In her 20s, LÉO lives in a small beach-town, somewhere on the coast of
Normandy. That’s where she writes and composes her musical diary: by the sea. Produced by a grunge veteran, she’s currently recording her first EP, while singing her songs on every occasion she gets.

A collection of authentic and raw Soul-Folk tracks, inspired by all-time classics, from Motown to Brit-Pop.

Do not look for fancy concepts here, she’s nothing, but the real deal.

With “Warm” out now, we took some time to hear from LÉO. Read below to learn more about LÉO, the story behind “Warm,” and what’s to come.

Hi LÉO! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

Hi! Thanks for taking the time! My artist name is actually my real life surname, it was given to me quite young, by my (now deceased) grand-father on my mother’s side. I was always a very active and stubborn child, so he would refer to me as his little lion. And, being a man of letters (including ancient Greek and Latin pieces), it led to him calling me ‘Leo’ which, you guessed it, means ‘lion’ in Latin.

What city are you from, and where are you based now?

I was born in Paris, but I moved around quite a lot, settled for some time in Normandy and currently in between cities.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I had the chance to be born in a household where, even though none of my parents were ‘artists’ in the proper sense, they’ve always surrounded us with music and art. That way, by the age of ten, I already had tried a few instruments, and kept playing the piano, but it was not until I was twelve years old, that I discovered I could use my voice, and integrated the ‘Maîtrise des Hauts-de Seine’ (Children Choir of the Paris Opera), where I was trained in lyrical singing. By sixteen, I had a band with friends, and started working for other people projects (make-up artist, video editing, costumes,…), but I never really believed that I was capable of doing it myself. Until I met Riatto in Normandy, that’s when ‘LÉO’ really started to exist.

How has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound?

My education and environment allowed me to acquire a certain musical knowledge and a taste for quality or interesting production that (I find) is, in most parts, lost today, which makes me very grateful. I certainly could be described as an old soul, and I do find that my sound reflects that in the best way.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

I would describe it as a sunny, cozy Sunday morning. It’s vintage vibes, with a modern soul for all the old school lovers out there. We play and record a majority of real instruments (bass, folk and electric guitars, piano…) instead of using loops and samples. Sound DOES actually matter (not the technical side of it) but rather to transmit some real-life vibrations and emotions, overall, the idea was to make, in an era of trends, something that lasts.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

I do always have to be doing something, whether it’s pottery, writing, taking pictures, read… Even though music takes most of my time. 🙂

Who are some of your main musical influences?

My musical influences for this project would be a mix of Joan Baez, Richard Davies, The Velvet Underground and a lot of Motown sounds (The Temptations, Wonder, Gaye…). Paradoxical, just like me.

Who would be a dream to collaborate with?

My perfect collaboration would definitely be a song with Arctic Monkeys and Andrew Scheps. Or a duet with Joan Baez (I mean life goal right here!).

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

I think probably having my music spun on French and UK’s radios, and having done my first radio interview as well!

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

‘You never truly know your friends until you put something out’ and to never settle for less.

Now onto your release, ‘Warm.’ What inspired this song? What is ‘Warm’ about?

‘Warm’ is the song to make summer last a little longer, it was inspired by the long, slow and hot days of this season. It translates how we feel after we’ve spent some time in the sun, and all of a sudden, the warmth is gone, and all feels like scheme from the sun, like we’ve been robbed of the heat softness.

What was the creative process like when making ‘Warm?’

I came by to Riatto’s place with a messy demo, but it did had the song almost completely done. We sat in the garden, late-spring/early-summer vibe in the air.

He picked the guitar and tried to figure out the chords while I was softly singing next to him, smoking and sipping coffee. The melody was obvious and clear; so the whole process took less than half an hour.

How long did it take to complete ‘Warm?’

That’s another story! The song has such a classic ’60s touch by itself, it was a meticulous build up to try and create that unique sound.

We were listening and watching a lot of (early) Motown stuff at that time. In the following weeks we played the song live about two dozen times, so when I had to record the vocal, I knew exactly how to perform it.

We recorded one take, listened to it, and kept it unedited and untouched.

The vocal track is a one-shot performance, first and only take we recorded that day. Then, I’d say it took about 8 weeks to record and mix it properly.

What is your favorite lyric in ‘Warm’ and why?

‘This road, it could last forever’ because it is universally true.

What message or messages do you hope fans take away from ‘Warm’ and your music in general?

Sometimes I feel – emotionally – very disconnected from the world and the people in it, and writing makes it a little more okay for me, so I hope it does that too for anyone who listens, let it out then let it sooth you.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

I’m currently finishing the EP (that will include ‘Warm’), it should be out late October! Upcoming shows will follow, but the dates aren’t out yet. 😉

Where can we follow you on social media?

You can find every socials and platforms links here: https://linktr.ee/co222y

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!