Read the Eissa // Leo Interview below and share it on social media.
Please tell our readers who you are and what you do?
I am Eissa // Leo, singer, song-writer & music producer with additional experience on the piano.
I am from Cameroon, but I was born and raised in UAE & USA.
The main genres I specialise in are Pop, Afro-Pop, Electronic Pop, EDM, Chill House and Tropical House, but I also produce Hip Hop & RnB.
Because of my upbringing and diverse style, my music tends not to fit in just one genre because I often incorporate my wide variety of styles in a track which led me to create my own genre that I call "Juato" music which means a song influenced by different styles and cultures.
soundcloud.com/eissaleo/sexyback
soundcloud.com/eissaleo/unnatural
How would you describe your influences and how have they changed over the years?
The main genres of music I remember growing up on were African music, Country music, old Pop music, RnB and Hip Hop, but my own personal taste in music could be described as an adventure, personally speaking.
The order was: Techno, Rock, Electronic Rock, Electronic Pop, Mainstream Pop, EDM and I ended at Afro-Pop, Chill House & Tropical House music.
I have a ton of influences from Musicians like Lana Del Rey & Coldplay to Calvin Harris, but I also appreciate artists with unique styles such as Kimbra, Jidenna, Drake, Troye Sivan, Alessia Cara & Melanie Martinez, artists that really choose to follow their own paths and genres in music, who aren't bound to just one thing.
What´s new right now?
I'm very busy with my music, producing tracks for other musicians, doing covers, releasing and selling beats as well as composing movie soundtracks, but I'll be putting up more music throughout the following weeks, in addition to video covers which I'll start doing shortly.
I've also been working on the concept of my first album titled "Complexities" there will be about 12 songs or so, and a few extra in the Deluxe Edition. I previously did my first release of a song that'll be in it called "Unnatural" it received over 700 views online, and from there I collaborated with MDW & JWalks to create the remix which received over 3,000 views:
https://soundcloud.com/mdw-music/unnatural
I'm always looking to collaborate with more musicians so feel free to contact me, and keep your eyes posted for my latest music.
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Are you a superfan of anyone? How did you become a superfan? Do you remember how you become a fan and what turned you into super fan? Have you ever thought about why you´re such a fan?
I guess you could say I'm a superfan of Lana Del Rey and Alessia Cara.
Lana Del Rey's songs personally captivate me, and I can really connect with them. I became her superfan through Youtube when I heard "Video Games," it wasn't just her voice but the whole production of the track that drew me in, and the fact that her songs are beautiful but often quite sad at times which I also connect with.
I became a superfan of Alessia Cara when I heard her song "Here" it had a few million views, but it hadn't gone extremely viral yet and I remember just listening to it on repeat because it was the first really big song that I heard that talked about something a lot of people don't talk about. It was honest and truthful, just like Alessia Cara in my opinion which I respect, she chooses to be herself in an industry that tends to make artists uphold a certain image, or they're not given the opportunities they've fought so hard for, so I admired that and from then I always kept an eye on her music.
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What was the biggest mistake you made when you started making music and what would be the number one tip you could give to a newcomer musician?
I can't really pinpoint my "biggest mistake" because I only saw them as learning opportunities, but I guess the biggest one would just have to be whenever I felt down or discouraged to put my music out there.
I'm someone that can be a bit of a perfectionist especially when it comes to my singing so the important tips I could give are don't give up, no matter what.
And don't stop learning cause being a musician means committing to the never ending process of perfecting and developing your sound whether you're a DJ, Singer, Songwriter, Instrument Player or Music Producer.
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How do you get gigs? Can you share any tips?
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Do you have good promotion tips for other musicians?
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Do you have insights on how to grow your audience on soundcloud that you want to share with our audience?
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What has been your biggest challenge right now? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
I guess in some ways my biggest challenge is myself. Especially in terms of being demoralised with the setbacks that come my way. I'm always working on my music, and I have a growing fan base, but it's not growing at the rate I'd like it to.
In addition to that is the whole having to fund yourself aspect. I've come across dozens of big repost channels that have been interested in promoting my songs, but the money I make with my music hasn't reached a level of consistency yet so they're just some of the things I've been working on fixing.
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How do you personally discover new music?
Mainly through the Recommended section that Youtube provides for me, and I'll occasionally listen to songs on Soundcloud.
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Once you discovered new music, do you tell others about the new music/artist you discovered? If yes, how exactly?
“I usually send my friends and family the link to the video or song if I really like it, and I would do so through Facebook, Facebook Messenger, or Whatsapp.
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What is your number one tip to improve your music production or songwriting skills?
Research the steps that are involved in producing a track. I started composing songs thinking I was producing music, but I was overwhelmed when I came across all the technical aspects involved. Just know that even the pros where once in your shoes so take it day by day and you'll get far in no time.
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What is your best tip for those who struggle with finishing their tracks?
Firstly, I understand since some of my tracks can be finished in a day whereas others can take months. If you're struggling with a song there are two ways to go about it:
1. Fight your way through the difficulty in which case your track could come out good (or bad in some cases from personal experience)
2. Take a step back to gather your thoughts or find some inspiration. Whenever my head's filled with static I take a break and focus on other things. Sometimes I make sure I don't listen to my music and instead listen to other artists that inspire me, or artists that have a sound that I'm trying to achieve in my song if I'm in the mood.
From experience I've found that inspiration can come at any moment, even in the shower.
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We meet again in one year. What has changed?
My main plan for now is to remain consistent with uploading something new each month, covers, beats, putting myself out there on social media, etc.
I plan to release a music video to "Unnatural" and hopefully put out more songs from my upcoming album "Complexities" which will also hopefully come out later this year if there aren't any hitches.
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http://www.soundcloud.com/eissaleo
http://www.facebook.com/eissaleo
http://www.twitter.com/eissaleo
http://www.instagram.com/eissaleo
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Enter your questions to the artist in the facebook comment section below.
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