Exposed Vocals Interviews Sasha Leonov
Sasha Leonov is a singer-songwriter from Sydney, Australia. Since childhood, he has been surrounded by music, and from a young age, a love of music seeped into his very being. In 2009 he released his debut album, titled Accolades for Days of Sunshine, which is a collection of heartfelt and moving piano compositions.
He has since released several lyrical projects including Remnants of Tomorrow, from which the single Through the Storm has been widely applauded and Skies Change, from which several singles have received worldwide airing and consequent accolades.
Sasha has also continued to compose instrumental music, recently releasing Towards Mirages, an album of powerful and magical moments that infuse the imagination of the listener. His new vocal single, Breathe in the Air is a stirring call to adventure.
Sasha’s music is appreciated for its poetry, melody and power to take the listener away to other worlds. For him, the possibility of reaching people through his music is one that never ceases to inspire him.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Sasha Leonov: I grew up in Sydney, Australia, in a Russian family. I always loved music, always drew inspiration from my surroundings, and always wanted to be a storyteller. The advent of music for me is the best for telling stories and communicating.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Sasha Leonov: Sasha is my Russian name, and Leonov is my family name, so I decided to go with my own name rather than creating one.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Sasha Leonov: I think sharing music is vital because only through sharing it does it become a tool for communication. Only sharing it allows for resonation and influence. Online sharing is the easiest and most appropriate way of doing so. I do occasionally give away my music for free, especially to those who have an interest in it. I don’t, however, believe in people downloading music from illegal sharing websites. Artists work hard to write, rehearse and record their songs, and any music-respecting listener should have enough respect for the artist to buy their music, should they like it enough to do so.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Sasha Leonov: I am very much a start-up myself, and am constantly looking for ways to create a career of my passion.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Sasha Leonov: Yes, I occasionally make minor mistakes, but never allow them to ruin the song or the momentum a gig might have going. You just need to move on. Having said that, a real artist is well-prepared and well-rehearsed, and I’d like to think I’m getting better all the time.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Sasha Leonov: I don’t really tour because I am a solo singer-songwriter, so my shows tend to be small and intimate. I’d love to take my show on the road one day.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Sasha Leonov: I gather inspiration from a wide variety of sources, but mostly from relationships with people and from nature. I also draw inspiration from stories, experiences and memories. I always write the melody first. Then, as I play and practise, the lyrics just seem to come. Of course, inspiration needs to be the motive behind the song. It can’t be a laborious process. Sometimes, the lyrics for an entire song write themselves in an hour. At other times, the lyrics might only be written in parts, over months.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Sasha Leonov: I do have a band website. I also use twitter, youtube, Radio Airplay and ReverbNation.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Sasha Leonov: That’s a funny question. If it’s on my player, it means I like it enough to have bought it, and it’s hard to say who might be an embarrassing artist to have.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Sasha Leonov: I would travel to some places I’ve also wanted to visit, I would write music and I would spend money in good studios recording my music.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Sasha Leonov: I record in professional studios. I work really hard on perfecting my music and then I go to studios. I find that it is best to have a professional audio engineer helping with equipment, microphone placements, etc.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Sasha Leonov: I haven’t found a good method for promoting my music, yet, but I am looking.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Sasha Leonov: I would love to perform anywhere where people want to listen to my music. I would love to perform with Cat Stevens as he was my first major music influence.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Sasha Leonov: I have new songs coming out later this year, 2 or 3 singles, which highlight a new direction in my song-writing. I also intend to continue performing and looking for ways to find my audience.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Sasha Leonov: I would be an actor because I admire and am inspired by the creativity involved in bringing stories to life.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Sasha Leonov: The first album I ever bought was Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman, on record. It was so liberating to finally have my own copy of the album that I had listened to so many times on my dad’s record player.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Sasha Leonov: I put music right up there as a priority, which means, no matter what, I devote time to it. Usually, it’s after work that I have a chance to rehearse, write and record. I like the phrase “if it didn’t happen, it means you didn’t want it enough” . So, I will never stop. Persistence is paramount.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Sasha Leonov: New music and a new hairstyle.
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