Today we’d like to introduce you to Savanna Leigh.
Hi Savanna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My musical journey started at a really young age. I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t singing. Growing up, music was always a huge part of my life. My dad was a touring Country artist from the time I was born until I was 6 years old. I’m originally from Brandon, FL. So often my dad made trips up to Nashville to record, perform, tour, etc., and would take my sister Lexi and me along with him until we started grade school. So I grew up in that environment and I think that is what initially inspired me to want to do music as a career.
My grandmother was also a musician and filmmaker her whole life and while I was growing up she owned a theatre and production company in Georgia and Florida. So, I grew up doing acting and dancing lessons and got practice performing on stage.
I lived in Florida until I was 18. I continued my love for music throughout grade school all the way until I graduated high school. I performed in as many talent shows, local festivals, and music competitions as possible. I also spent many years performing at my dad’s shows on the weekend in between his sets. He’d let my sister and me hop on stage to perform. He had a band for 10 years in Tampa FL (where we lived) and played every weekend after he moved back to Florida full-time from Nashville. During high school, I was also part of a quartet my sister and I formed with our two friends who were also sisters. We performed locally for two years. I also joined the top show choir in my high school where we sang and danced to the music of all genres, I also competed in musical theatre competitions and was trained classically as well as commercially for the last two years of high school.
I really just wanted to be around music 24/7.. it never got boring to me no matter how much time I spent focused on writing, singing, performing, etc.
My mindset never changed. I always knew I wanted to be a full-time musician/artist and pursue my dream.
That dream led me to move to Nashville at 18.
Originally, I came to Nashville on a music scholarship at Lipscomb University. I studied commercial music with an emphasis on the music business and songwriting. While studying there for the first two years in Nashville I was in a pop country duo called Lexanna (Lexi and Savanna our names combined) with my sister. We released 3 singles, went on a small tour, and performed a lot around town. We grew up singing together so at the time it only felt natural to go into the music world together as a team. Over the course of the two years, a lot changed for me. Right around the time COVID hit the US, I made a decision to leave school. It was at the end of my sophomore year. COVID affected everyone differently but for me, it didn’t make sense anymore to continue to do music school online. I felt I was ready to take the leap and dedicate all my time to writing, creating, and making connections in Nashville. At that time all of this was going on, my sister and I had realized that our passions and goals musically had changed and no longer aligned with one another. We thought it best we pursue our careers from then on out separate from one another. My sister Lexi is a big supporter of mine to this day and always has been. Singing together, watching her love for music and songwriting, and seeing her artistry blossom really inspired me and influenced me growing up. We still sing together now but for fun!
Quarantine ended up being a blessing in disguise. It gave me a whole new perspective and a lot of time to focus on what my career as a pop solo artist looked like, gave me time to dedicate to my songwriting, time to build and grow my social media, and with all the big changes going on in my life at the time, it was a chance to pause and figure out my next steps.
All of that ended up leading to the title of my debut EP “changes” which I released in July 2021. The title and the music were inspired by the first two years of living in Nashville. I went through so many challenges and obstacles in my personal life and professional life during that time and so I used music and songwriting to tell my story.
I met some amazing people throughout this past year who believed in me and in my music, including my producers and writers on the EP (Nightly the band), my graphic artist (Sean with Southghost), some other friends who turned into song collaborators, my photographer and video editor (Ines Lopez), a family friend who directed some of my music videos (Jon Ward) and more. As an independent artist, it’s so important to build a team of people who support you and who you can trust.
And now here I am in October of 2021. My first project reached numbers I never expected and is still growing every day. I am really grateful for every opportunity that has come my way. I feel the release of my debut EP really helped kickstart my career here in Nashville and I have never been more excited to keep creating music, keep building connections, and keep learning and growing as an artist.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t really think it’s ever a smooth road for anyone. Every person faces struggles and obstacles when pursuing their dream. That’s just a part of life. Being an artist is a grind. Being a successful artist/performer is something so many people will tell you is unrealistic or crazy.. that you should pick a more practical dream. If you can live without doing music then it’s most likely not the career path for you. You have to have a burning passion for it because along the way there will be so many obstacles and ups and downs. There is no straightforward path to take to be successful.
I think for me that has been a struggle. I am a person who thinks very realistically about things. I like to be in control of my life and my future. I always want to know what the end goal is and be certain that the steps I take will get me there.
But with music, it’s just impossible. It’s impossible to know if the steps you are taking will ultimately lead you where you want them to, you can’t control the future. That’s where my faith comes in. To believe that God has a plan for me, that he gave me this passion for a reason, that he has a future laid out for me, and that if I believe in him and follow him, he will open doors for me that I am meant to walk through, that he will provide for me and my future.
I think it can be a struggle to believe in yourself. Do not compare yourself to what you see online, or on social media.
To not feel rushed by the world to be at a certain level by a certain age. It is something I still constantly work through. Truly believing in yourself, your music, and what you have to say to the world.
But I wouldn’t change anything I’ve been through, because it led me to where I am right now today. Each door that closes, allows space for the right door to open. Journaling, meditating, praying, and thinking positive thoughts get me through almost any doubt or struggle.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a singer/songwriter, artist/performer, and model.
I am most proud of my debut EP “changes” and my signed contract to AMAX talent agency for modeling.
What sets me apart is a simple fact that I am me! The same goes for every artist/influencer/creative. If you are authentic in your art and what you create and show to the world, you will automatically be set apart from everyone else because there is only one of you.
I strive to always be authentic in whatever I do. I write songs that are all based on experiences, emotions, and thoughts that I have or had. On my social media, I always strive to be transparent with the people who support me. It’s easy to copy someone else’s vibe musically or to put up a fake presence on social media that doesn’t truly represent you. I think it’s harder to be vulnerable and be you despite what others think. I think that is what sets me apart. What you see is what you get.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.savannaleigh.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannaleighofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savannaleighofficial/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/imsavannaleigh
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/savannaleighofficial
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/savannaleighofficial
Image Credits
Eden Lauren Photography and Ines Lopez
