I've been lucky to perform with Damien Rice and Damon Albarn

Laoise Leahy is Jazz Artist in Residence at Cork Opera House

TELL us about yourself;

I am a Cork-born artist, educator and mum. I have been a singer all my life. I began my performance career (outside the home!) at 13 as a 1st soprano in the ensemble of a Cork Opera House production of Verdi’s La Traviata.

Little did I know after that and decades of immersion in jazz and contemporary music at home and abroad that I would return to Cork to marry my best friend, bring my two beautiful children into the world, and return to COH as Jazz Artist in Residence in 2023!

I have been thanking my lucky stars that my travels, studies, performance career and adventures led me (unwittingly!) back to my lovely home town of Cork, where I feel I now have such a fortunate blend and balance in life, creativity, family, friends and career.

I have been blessed in my varied music career so far and after a tough few years I am gratefully embracing the current creative wave. I released a new contemporary jazz single, Safe, in July.

As a session singer, I have been lucky enough to perform with artists such as Bon Iver, Damien Rice and Damon Albarn. I have also performed as a solo performer and artist in lots of festivals, tours and concerts of all sorts.

I started out with the CSM Jazz Big Band at the age of 15 and I have performed with big bands and ensembles since, including the New Irish Jazz Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and various permutations of my own bands and ensembles.

I have a degree in Popular Music Performance from London College of Music (Tech Schools) and a Masters in Jazz Performance from Cork School of Music and am now a proud member of lecturing staff at the MTU Cork School of Music, where the next generation of contemporary music stars keep me challenged and inspired every day - the future is in very safe hands! A life in music can be intense and challenging, but is always so fulfilling and interesting, I wouldn’t be doing anything else!

Where were you born?

I am a proud Cork girl - born and bred, like!

Where do you live?

After years of travel and moving around, I am delighted to be putting roots down in my home town of Carrigaline - around the corner from where I grew up!

Family?

Yes, contrary to my wandering notions I married an amazing Carrigaline boy, Barry Leahy! After some brilliant adventuring, we were both drawn to come home to settle down in Cork. We are lucky enough to have two beautiful Cork-born children now too, Finn has just turned seven and Saoirse is four and a (very important) half! Oh, and I can’t forget our first-born - Butters!

Best friend?

I am lucky to have lots of great friends in my life, both male and female, who I appreciate deeply. One of my closest friends, Gemma Sugrue, has had a huge influence on my life. She is one of life’s magical people and we have journeyed through a lot of our lives and careers together, growing, laughing and learning as we go.

We set up Voiceworks studio together in 2011, which was Cork’s first specific vocal tuition centre, bursting with singers of all sorts. We had an amazing and formative time fast tracking to adulthood chasing along after it.

We have both moved on now, Gemma is based in London, busy living her best life and running a successful global business called Pro Vocal Artist. Two of our wonderful vocal graduates, Nikki Griffin and Alyson Ronayne (both also MTU CSM vocal graduates) are continuing the success of Voiceworks Studio - we couldn’t be more proud!

Gemma is a constant source of support and advice, she has helped me develop myself as an artist and encouraged me all the way. We are still on the phone most days, with our gorgeous bestie Ciara Walton, still pondering, laughing about, delving into and solving all life’s most important topics and conundrums... I couldn’t be without the girleens!

Earliest childhood memory?

I have some very precious memories of taking the ferry to France in the summer and travelling in our family trailer tent. It was chaotic at times but always filled with fun and adventure!

Person you most admire?

I hugely admire my mother Rosaleen O’Hanlon. She is a retired primary school teacher and has lived a busy and oftentimes challenging life and has always remained full of wonder, love, strength and optimism.

She is one of the most positive, resilient, classy, cultured and adventurous people I know who loves a good laugh and I can only hope to turn out even a little bit like her!

Where was your most memorable holiday?

We brought our lockdown kids for their first post-Covid holiday to Morocco last year - it was really heart-warming to watch our two small children who had barely left their house since they were born fly on an airplane and experience a new culture for the first time.

Favourite TV programme?

I don’t watch much television but really enjoyed the Breaking Bad series.

Favourite radio show?

I love to listen to local radio stations, the lovely Elmarie Mawe and Conor Tallon do an amazing service for Cork Community Arts. I also adore Lyric FM in general, it is a national treasure and particularly the late night programmes (John Kelly, Bernard Clarke et al) who play such a wide mix and spectrum of great, soulful, and often beautifully obscure music.

Favourite restaurant?

Barry celebrated a big birthday recently and we celebrated in Ahmet Dede’s Turkish restaurant in the lovely Baltimore, West Cork, the week before it gained its second Michelin star, and it was an incredible experience.

Last book you read?

I am in the middle of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way at the moment... it’s an inspiring and motivating book which helps people to nurture a disciplined and authentic life, creating art in any form - highly recommended for aspiring creatives out there!

Best book you read?

Another Heartbeat In The House, by Kate Beaufoy, is a fictional book that stays with me... it’s a beautiful novel based in North Cork in famine times and drew me in completely.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

I am obsessed with a jazz artist Jazzmeia Horn at the moment - her catalogue is on continuous rotation in my house these days. I always try to squeeze some of her songs onto my set-list for live shows

Favourite song?

Can Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen ever be topped? That song is as epic as it gets!

Morning person or night owl?

Before I had kids, it would have been hands down night owl.. my creative spirit used to adore its post-midnight meanderings! But now that my body clock has been obliterated and forced into submission, once I am armed with sleep and fresh coffee, I am now reformed and a fan of early mornings. I do enjoy the freshness and possibility of dawn and a new day ahead!

Your proudest moment?

Meeting my two children at birth and lots of micro moments along the way. I can’t describe that feeling.

What makes you happy?

Singing! Stepping on stage to sing is when my life aligns and I step into my flow! Also - sharing music, good food, stories and fun with the right people is my happy place... and I suppose a hot water bottle on a rainy winter’s night is hard to top.

For more, follow Laoise on @laoiseleahymusic on Instagram or Facebook