Leila Jane - Social Connections

The Grand Social presents - “Social Connections”

A live show broadcasted on the internet.

Leila Jane - Saturday, Dec 19th, 9pm 

Get your free tickets here from Dec 1st 

Leila Jane began life in the bustling city of London. Then, at the age of six she was brought to live in the picturesque wilderness of Donegal, where half of her DNA originates from. Predestined to grapple with her individuality as an only child with unconventional roots, she found the soundtrack of the film ‘’O Brother Where Art Thou?’’ to resonate with her increasingly during her early teenage years. There was a freedom of expression which seemed to emanate from bluegrass music that surpassed all else until Leila discovered the Delta Blues. This genre was equally as fascinating and kickstarted her into her journey as a singer-songwriter at the age of fifteen.

Now, at age 26, Leila Jane has a multitude of performances and experiences under her belt in music scenes in the UK, Ireland and the USA. She has also been able to hone her sound during her time spent at BIMM, Dublin. Her main priority is to maintain a sense of authenticity throughout her music and her life. One of the reasons Imelda May chose Leila for the scholarship which saw her through her degree at BIMM, was that she valued the sense of heart in Leila’s expression in her songwriting. GoldenPlec, too, noted how Leila Jane performs her songs with ‘’passion and attention to detail’’ when she played support for Chris Shiflett in the Grand Social, while Hot Press Magazine likened her to ‘’the sultry folk of Karen Dalton’’.

The main current influences and inspiration for Leila Jane include artists such as Big Thief, Sharon Van Etten, Aldous Harding, Mac Demarco, Angel Olsen, Frazey Ford, Jessica Lea Mayfield and Timber Timbre. Leila enjoys how these artists have evolved the songwriting of the past but have kept certain production characteristics that provide a sense of reminiscence and warmth, nodding to those definitive stylistic traits of a more primitive country/folk as well as of artists such as Roy Orbison, The Beatles, Otis Redding and James Brown. This aspect, mixed in with more contemporary sounds and lyrical ideas gives birth to something with a brilliant, unwavering depth and resonance for the listener. This, too, is what Leila aims to channel in her own music. Her voice somehow encapsulates all of her influences and comes out as a beautifully expressive instrument with an array of its own unique nuances and tones, never straying from pure and authentic expression.

Leila Jane’s most recent recordings were released during her final year of college in 2019. ‘Look So Sweet’ gained from radio play on Cathal Murray’s ‘Late Date’ show on RTE Radio 1 and was added to Glastonbury’s Spotify playlist of 2019 performers. ‘Little Lady Blues’ which received radio play on both Dublin City FM and 98FM was hailed in a review by Remy Connolly of REMI: The most rewarding aspects of her single however reside in its raw power and the unfiltered self-awareness of the song-writing. It provides much relief for me that this musical tradition which I love so much is in such capable hands.

Links

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1UPr2VtUSKTNDVO8EuvCwQ

Bandcamp: https://leilajane1.bandcamp.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leilajanemusic/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeilaJaneMusic

YouTube: (From ‘This Ain’t No Disco’- song starts 1:32): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfZUNI5hiho

This project has been part-funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sport and Media from the Live Performance Support Scheme.

Social Connections is a series of 16 recorded live performances by a wonderful multi genre collection of Irish based artists. The Grand Social is delighted to open it’s doors with this fresh mixture of showcases by some of Ireland's most iconic artists and a chance to explore the new breed of songwriters who are taking the scene by storm. The Grand Social has teamed up with collectives, booking agents, other venues and a multiple of friends to create Social Connections.

The Grand Social is also delighted to be a part of the Live Music Venue Collective which has created numerous days of work for the live entertainment industry during the pandemic by working together across the country. Find out more here.https://www.livevenuecollective.ie/who-we-are

Please join us this December for any or even all of these amazing performances that will embrace you in the magic of music. Invite your friends and families from anywhere to the Grand Social. All tickets are free of charge and a live link will be mailed to you once you have registered. www.thegrandsocial.ie

Line up and date is here.

Dec 15th N.C. Lawlor 9pm

Dec 16th Jem Mitchel 9pm

Dec 17th Oliver Cole + Friends

Dec 18th Aoife Nessa Frances 9pm

Dec 19th Leila Jane 9pm

Dec 20th A.Smyth 9pm

Dec 21st The X Collective w/ Toshin, Shiv, Shy Mascot 9pm

Dec 22nd The Young Folk ( Elgin) 9pm

Dec 23rd Mongoose 9pm

Dec 24th Lemoncello 9pm

Dec 25th Liam Ó Maonlaí 9pm

Dec 26th MUNDY 9pm

Dec 27th SACK 9pm

Dec 28th SON 9pm

Dec 29th The Zen Arcade (former members from the Strypes) 9pm

Dec 30th Ryan O'Shaughnessy 9pm

Each performance will be accompanied by the work of Douglas O’Connor, a Dublin based photojournalist, who has spent a life time walking the streets of Dublin, camera in hand. Since the lockdowns began in 2020 he has continued to document the city in all of it’s nakedness, shy of people.  Walk the quiet streets of Dublin through the eyes of Douglas O’Connor.

This series of images is taken from his book “Eat Yer Rent, Dublin Lockdown 2020” and can be seen at:https://www.blurb.com/b/10071236-lockdown-dublin-2020