INTERVIEW: Leah Capelle — HEART EYES MAGAZINE

By Maria Kornacki

Photo by Mackenzie Breeden (IG @macksfilms)

Leah Capelle has crafted several soundscapes to document the chapters of her life. The LA-based singer-songwriter and guitarist digs deep on her debut LP Triptych, doing the inner work to reveal a body of work for others to meditate on.

The title of her latest LP lends itself to visual imagery uncovering self-confrontational elements to a story otherwise seen from the surface. We got a chance to explore the digital realms accompanying the album concept as well as how quarantine in the digital age allows us to connect and disconnect.

First off, your LP title reminded me of photography class where I first learned the definition of a triptych. What three images would you choose to describe the album’s tone?

This is such a cool question! When designing the album artwork / single artworks, I really wanted to create a world around the album that blended different art forms together into one. Each artwork is a 35mm film photograph taken by a friend of mine, with digital paintings on top. As inspiration for the design language for the artworks and the music, I used these three images a lot. The contrast between a volcano's temperament before and after it erupts – the constant push and pull of the ocean – the gentleness of flowers – all are embodied on the album.

Your song production is emotionally driven as each song seems to tell a story with instrumentals from all sorts of genres. I also hear influences from some of your older work. Do you usually already have a sound in mind the moment a concept for a song arrives or does the music take shape around the tone of the song?

For this record, I had a general idea of the sonic landscape I wanted to build around the songs. I knew I wanted to blend a few genres together, and that I wanted to push into the alternative and pop spaces more than I had done with my previous works. In a few cases, I had roughed out a few demos before getting into the studio, all of which were used as the basis for the final production. With my older catalogue, I had brought my songs to my band and arranged them in rehearsals – but this time, I arranged everything with my producer Jay Marcovitz while we were producing the songs. It was a really cool experience to allow the songs to blossom based on the emotional tone of each piece.

Self-awareness and self-acceptance are evident themes throughout triptych. What other major takeaways do you want fans to have after listening to these songs?

That it's okay to be in pain, to take a hard look at your mistakes, your flaws, and your weaknesses. Moments of discord push you to grow. I had to sit with my own pain for two years while making this record. Releasing the album was unbelievably cathartic, because I was finally able to let go of things I had been holding on to for so long. I want this album to be an anthem of acceptance for those who are struggling with their identity. I also want people to have fun listening to these songs. There are some pretty danceable moments! Grab a glass of wine and just let loose.

What’s one song you’re most proud of on the LP?

That is the MOST difficult question I have been asked... they're my babies, you know? I made them! But in terms of production, I'm super proud of "if only you" and "summer." My best friend and drummer on the album Daniel George laid down these crazy drum beats, and I fell in love with the eccentric / alternative vibe. Jay and I felt like we nailed those tracks in one or two sessions after that, and then became laser-focused during mixing because we knew these two had to be special.

Who are a few artists you’re currently inspired by?

I'm constantly consuming albums, so my inspirations change pretty frequently. Lately I've been loving the Lennon Stella album "Three. Two. One.," Caroline Polachek's record "Pang," Ethan Gruska's record "En Garde," Jack Garratt's "Love, Death, and Dancing" EPs, and anything that Justin Vernon/Bon Iver releases.

How have you been creatively inspired during quarantine? This can be music-related or any other source of creativity.

I've been waking up earlier than I normally would, drinking coffee in my garden, and either journaling, meditating, or reading poetry before I work remotely for my boss. Then in the afternoon, I try to learn a song by an artist that I either just discovered or have loved for a long time. I'm not one to usually spend a lot of energy learning covers, but playing music without the pressure to write my next album has been fulfilling in ways I didn't expect. I've also been reading a ton of books, about one per week. Most recently I finished "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut, and just started "So Sad Today" by Melissa Broder.

What else can we look forward to from you this year?

I was hoping to tour this summer, which unfortunately will not be happening until probably next year. I'm hoping to have an official record release show this fall, once it's safe for us to all gather again! I'll be doing lots of livestreams in the meantime, releasing a few pieces of video content, and will be launching a new merch collection soon! To follow along, head on over to leahcapelle.com to sign up for my email list, or follow me on social media @leahcapelle.

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