While singer-songwriter Kaleah Lee expands her discography, the charming transparency of a girl in her bedroom with an acoustic guitar translates fluently into her original music. Her latest single, “All At Once,” is proving such to be true.

Kaleah Lee has been gracing the internet with acoustic covers since early 2021, finding ways to make each song her own with unique arrangements. While she can’t quite pinpoint a moment when she knew music would become such a big point in her life, it grew into more than a pastime when she realized she was impacting other people. Lee started to receive comments and messages about the music she was posting.

“Time started blurring together in the best way possible. That sort of made me realize what I was doing could become bigger than I had initially thought.” – Kaleah Lee

While Lee first took to the internet to share cover music, she occasionally posted short clips of songs she had written, widely receiving positive responses on both forms of content. Covers and original songs came with individual worries for Lee. With covers, she often felt a large responsibility to capture someone else’s words and experiences properly, rather than solely her own. Yet, original songs left her wondering what capacity listeners would have for caring about what she had to say. To combat the fear, Lee prioritized her ability to choose music that resonated with her when approaching covers, and fortunately, her original music was welcomed by listeners just as fairly.

Spending time with covers and making arrangements gave her musical style more definition, and she values her ability to take pieces of her favorite artists and weave them together into something new. Considering the self-exploration that came along with performing covers, it is apparent that Lee’s background in cover music has translated through to the music she writes.

As the sole writer on all four of Lee’s releases, her songwriting process is very intimate, or as Lee calls it, introverted. “More often than not I’m in my bedroom alone with my guitar or piano just playing around and seeing where it goes,” says Lee, “It never really feels like it’s fully in my control— if that makes any sense.” Perhaps her free-form methods are the reason why her songwriting is full of sincerity– her lyrics and melodies find their way to her through moments of emotional inspiration rather than methodical planning.

Last Wednesday, Lee welcomed her latest single. “All At Once” represents more than one angle in Lee’s life as she finds herself in a different place now than she was in when she initially wrote it. She admires its ability to be relevant to her life experiences in more ways than just one. The song details a craving to feel something– anything. Lee leans on natural imagery in her lyricism, finding feelings within the ocean, the sunlight, and the wind. Her effortless, yet precise vocals magnify her lyrics: “Clouds start rolling over and I’m real again.” While emotional authenticity is nothing new for Lee, “All At Once” lives as her first single with piano accompaniment. The piano track pulls you in, just like the “current” she fearlessly writes about.

Alongside her music, Lee is always looking for ways to pour her creative energy into something new. When she isn’t sharing covers, her YouTube channel is filled with visual video diaries that offer even more understanding of who she is. In videos with titles like “making heart shaped bread” or “it’s never too cold for the beach,” Lee brightly shares parts of her life that feel authentic, tranquil, and grounding. Offline, she finds comfort in baking and experimenting with new recipes, sometimes sharing her creations on her Instagram, like bunny-shaped cookies, matcha almond cake, and a personal favorite of mine– a twisted loaf of bread paired with the caption “peeta mellark realness.” If there is one thing about Lee’s craft, it is that it is honest. Her work always serves as an outlet and it is apparent that each video diary, baked good, and photo shared shoots from her heart.

“Maybe it’s all connected somehow– each thing in itself serves as some kind of outlet for me, so they’re definitely connected in that way” – Kaleah Lee

Since releasing her own music, Lee has taken to music videos as a meditative and exciting art form, using her love for visual media as a way to complement her singles. With the help of her sister, Naomi Lee, she creates her music videos herself. Lee’s videos are shot through the nostalgic lens of an old camcorder, capturing herself among imagery reflective of her earthy, natural lyricism. The process of filming and editing is one that she cherishes, because not only does she get to execute each one to the perfect vision, but she also gets the joy of sharing it with her listeners. With a music video for “All At Once” on the way, Lee hints at how proud she is to share this one in particular.

Regardless of whether Lee is writing original songs, paying homage to her musical inspirations through cover songs, directing music videos, or expressing her craft in any multitude of ways, there is one certain factor that strings her artistry together– her heart. Never missing an opportunity to express her appreciation for fans, Lee’s honest love for what she does is apparent in her gratitude, her work ethic, and her natural incorporation of creativity into her daily life. Though her talent is undeniable, her genuine passion is her loudest and most charming instrument.

Find Kaleah Lee at:
Instagram - @kaleahlee
TikTok - @kaleahvl
Twitter - @kaleahvlee
Spotify - Kaleah Lee

Photography by Naomi Lee:
@urfriendnay on Instagram

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