Leigh Nash

Musical Discoveries: How would you describe the evolution of your music since the the amicable split of Sixpence None The Richer?

Leigh Nash: I would say that since I've become a mother I've been a better writer than I ever was before. So when I wrote those songs I was very inspired by my son, by our life. That was a huge change and becoming a mother has made me stronger in a musical sense.

Did you know from early on that you always wanted to be a musical artist?

Yes, I grew up in Texas and I grew up with country music so that inspired me to want to be a musical artist, so that's what I became.

Were there other career aspirations you had while growing up?

None at all. At one point I wanted to be a fighter pilot but I was really, really young and that was the only other thing I ever wanted to do. And that didn't work out at all. I actually have a very acute fear of flying so that would not have worked out.

How did it feel to be part of a very popular band at such a young age?

It felt really good and I'm proud that we had been together for as long as we were. I liked having those guys around me so much and we were very close. I wouldn't change that for anything in the world.

How did this effect your overall growth through the teenage years?

I think that just being out of the house at a very young age and getting out of the town that I grew up in really did a lot for me and seeing the world and meeting lots of different people all the time changes you. I think you become little bits and pieces of everybody and you get a lot of influences, good and bad.

Were there any unique things you remember about touring back then?

Oh, lots of things. I remember we started out in a van and a car and then we ended up in a converted van that had a little bed in it. And, we moved up to being in a bus, and that was certainly a lot better. So there were fourteen years worth of memories, so I carry them with me everywhere.

What was it like to have a major mega hit song like "Kiss Me"? Was it difficult to find as strong a song to followup with?

Yeah, it was hard. But, we were together for about nine or ten years before that song was ever successful. So we were together for a really long time without any hit songs and we were definitely already a very strong band. But, it was hard and it was hard to think of what a followup would be to that. I think Matt could've turned out hit after hit after hit but that would've been where I would've considered a hit. That doesn't mean the whole world, but I think everything deserves to be successful on the radio.

How would you contrast the making of your solo record from those you did with Sixpence None The Richer?

I think with the solo record I just did that all by myself. I think that I wasn't ever a mother before and that made things a lot different for me. I feel like I'm more grown up and have a more independent spirit than I ever did before which is really healthy. It's very nice. It feels great about the future and I'm really happy right now.

What can you tell us about working with Delerium?

I love working with those guys. I like being in contact with them. They just send me tracks and I get to write lyrics and melodies and I just enjoy that so much. I just find it an inspiring contact.

In addition to your track "Innocente" with Delerium, have you multiple things with Delerium?

I've done a couple of records with them that I really enjoyed. And then we just put a new project together. It's not actually called Delerium, it's called Fauxliage. It's supposed to come out in September and it's just their guys and me, there's no other singers involved. It should be pretty good. I'm looking forward to it. It will be on Nettwerk. It will be an internet release.

Did you get involved with any of the video work with Delerium?

Yeah, I did one video for "Innocente" with those guys. And that was a really good video. We did it in Toronto and I was in a car for part of it and I wore a black dress. And the city of Toronto is so beautiful. I'm glad the way the video turned out.

You've had at least one song get into the movies. Have you had any others get into the movies or soundtracks?

Yes, we've had a lot of Sixpence songs that have had some kind of placement. It was really nice. I've had a lot of stuff on countless television shows and commercials as well.

I don't think any of my new material has been played, but hopefully we'll have some luck there, too.

In addition to the placement of "Kiss Me", were any of your other songs placed in movies? Tell us about how these placements happened?

The placements are very important financially to put it on the table sometimes, and that's been wonderful.

Did your religious upbringing have any bearing on the direction you took initially and presently?

Definitely. It's the way that my world is colored and it's the way that I see everything. My faith has everything to do with what I write about and the way that I live my life.

How have your recent life experiences affected the direction of your music?

Being a mother changed everything. I feel like a new person. I feel a lot more independent and strong than I ever have before in my life, and happier than I've ever been. I feel fulfilled and being on my own has made me feel like a new woman. I'm such a different person.

Motherhood probably makes your time for artistic pursuits a premium. So how do you mix making music with the obligations of family life?

I think that so far I haven't had to do all that much travelling. Right now, I've just been with Henry, my son, and just haven't had to work a lot - only at the studio right here - so I've just been staying with him. I just am going to take things one day at a time right now. Henry is two and a half and he's a very good boy. I don't have any more children planned right now.

Are there any artists that you’ve worked with that you picked up any tips from, either passed on, or something that you've seen that you've brought into your own performances?

I really love Rufus Wainright - I really enjoy seeing his show live, and probably have been influenced by him vocally, even though he's a man. I love this female singer, Lhasa de Sele. She's Canadian. There's some people I'm listening to now. I love Leonard Cohen. There are different kinds of music that I enjoy. But, my favorite record right now is Lhasa de Sele. The record is called The Living Road. It's really beautiful.

Can you tell us about some of the songs in Blue on Blue?

A lot of them are about my son, like "Just A Little" which is about the first time that I had to leave him overnight. "More Of It" is about my husband and we've been married for ten years. It's just a song I wrote about the state of our relationship which is good and was good at the time. So, it's about being content with him. The song "Blue" is about getting your heart broken. There's songs about all different kinds of topics, but for the most part they're about love and about love for my son.

Describe your fans to us. What kind of reactions do your fans give you after hearing your material?

They really seem to be great. I love my fans. I love the people that come to the shows. They seem like intelligent type people that are very inspired by the music. I love that music lovers love the music. That's very important. The fans are like eighteen to all the way up to their fifties, as I see on MySpace. Twenty to thirty to forty.

What are your tour plans?

I'm touring in the fall, October, November, and part of December all over the country. I don't actually have a schedule yet but it'll be in the States and it should be all over cause it's a long tour. Henry will be with me maybe four days on, three days off. Sometimes he'll stay home with his dad and my mother.

Any plans of touring in Europe?

There's no plans right now. We're just going to wait and see what happens. But if the record does well, I'll definitely go over. I would love to and that's definitely a big goal of mine.

What kind of venues do you like to play in?

I like the smaller theaters, nothing too big. I like to play in an intimate setting and I definitely feel like it's a much better show where I'm concerned, where it's intimate. And that's where I prefer to play.

Do you think the internet has the power to influence your musical career in any way?

It's never been easier to get to your fan base than it is right now through MySpace. The internet is an amazing source. I think it's a really good time for artists if you can take advantage of the abilities that we have now.

What are some of your musical hopes and dreams for the next twelve months?

Well, I hope that the record does well. I don't mean like millions and millions. I just hope that it's well received. I'm really proud of it and as an independent artist it would really feel good.

Is there anything that you would like to say to our readers at Musical Discoveries?

I just want to say thanks for listening.