Leah Keane is a captivating Folk Singer-songwriter from San Diego, California. Her didactic lyricism, married with her unique vibrato and soulful delivery, lends her originality and versatility outside of her genre. Leah’s foundation in music first began at age three with piano. Her musical vigor later brought her to seek out and acquire skills in guitar and ukulele. Leah can be found performing all over San Diego County. You can find her original music on most digital platforms such as Spotify and iTunes!
My Musical Journey
At age two I was banging away on a tiny toy piano, taking “song requests”, and performing popular tunes such as Old MacDonald and Itsy bitsy spider. At age 3, my parents took me to my first piano lessons and I would continue on until about age 13. During High School, I started composing my own music on the piano. I hadn’t begun writing serious lyrics, though the dream of being a singer-songwriter had been alive in me since my elementary years.
I attended UCSD where I majored in Economics and minored in Music. During college I taught myself how to play the ukulele, and made my first serious attempts at songwriting. Upon graduating in 2015 I immediately began working as an Estimator for a Contracting Management Firm. A year in, the reality that I was living with little regard to the things that gave me joy, hit me hard. So I took the money that I had been saving for grad school, quit my job, became a substitute teacher for a local school district for part-time work and leapt into music. I began taking guitar lessons and working with a mentor. I started small, singing first for open mics and then farmers markets, slowly getting a handle of my nerves and becoming a better musician in the process.
Now I perform all over San Diego County with my guitar and ukulele. I have had the opportunity to play for local TV, weddings, and hear my songs on local radio. In 2019 I released my very first EP, followed by two singles later in the year, to all digital platforms through CD Baby.
Throughout this journey I have had many defining moments, but the most impactful of all happened in the summer of 2017. I had the incredible opportunity to live in Ireland. I stayed with friends and helped run their horse stables. In the evening, the girls and I would walk into town for our pints and there I was introduced to Irish music. At this point I had only dared perform in a few open mics back home. In Dingle, Ireland I was thrust into a dynamic music scene honoring both traditional and contemporary styles. I gained so much confidence. The guitar would be passed around the pub and I’d hear the words “give us a song love” and the shear joy of sharing music with others erased all of my insecurities. Of everything that I was learning and working hard towards in the states, the performer and singer I am flourished in Ireland. They would say “thank you for sharing”. I try and remind myself after each performance that sharing is all I am doing- without any need for affirmation or praise. I simply want to share my music with the world and create real, personal and positive connections with people.