by kaleigh gieraltowski
photo by preemo
On her journey from country roots to pop star, performer Leah Marie Mason is changing directions and taking charge. With her newest single “YOUR BOYFRIEND SUCKS” that dropped ahead of Valentine’s Day, she encapsulates a relatable tale of someone close to her being stuck in a toxic relationship. The sprightly beat and her personable lyrics give an insightful ear to the inner workings of what her new album has to offer. After spending time in Sweden laying down her emotions and navigating her new sound, Mason is set to release the new record later this year. We can expect a thrilling pop-centric sound and raw storytelling from the heart and soul of Leah herself. With all these exciting projects on the way, we asked her to tell us a little bit more about how these ideas came to life.
Congratulations on your new single “YOUR BOYFRIEND SUCKS!” I love that you released it on Galentine's Day, can you tell us more about this single?
Leah: “Thank you so much! This song is definitely for the girls and their friends that are tired of hearing about boys that are truly a waste of time! When I wrote this, I was at my wits end with one of my friends that kept going back to someone that treated her like trash and was just so manipulative with his words. Sometimes you have to give your bestie some tough love, and that’s exactly what this song is!”
Coming from a country based genre and evolving into a pop-centric sound is an extensive change in direction. Can you tell us more about that transition?
Leah: “I’ve always loved pop music! The first song I put out was country-leaning and after it went somewhat viral and accumulated 16 million views, I definitely felt a sort of obligation to pursue that. So I did for a while, but I wasn’t feeling truly fulfilled. Randomly, I met a Swedish producer at a Warner Chappell pop writing camp and it was like my entire world shifted. We started making music that I didn’t even know was possible for me to make. I was so excited about what we had accomplished in just a few days that I actually flew to Sweden a month later and wrote an entire album! I feel extremely creatively fulfilled by my new music and I can’t wait for everyone to hear this side of me as an artist!”
Having creative freedom in your musical genre is an important skill to possess. Besides country and pop, what other sounds can you see yourself gravitating towards?
Leah: “Even though I might not be the most skilled at making this kind of music, I really respect and take a lot of creative influences from R&B. SZA, Janelle Monáe, and Tyla are all artists I listen to daily and they definitely inspire me to push the boundaries of my own music.”
Being a songwriter has given you the ability to create beautiful narratives in your songs. What’s it like being so vulnerable with your lyrics when creating music for yourself?
Leah: “Honestly, it’s all I know! I have a really hard time writing about things I haven’t personally experienced or gone through, but when it’s my own story it just kind of flows out of me in a way that’s hard to describe. It’s really special to be able to write lyrics and songs that illustrate my feelings in a way that I haven’t really heard before because it is so personal to me. But, I also feel like that raw emotion is what makes something so relatable too. Whether that emotion is anger, joy, resentment, happiness, etc., it just has to be genuine.”
You wrote your upcoming album in Sweden. What was it like creating new music in such a new environment from where you live in Nashville?
Leah: “ “It was honestly the change of scenery that I needed! I think anyone who is a creative knows how important it can be to switch things up and get re-inspired in a new environment. It was really motivating to be around other creatives that I looked up to myself. Seeing Dua Lipa and Ariana Grande plaques on the wall was absolutely insane to me, and the gratitude I felt to be working with such talented people was truly indescribable.”
What have you been listening to lately? Does your personal music taste influence your own projects often?
Leah: “I’ve been listening to a little bit of everything, I love a multitude of genres and I try to switch it up daily. That said, I’ve lately been listening to Olivia Rodrigo, Ryan Beatty, Dijon, SZA, Tyler, Ethel Cain, Phoebe Bridgers, Hozier, and Conan Gray, just to name a few! I think my personal taste definitely plays into the kind of music I make because I think every artist I listen to is inspiring me in some capacity, whether it’s vocally, lyrically, or stylistically.”
How was creating an album with a genre shift difficult? How did your country roots help influence this new era of sound for you?
Leah: “Honestly, creating the album was the easy part! I loved every second of it and it really is a cohesive body of work that I’m really proud of. I think the hardest part is making this actual genre shift and seeing what the outward public opinion is. It’s a big change, but I’m excited to see where it takes me because I do believe it’s the best music I’ve made! Coming from a country background, the focus on lyricism in that genre definitely played a part in my songwriting for this album. I learned so much about the importance of storytelling and emotion, and it’s still a major theme in my new music.”
If you could describe “YOUR BOYFRIEND SUCKS” in three words, which ones would you use?
Leah: “Rage, fun, honest.”
How are you looking forward to embracing your new songs when performing live?
Leah: “I am SO excited to perform these new songs live!!! I have so many ideas for stage design and what that would look like, so now I just need to find someone to bring me on tour! ;)”
Can you tell us anything else about your upcoming album? What should we expect?
Leah: “This album is a lot about navigating my emotions as a girl in her early twenties. Friendship breakups, exes, personal turmoil… it’s basically describing my midlife crisis, LOL. It’s just so real to me and I hope other people hear these songs and feel a little less crazy, because I know I would’ve loved to hear them when I was going through it.”