Who’s Leonardo?

There are many answers to this question. The easy one will be that I am a french-mexican musician and producer that looks for unity in life. I started music with Mexican folk songs, after I went into classical guitar then rock n roll, blues and metal. When I was 14 years old I was sent to India to do my high school in an international boarding school. There I discovered Sitar which I studied for the next 4 years. After India I started my professional life as a musician right away, I guess that having an exotic instrument helped. so I went from folk latin american music to jazz, to flamenco, to west African music, to new age, etc...

Now seans I have started the Leonardo Prakash project I look for that union between worlds and styles. And all of this previous explanation brings me to this new facet which is singing. I released my new singer-songwriter album last October and I am now exploring and sharing this new "thing".

How did you get into music and discovered your talent?

I’mpretty sure I started singing before I started talking Both of my parents are music lovers. I grew up with music everywhere. I had my first epiphany when I was 9 or 10 years old listening to Metallica haha. In a second I saw my life as a musician, meaning my whole life. So I knew how I would be seen at that age. I spotted my talent early. I could see that it was easy for me to understand music, especially because it was the only thing I was good at.  

Your new Album …. Tell us more about it, what inspired you?

Well yes, I have just released this new singer-songwriter album which is something I never did before. In the past, I have only done instrumental music but 2020 triggered something in me, a very deep call to share my world of music and emotions in a more intellectual way or in a much more clear and concrete way. Instrumental music talks straight to the emotions, but lyrics talk to the intellect and the mind (at first) This was a need to open parts of me that I was not even aware of, and maybe inspire some others to do it. 

This album was my first solo production and it was beautiful to discover hidden talents or unused talents that gave refreshed all of my motivation and inspiration in music. I am very proud of "Dry Leaves", my new album and I can't wait to get back in the studio to create more music.  

Do you only do medicine songs?

I think that this album has a little bit of all. Some medicine, some rock, some world music, some pop music. So no haha I don't, but In the singer-songwriter department I'm just getting started and I don't want to get stuck in a genre. I feel I'm going to explore some more.

What Makes Your Soul happy?

Uffff...many things for sure. But to say one or two I can tell that a good concert is one of the best, both, as a musician and as a listener. When the spaceship takes off and we are all together in the same space uffff that makes my soul fly. Also spending time with my daughter, especially on simple stuff like making breakfast, taking her to school and picking her up, going to her afternoon activities, going for a walk with her, and putting her to sleep. All of those day to day stuff makes my soul happy and good food of course.  

How does it feel to play in ceremonies with other artists?

Playing with other artists is a gift. It gets you out of your comfort zone in music and awakens creativity in a different way. It opens me to trust in the other musician and to open the space in silence so that we can create together.  

Tell us about your spiritual journey. Does it relate to your music and performance?

Yes, it does on a personal level for sure, my spiritual journey has been removing myself from what wants to happen with the energies in my life, and is almost exactly the same with music. Is actually so simple that it gets complex, you just have to let the music do her job, with you and with the audience, let her go through us. So all you need to do is trust, fully trust in yourself your musician colleagues, and the audience so that this can be. And many times being on a stage teaches me about my life.

What’s next for Leonardo?

Well, my intentions are to define my two projects a bit more, maybe giving them different names under the same artist. So that I can be free in both worlds. I will start releasing new singles that I sing by the end of the summer. And also I will be working on a new experience with my Sitar. A deeper musical journey that I will be hopefully sharing all over this beautiful glove.