LA-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Leah Capelle unveils her new single “i keep her” today – a personal coming out letter to herself and an ode to women exploring their sexuality.
Serving as the final offering ahead of her debut full-length album entitled triptych due out April 3, 2020 via The Orchard / Little Cabin Entertainment, Leah Capelle laments “I keep her at a distance, I keep her as a dream… more than nothing, less than something… more, more, more…” over a hypnotic drum beat and what has become her signature alt-rock guitar sound. Capelle, who came out publicly as bisexual in 2019, found inspiration for “I keep her” in her own journey falling in love with a straight female friend. She questioned the fascination and if she wanted to be her or to be with her, eventually coming to terms with the fact that it was the latter.
When asked about “i keep her” and her coming out story, Leah Capelle elaborated: “I have also always craved deep emotional connection with women, and have been fortunate to have a powerfully tight-knit group of friends – many of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community. When I was younger, I was so steadfast in my belief that I was straight – look, I’m with a man! I only ever date men! – I would argue. I didn’t perceive myself as part of any spectrum. But as I got older, I started to realize that I had been lying to myself for a long time – that I was not as ‘straight’ as I had always claimed to be – and I was terrified of what that really meant. I carefully and cautiously started coming coming out as bisexual – first to my mom and my sister, then to my partner, and eventually to my brother and dad. After my partner and I broke up, I was devastated but I finally had complete freedom to be wholly and utterly myself.” She adds: “In truth, this song isn’t just for one person – it’s for all the women I’ve loved thus far and for the women still searching, wondering…”
At the top of 2020 the emerging artist released “on accident,” a violently honest song about mistakes and the inevitable aftermath. Balancing the line between alternative-pop and hard rock, Capelle wails over a massive punk-rock stack as she begs, “did I hurt you? You know I didn’t mean it… Did I hurt you on accident?” In their exclusive profile, American Songwriter calls the track “[a] vulnerable look at one’s self-awareness, accepting our faults, flaws, and other selfish behaviors.” Capelle also dropped by the Paste Magazine and iHeart/Z100 studios in NYC to give the world a sneak peak of “on accident” stripped down.
In 2019 Leah Capelle shared her heart-wrenching video for “know me better” following the exclusive premiere via PRIDE. They raved, “Grab a glass of wine, turn up the volume, and try to resist prancing around the room in your underwear.” A story of self-discovery, the cinematic visual is a colorful and alluring production of pain, loss, and healing. With vocals that wistfully dance from one guitar strand to the other, Capelle brings you into her dismal world.
NYLON dubbed the “know me better” single as “the perfect breakup song to dance-cry the pain away” but Capelle describes the single as much more once the layers are peeled back. At its core, the emotionally charged anthem is about coming to terms with the relationship you have with yourself and your identity then growing from it, though ultimately triggered by the loss of someone significant in your life. The song leaps into realms lost, found, broken, and mended as Capelle confronts her pain head-on. Piecing back the puzzles of heart and self, “know me better” is about knowing yourself again.
The young artist recently joined the Breedlove Guitars family, headlined the Emerging Artists Series at Summerfest, toured across the US and jumped on an opening slot for Knox Hamilton in her hometown of Chicago, all while clocking in endless hours at the studio and racking up over 100K followers across her social media independently. In addition, she’s landed coverage with ATWOOD, Buzzbands.la, Earmilk, GLAAD, Grimy Goods, Guitar Girl Magazine, Parade, PopDust, PopMatters, Spindle Magazine, and penned guest blogs for Betches and The Talkhouse.
One thing remains true as Leah Capelle continues to build her catalogue – “every songwriter is more than just a voice.” In her guest blog on The Talkhouse, the artist questions “What is our responsibility as artists? Is it to provide a much-needed break from the heaviness of the news? Is it to simply provide entertainment, to become one more distraction from the daily responsibilities of life? Is it to be the voice of our whole generation, or to be, just a voice for those who cant put their feelings into words?”
Since her arrival in 2015, Leah Capelle has proven that she’s got it all – a song for everyone and any human experience in all of its duality.