HEAZZA is the eponymous debut and dramatis-personae of Chicago-based singer / songwriter Heather Leonhardt. The six track EP is a daring and imaginative first release; encompassing the bold vision and sonic drama of a creative force to be reckoned with.
“Heazza's Debut EP Is Filled With Lush, Imaginative Portraits From the Heart” - Pop Matters
HEAZZA first made her name on the Chicago music scene after returning from living in Berlin (where she acquired the stylizing of her artist name). The time she spent there influenced her penchant for writing music that had the potential to be realized in the traditional songwriter vein amidst influences of electronic and cinematic music that is prevalent in Europe. The result is a sound uniquely her own.
While working on the album, produced by B Forrest and Noam Wallenberg at the acclaimed Rax Trax Recording studio, HEAZZA received the coveted 2018 Individual Artist Grant from Chicago DCASE. Together they assembled a team of local all-stars that included pianist Cole DeGenova, Josh Griffin on bass, drummer Reuben Garza, with B Forrest on synths & electronic production, and Wallenberg at the mixing helm. The result is such that HEAZZA has hardwired each composition with a heady mix of unvarnished indie-rock punch and otherworldly soundscapes, evoking an effect she calls “muted neon.” Leonhardt’s writing draws from real-life experiences and interweaves nakedly emotional lyrics with lush but evanescent melodies drawing listeners into vivid, dream-like reveries. One can hear a sense of a cathartic need for these stories to be shared, but amongst the beauty and sadness of the 6 tracks, there is a constant empowerment that her quest is being realized.