Hailing from Los Angeles, Lea Anderson is a singer/songwriter and flautist we had the pleasure of interviewing earlier this year. She’d just released a gentle and evocative single called ‘Heaven Knows’ – a tune we at Mesmerized fell extremely hard for.
More recently, Lea shared a brand new music video for her 2019 track ‘More Than I Could’ which caught our attention, and we decided it was time to catch up with her again!
Grateful that she wanted to return and chat with us again, Lea tells us why she revisited ‘More Than I Could’, who some of her biggest musical influences are, and about her love/hate relationship with the social media side of things. So, without further ado, please give a warm welcome to our friend Lea Anderson!
Hey Lea, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us again – it’s been too long! Let’s kick things off with an easy one…What first drew you to music, and how did you discover your passion for it?
I remember watching Mariah Carey on television when I was young. I’ll never forget how I felt when I heard her sing ‘Can’t Let Go.’ I wanted to make people feel the way that she made me feel. From the first moment I touched the stage, I knew that’s where I wanted to be forever.
Which of your songs would you select to skyrocket to the top of the charts and achieve massive success?
Because I write from the heart and my music is inspired by real-life events, it’s hard to pick just one to skyrocket to the top of the charts. In actuality, I hope all of them do. The more listeners I have, the more people I can help heal through sound. That’s always been my goal. But if I had to choose one, hopefully, the most optimistic, poignant one would rise. It’s called ‘SKIN’, an anthem I wrote for Black Women.
Now, onto your smashing new release – a beautifully shot music video to accompany one of your earliest tunes ‘More Than I Could’. What made you decide to revisit the track?
I released my debut album in 2019. In 2020, I realized that COVID-19 was going on a world tour before me. In 2021, I wasn’t feeling romantic but revolutionary. I stepped outside of album mode and wrote about my new feelings in the songs: ‘On My Birthday’ and ‘Black Coffee’ (exclusively on vinyl).
Fast forward to 2024, my new career endeavour brought me to San Juan, Puerto Rico and I instantly fell in love with the island. I wanted to shoot a video there to have a piece of it forever. I stumbled across the IG profile of a really talented videographer I felt aligned with. I reached out and Jose quickly responded. He was very open to my ideas and never captured an instrumentalist/vocalist musician before. In a way, he was looking for someone like me, and I was guided to him. ‘More Than I Could’ was the best song for it. I think it was worth the revisit because I am very happy with the music video. And, I wouldn’t have been able to do it in 2019 or 2020. Good things are always worth the wait.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences? Who did you grow up listening to? And would you say that your tastes have changed over the years?
I’ve always wanted to be like the icons: Diana Ross, Minnie Ripperton, Mya and Tamia. These women inspired me from day one and I can feel their influences in my music. I’ll never forget the first time I heard Ledisi, I was obsessed. And I remember exactly where I was when I bought Alice Smith’s CD.
Today, I feel especially influenced by Corrine Bailey Rae, Lianne La Havas, Adi Oasis and Valerie June. My music tastes have definitely broadened over the past two years, especially now that I’m travelling so much. I can’t wait to share my new songs with everyone next year just so you can see how much my tastes have changed.
What aspects of being a musician do you cherish most? And on the flip side, what would you say have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered?
I will always cherish the listening side. Listening to my heart, listening to my angel guides, and writing authentically. It’s essential that you get the message in the songs as close to what you imagine in your head as possible.
I wish I could say I don’t like the social media side, but I do. I love content creation but the time it takes to make a nice post is challenging when you don’t get the reach you desire or deserve. I’ve had people I talk to every day say that they haven’t seen my posts in a while. And it hurts to be suppressed. Music is a business and a dream for me, so visuality is vital. It’s based on analytics not actually talent or aesthetics. That being said, if you are reading this, follow me on Instagram 🙂 @iamLeaAnderson
Take us through a non-music day in the life of Lea Anderson. What keeps you busy? What do you enjoy doing? What other interests or pursuits help you recharge and inspire creativity?
I am a complete beach bum. I love to swim in the ocean and discover new shores. It puts me in a meditative state and I often invent new melodies while swimming. It’s a plus if I see baby fish around my feet. I also spend a lot of time with my manager Benn, my miniature cavapoo.
OK, Lea – desert island time! You’re allowed to grab 3 albums before being stranded on an island. Which do you go with?
This is a trick question LMAO!
‘4 by Beyonce’, ‘The ‘Waiting to Exhale Movie Soundtrack’, and ‘Element of Freedom’ by Alicia Keys. And, I would try to smuggle the mixtape my Dad made me. It’s a bunch of songs released the year I was born.
It’s been great catching up again, Lea! Thanks so much for your time! What comes next for you musically and do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to leave us with?
It was really nice to kick it with you again, Mesmerized! Thank you for your unwavering support. Here is some wisdom I would like to leave with you: live each day as if it were brand new. Stay present. If you wake up in the morning and something from yesterday is still bothering you, journal it out, process it, phone a friend if you have to…then begin fresh. Every day is a new day, and tomorrow’s sorrows shouldn’t influence how you move. You must keep going because it’s your future and your life really depends on that.
