We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Leeza Miller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Leeza below.

Leeza, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

The beginning of my career was unexpected. When I was very young I already knew what I loved to do, sing! My Mom and her sister ( Kay and Helen Lewis, “The Lewis Sisters” ) were musicians, songwriters and vocalists with a blossoming career in Jazz and Pop music. They had already established themselves in the industry as performers and songwriters by the time I was born. At two years old they would bring me to rehearsals and everyday writing sessions. I grew up seeing and hearing music being created from the start. Songwriting, rehearsals, recording sessions and business promotion were on the daily schedule at Helen’s house. Kay and Helen were prolific, talented and driven. I would get picked up from elementary school and go with them to continue their musical day. By the time I was seven I knew every melody and lyric to every song they wrote. There was always hard work and such goal setting satisfaction that it was exciting to watch it all happen. I felt a part of the magic.
One day, after coming home from school, I walked into our living room and found a demo session set up for a song submission that needed to be sent the next day. The singer didn’t show up and time was running out. I turned to my Mom and Helen and said I know the song, I can try to sing it for you. That was the moment my career began and I never looked back. From that demo ,Berry Gordy Jr. signed me to Motown Records. I recorded my first records with Hal Davis in Los Angeles ( I was eight years old), then Berry Gordy Jr., Smokey Robinson and Holland, Dozier and Holland in Detroit at Hitsville USA. I was eight, turning nine the first summer I recorded my initial singles. From there the road was clear, it was my passion. I was a recording vocalist with a long career ahead of me.

Leeza, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Leeza Miller, I have been a professional vocalist, songwriter, voice over artist and actress all my life. I grew up in Los Angeles California in the height of contemporary Pop, Soul and Rock music’s foundation. My musical experiences began when I was eight years old. I was signed as an artist to Motown Records and spent my first summer in Detroit at Hitsville USA. I was on a concert/radio tour the summer I turned nine. We toured the East Coast for two months and recorded at every opportunity in between. I had initially been produced by Hal Davis at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles for the demo that got me signed, in Detroit Berry Gordy Jr. and Smokey Robinson wrote and produced several singles that would be released before our tour. At Hitsville I was introduced to all the artists who would influence the music industry in ways I could not imagine. I spent most days in the basement writing rooms with Holland, Dozier and Holland, Berry Gordy Jr. and Smokey Robinson along with countless other writers learning new songs and then going up to the studio, commonly known as “The Pit”, to record. Generally Berry would produce my vocals and guide me through the recordings. I learned more in that one summer about being a recording artist and the discipline it took to maintain than I can describe. That experience put me in a league above anything I had done before. The music world was not ready for an eight year old to break into the Pop/Soul market so after many single releases and a multitude of shows, radio interviews and television appearances I left Motown to try another avenue. I signed to a company called Canterbury Records and recorded my first solo album titled “Within Myself”. Almost completely penned by ( my Mom and Aunt ) Kay and Helen Lewis and produced and arranged by top producers from various big labels , I thought this was my break. The album was considered Psychedelic Pop and was released for a very short time. The company folded and the album was shelved. I continued in Pop music and moved into a rock genre in my teens. I had several bands and recorded and showcased constantly. When I was seventeen I auditioned for Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 and began a new direction in Brazilian Jazz. During the time I was a vocalist for Sergio I learned a completely new style of singing and sang in Portuguese. I traveled the world and recorded records each year. The most well known record I ever did was during this time, it was called “Never Gonna Let You Go”. I had recorded some of the best vocals I had ever done. Phil Ramone and Michael Sembello co produced the album with Sergio at the Bossa Nova Hotel, Michael’s studio. Michael guided and taught me vocal style that brought me back to my Motown days. I was on fire! Returning to L.A. from a tour the record had reached number two in the Billboard charts. Once again I thought this would be the record that established me as a solo artist, Things did not end well. I was silently released from my contract and experienced personal and professional threats under the radar. It took a few years of assembling working bands, recording and finally writing some of my own material. I have had several writing partners through the years and am so grateful for the musical expansion. The up’s and downs and new directions I was taking only served to make me more able in the industry and as an artist. I am an active writer ( songs and scripts ), vocalist, music educator and am diving into music publishing and placement. My experiences have been so long lived that I know being an artist is all encompassing and having a team to manage and promote is necessary but not the only way to gain success in the music business. Publishing is the most important aspect to make money as a writer, artist. I continue to evolve in the branding world and am writing the story of my journey.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

On many occasions pursing an artists life was like tunnel vision. The commitment to each project could easily become isolation. It took a few suggestions from well known producers who had interest in working with me to open my eyes and understand my unique value as an artist. I remember one example very clearly, a producer told me to go back to the drawing boarding develop an all girl band in a Pop/Rock direction. I spent a year writing, collecting material, auditioning, compiling a project with an all female band. It was a great lesson in how to switch gears and ultimately a very valuable lesson. By the time material was recorded and I was ready to present the project to the same producer, he told me it was nice but girl groups were everywhere and it wasn’t what he was focusing on. A years time dedicated to someone else’s idea of how I should present myself. Proof that authenticity and our natural, organic way of creating is all we need to accomplish what an audience will gravitate toward. Once we try to be someone or something else and force what we “think” a listener wants, spontaneity and originality are lost. As a singer, songwriter or any type of creative artist you must stay true to your inspirations otherwise it will be detected by the listener. As a songwriter it’s a different animal, you are hired to write specifically for a project and have distinct parameters to follow. Even then I believe our natural style must dominate how we create and also be distinctive. This is an amazing talent only some songwriter, arrangers are great at. We all know to be a professional anything the practice, failures and discoveries are our gateway to success. Every step of the way is valuable but must help us recognize a clear path to what our end goal may be. Stay relevant, connect with people in the business that you admire and learn the laws of publishing to protect your songs, script or another property. Develop the real you with the influences that have been imprinted internally, this will combine all your ideas into something brand new that never existed before. There is a place for every kind of music, story and artist.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The music industry and all aspects of entertainment companies has changed technologically in every way. The equipment, programs and ways of doing business are so electronically and sonically improved that keeping up with the new standards is imperative. From my earliest experiences as a recording artist I have always had a team I worked with to complete projects. I was in studios all my life and observed producers, engineers, writers and musicians who all had to learn the newest technological advancements to stay relevant and in business. I learned so much and knew so little at the same time. Watching an engineer and producer work a mix was my favorite part of production. I could see the wavelength patterns, all the track levels and see how they ran a sound board but I was not an engineer myself. I only knew the basics as I usually came in strictly for vocals and mixing. I wish I had learned earlier how to engineer enough to record on my own ideas and be more independent as a writer and have the knowledge I needed to record professionally on my own. I was exposed to a collaborative music world of teams dependent on connections and being hired from sessions and live performance. I grew up in a collaborative music world teams dependent on connections, time and place.The world was more about being in person and connecting with other professionals at sessions to be recommended for other work, however technology has opened possibilities to all artists. We save time and can share files to collaborate with anyone, anywhere in the world, you don’t have to be ultimately established as an artist to release music. It’s a dream come true for exposure and gives chances to the most dedicated and talented new artists.Having up to date technological understanding in any part of the industry is absolutely necessary to produce at a professional standard. Knowledge is the engine that helps us stay elastic, credible and inspired in a contemporary world of production. I wish I would have taken courses to help me be more independent as a writer and have the knowledge and skills to record on a professional level at home. I now ask questions about every aspect of recording and continue to learn from new technology from the amazing writers, producers and musicians I work with. Be inquisitive, curious and passionate to keep the quality and feeling of what you are creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.leezamiller.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamiller56/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leezamiller77
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeza-miller-86396b87/
• Other: LeezaMiller.com

Image Credits
I have ownership of all these photos.