When Jenny Leigh heard LeAnn Rimes for the first time she immediately knew she wanted to be a country singer.
When I heard LeAnn Rimes sing thats when I knew that I wanted to sing, Leigh says. I would practice in the car on the way to soccer practice and I would try to sing like her.
On July 30, Leigh will be releasing her latest album, Tipping Point, to iTunes. The Maryland native says her new recording got its name because it represents a major point in her career.
Ive been touring as much as possible, writing, going to Nashville whenever I can and networking to the best of my ability. I felt like this was the year that everything was coming together, she says. These are the best songs that Ive written, that my band has written and this really represents Jenny Leigh and what Im all about.
Leigh spent two months raising money using the online donation program Kickerstarter to raise funds so she could record the album in Nashville. Although she exceeded her goal of raising $8,000 in two months, Leigh says the process was stressful.
As great as Kickstarter is, it was really stressful because with the program if you dont raise your goal you dont get any of your money, she says. People start to jump on the bandwagon really late because everybody wants everyone else to contribute first. Right at the last minute everything came through and I ended up exceeding my goal by $2,000. Its stressful the whole time because you never know if the money is actually going to come through until its all signed off on and in your account.
Leigh was born in Fredrick, Md., and began singing at an early age. She learned to play the piano when she was seven years old.
I just loved to sing. I was always involved in afterschool projects and theatre, anything I could really get my hands on, Leigh says.
In 2002, she attended Elon University in North Carolina where she performed as a member of an a cappella group.
I really learned a lot about music and a lot about working with musicians from different backgrounds, she says.
Even though she continued to sing at Elon University, Leigh began to switch focuses and eventually put off her pursuit for a music career. It wasnt until 2006 after she had graduated that she rediscovered her desire for a music career.
After college I realized I have to be singing because its the one thing that really makes me happy, she says.
Leigh began learning the guitar and experimenting with songwriting. Within a couple of years she was performing at venues in Baltimore and eventually went on to form a band.
I built a band around myself and have been growing as a writer and collaborating with other musicians both locally and in Nashville, she says.
Leigh released a four-track demo tape and followed that up in 2011 with her first EP Falling Forward. She opened for the Eli Young Band and Josh Gracin and also performed at the Preakness horse racing event and the Baltimore Marathon.
Along with LeAnn Rimes her influences include Billy Ray Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Paramore and Rihanna. Although Leigh is a country singer, she infuses elements of R&B and blues into her music.
I dont feel like I have a traditional country voice, so to bring a couple of those different styles into it is really cool for me, she says. I want to be a country singer but a little bit different because Im from Baltimore and its part of me and I have to bring that to the table as a positive thing.
The Urbana High School graduate says that while she typically writes about relationships, she does not always write from personal experience.
Ive written about other friends who have gone through things and family members, abusive relationships and things like that. It just depends some things are about my personal experiences and others are about experiences that Ive witnessed as a third party. Not everything has to be about relationship.
Leigh often writes with her guitar player Ryan Sorestad a native of Saskatchewan. He says working with Leigh has not only been a great experience but has also improved his own songwriting.
Working with Jenny is inspiring. Shes a girl that is passionate and driven, he says. The thing that I respect most about her is that she believes in the songs. She wants to perform songs that she can get behind and believes in.
In 2012, Leigh recorded the vocals for an Under Armour commercial that featured Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and included music by DJ Araabmuzik.
It was a different thing for me because it was outside of the country genre, Leigh says. It was a unique experience that I didnt expect to have. It was really cool and it actually opened up a couple of doors that I never expected it to do as far as some Baltimore hip-hop artists wanting to work with me.
While Leighs music has previously been featured in television commercials and on WPOC Radio 93.1 in Baltimore, she says filming her first-ever music video for her song Crossroads is her proudest moment (youtube.com/watch?v=ltF7hJLlIAE).
We had no budget and no prior experience. Basically, it was a crapshoot and we didnt know how it was going to turn out, Leigh says. It was a great learning experience for both of us and it turned out really well. It was professional and everyone had a great time. It was something unique that I had never done before.
I think that one of the things about music that moves me is that it is such an experience. It means so much to everybody in different ways. You have different memories that you attach to different songs. You have your first dance song at your wedding that means a certain thing in your relationship, she says. I just feel like were all so connected to music and in order to make music and to move people through my music that to me is the ultimate goal. When youre performing and you see a crowd reacting to your music in a positive manner there is nothing like it.
For more information on Jenny Leigh visit www.jennyleighmusic.com or follow @JennyLeighMusic on Twitter.
