acclaimed Berklee College of Music professors. Upon high school graduation, I was one of the few awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music.
In college, I was exposed to many other talented students who were performing professionally at high levels throughout the school and creating their own original works. This inspired me to believe in myself and my own capabilities, leading me to start connecting and creating with others by curating my own shows. After just my first year in college, I was invited to be a part of the Berklee City Music alumni “Check Your Pulse Tour” during the summer of 2018. On this tour, I traveled the country exchanging knowledge and gaining experience with various musicians and artists, as a budding touring artist. Growing up and being exposed to different cultures, my eclectic sound fuses Pop, Rock, R&B/Soul, and Jazz. When creating, I draw inspiration from self-expression rooted in authenticity and personal evolution, which I continued to foster during my time at Berklee.
Live performance is a big part of my artistry. When I perform, I capture the attention of everyone in the audience. The way in which I occupy the stage with my demanding stage presence and captivating vocals, sets me aside from other artists and makes attending a Lea Grace show a must see! In 2019, I released my debut single “Need Time”. Following that release, I dealt with the trials and tribulations of the pandemic, finding my authentic voice, and solidifying my true style. Eventually my passion for artistry overflowed resulting in me fully embarking on the scary, yet beautiful journey of being a full-time music artist. After graduating from college with a B.M. in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic, my debut EP, “Transparent”, was released catapulting me into curating multiple productions and gaining much traction in the northern region for myself and other local artists.
Setting my sights on expanding my artistry and taking my career to the next level, I moved to Atlanta, GA. Standing out in an audition by singing Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love”, I served as a background singer for Lil Yachty, performing at many festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Rolling Loud and many others. I also joined him on tour and supported him on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
Currently, I’m continuing to connect with the world by doing live shows all over the country from acoustic sets to full ensemble band productions, and am also preparing for a new body of work. In my newest single, “twenty-five.”, I speak to the challenges that occur when you are reaching a significant phase of life and the importance of persevering through it all. Using my creative, yet authentic nature, I hope to continue building my own empire as a recording artist, entertaining and positively impacting millions for years to come.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth by any means, but it hasn’t been rough enough for me to stop pushing!
COVID-19 was the start of a rough time for me specifically as a new budding artist. Blessed to attend Berklee being exposed to so many other dope talented people, specifically black people that were pushing boundaries, really inspired me to want to figure out what that is for myself! What spaces do I occupy simply for being? What spaces do I want to occupy? How can I create new spaces to occupy?
Literally just turning 20 years old a few months prior to the pandemic, while also finishing out my junior year of college preparing to enter not only the real work force and try to put my degree to use, but to enter real adulthood, what all that means and comes with. All of this going on for me and many of my peers, while the world literally SHUT DOWN was really rough for me.
It put me in a really hard space, where it was hard for me to want to sing. To actually do wasn’t hard because I’m a professional and that’s my job, but to have to the desire was something I couldn’t find because it felt like my development, my resources, my inspirations, my lifeline to music – to finding my voice, was cut off. And nobody cared or knew to care because we all were going through this worldwide pandemic. #ClassOfZoomUniversity
As rough as it was to experience, I’m grateful for the obstacles because they give you something to fight through and remind you what you’re fighting for.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a creative at heart. My main concentration is Music, Voice. As in how great mine is lol :p
I really love all things art related, if I don’t immediately understand the thought behind whatever piece, or even if I do! I love that freedom within creativity. It intrigues me, it inspires me, it fills little Lea Grace up with joy. The joy in Freedom of Expression. I wanna say that I’m known for my confidence, my passion for my art, my great laugh and witty humor, my compassion, my impatience, my selfishness at times, my hard exterior. But it’ll always depend on what phase of life you meet me, because we are all ever growing, changing, and developing.
So with that I am most proud of my destination.
Whatever I am called to, whoever is meant to find me and relate to me, whenever it is my time to be recognized, I am proud of all the work that I put in. I am proud of the gift God has given me, and how well I steward it. Even all the things that are thrown at me that 13 year old Lea Grace never thought I could survive, but did, and didn’t give into the pressure. Because everything I survive, and live to see another day to tell about it, could save a whole generation. That’s what sets me apart from the next astonishingly amazing sounding girl from Dorchester, MA.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I guess what matters to me is the “Why” of it all. What’s the point of any of this? Anything that I’m doing? Anything that anyone is doing? Usually whatever answer to that question you have will tell you whether it’s worth it to keep going. Not what it’s worth to other people, but what it’s worth to you. What would it mean to you if you completed that idea? How would the “Why” of this project change how you show up in this world, how you show up for yourself? Because 9 times outta 10 you’re gonna fall in love with the purpose of it before people even understand it’s to save their lives too.
So to everyone, “Why” are YOU doing it?
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamleagrace/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamleagracee
- Other: https://linktr.ee/iamleagrace
Image Credits
Kylah Edge
Dave Green
Atticus Charles-Vardon
Aaron Mclaughlin
Carter Proffitt
