Leeanna Allen, a contemporary gospel singer, songwriter and spoken word poet is making waves in the music industry. She recently dropped her first album, ‘Severely Flawed But Labeled Loved’ and also collaborated with Kross Kolor Records on its Christmas CD where one of her poems is featured.
“I started writing poetry when I was nine,” Leeanna recalled. “The name of the poem was ‘Never Model Nude;’ it was an open topic and it was something that I saw on the television… so that’s how I wrote that poem,” she laughed.
“I kept a diary. Sometimes I would just write. I was a pretty shy kid so that was kind of an outlet. Writing was an escape; …it was something that made me happy or sad. I don’t have a diary anymore but I do keep a prayer journal.”
It was at her church, the Stanleytown Seventh Day Adventist that she was asked on special occasions to write poems. She soon took up poetry and later on found an interest in spoken word poetry. “Some persons think it’s rap but it’s not. After that I not only wrote poems but I recited them also,” she said.
Leeanna admits to always being a bathroom singer, having always been shy. “I [once] had a chance, when I was in primary school, to sing for a local music competition. I practised and trained but on the actual day I was so scared and didn’t go; and I convinced myself for many years after that that I couldn’t sing. Stanleytown has very good singers and that’s how I found my voice. I was also a part of a choir [United Voices], where a few Seventh Adventist churches around Guyana came together and sang. When I started travelling around Guyana and singing in the Adventist circle, I [gained] more confidence. However, after singing for a long time, I got tired of singing other people’s music; of singing the same thing over and over.”
A humbled Leeanna, still in awe of all that’s happened so far went on to share how it is that she’s here today. “Last year around March I was going through a difficult time, not being employed. I had only written two songs before. That day I wrote a few songs. I recorded singing them on my phone. I probably wrote like four songs that day and I’ve been writing songs ever since. Then I began to question God; this has to be coming from you, because I wasn’t able to do this before. Singing doesn’t make any sort of money in Guyana. I realize just being still and leaving everything to God was when he started to make things happen. So I stopped trying and it was when I stopped trying that things started to work. I was asked to write a song by the Guyana Conference of Seventh Day Adventist for a conference session. I wrote two songs in two different genres and they really liked both, so one was used for the conference session and the other for the Festival of the Laity [a reporting and award session for persons working in the Personal Ministries Department]. After that I received sponsorship to do the cd [Labeled Loved]. All this happened last year.”
Leeanna was among the many poets who attended a workshop hosted in April by the US Embassy. While there, she was brave enough to perform one of her poems. Through this she met CEO and Producer of Kross Kolor Records Burchmore Simon. One of her poems “One Last Guyanese Christmas” is featured on the label’s latest album ‘Christmas With Us Volume Two’ set for release on November 8.
While P4CM (Passion for Christ Movement), a spoken word poetry group may be one of her biggest inspirations in poetry, For King and Country (Christian contemporary), Jonathan McReynolds, Jamie Grace and JJ Heller are her favourite singers. If there was ever a group she’d want to meet someday, it’d be For King and Country.
“Contemporary for me is built more on everyday experiences. It’s more for dreamers. It’s an all type of the day kind of music,” said Leeanna.
The former Bishops’ High School student has attained for herself a degree in Economics from the University of Guyana and also did her Master in Business Administration through an online programme at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, graduating with a distinction. Although she is well equipped education wise, she works fulltime with the Volunteer Youth Corps Inc and is focused on her music and being a wife and mother.
“The most important persons in my life [are]… my husband Colin Allen and son Othneil Allen,” she said with pride. “The biggest challenge that I’ve faced so far is keeping a balanced life. I’m a wife and a mom and still have a fulltime job and am trying to be focused on making CDs also. Sometimes dreams get in the way of important things. I’d never give up on singing and songwriting but I’d still like to be there for my family,” she said.
Apart from work, she enjoys spending time with her family and doing a little introspection; “getting to know me. It helps to refine me.”
One of her biggest challenges as a singer is that of many others here in Guyana and that’s the disregard for copyright. “Having copyright legislation will help our singers. [It will] give the support to our local artistes, not just financial support but local [air play]. We also need to step up our videos and audios so that we can compete on an international level,” said the singer.
Speaking to upcoming singers, poets and song writers she says, “Give it over to God, especially if you’re writing Christian music. If you give it over to God, things are going to happen. You don’t want to chase a dream and lose your own soul. Learn to master your craft; be humble and be willing to start small. Get to know you, so your music is reflective of who you are. Ensure that you’re a blessing to your circle of influence; your relatives, friends, co-workers and peers and it’s going to go beyond even what you could ever imagine.”
For Leeanna one of her biggest fears is failure but she’s more terrified of not trying. “So even though I’m still afraid to fail, I push myself because I’m more afraid of life passing me by,” she said. Today she’s proud of her achievements so far and hopes that in the coming years, she could include, “ballads, praise and worship and other kinds of music based on love, marriage and life. I just want to be able to touch the lives of others. I’ll definitely keep writing poetry and songs.
“The title of the CD ‘Labeled Loved’ is about loving you for who you are in Christ. It’s a lot for dreamers. Persons who aren’t sure if to take the risk of pursuing a dream and also trying to get a better understanding of what you stand for and praising God in the midst of it all.”
Labeled Loved was produced by Legacy Beats. Allen is also collaborating with Christian Sobers, founder of Music Unlimited, to produce more music. Persons can pick up a copy of her CD at the Guyana Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, 222 Peter Rose and Lance Gibbs streets, Queenstown, contact her via Facebook or through email:
laministries7@gmail.com
