Leila Neverland. Photo by Ana Luyben.
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"When the world flips upsidedown, right side up seems empty when you look at the ground." -Leila Neverland, Transcending Orbit, 2012
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"Over the striking piano lines. . . singer and composer Leila Neverland weaves narrative lyrics within powerful vocals to pull audiences in and keep them engaged throughout."
-Nathan Kunz, Revelstoke Review, 2018 |
Leila Neverland w/Taylor van Zyl. Photo credit: Selfie on a tripod, 2019.
"We couldn't believe there were just two of you."
-Koksilah Festival, 2019 |
The wind pick up at Canada Day's TD Mainstage in Kelowna's downtown core in 2018. Photo by Mirima Cuhna.
Who Is she?
Introducing artist, mother, and West Coast singer-songwriter Leila Neverland (b. Leila Naderi, Feb 1st, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland).
Her late father was a Persian immigrant Architect, and her mother's Jewish ancestors immigrated to America during the Russian Revolution in the early 1900s. She is a Landscape Architect and Professor.
Leila grew up in the Florida Keys until she was 6 years old, then the City of Toronto until she was 15, and finally Texas during high school.
She spent her childhood in choirs, theatre, and dance, and began songwriting at age 13 and dropped formal piano lessons.
Betwixt having children and homeschooling them:
In her live performances, Leila Neverland wails away while rockin’ the keys, the uke, and a vocal looper, and her stories and energy are captivating, hilarious, and heartfelt.
She continues to write and record music and is gearing up to lay down her first full-length professional solo album this winter. Her timely lyrics offer messages filled with laughter, tears, contemplation, order, and chaos. Her compositions are complex, her truths are simple, and her humongous voice is just that: HUGE.
Catch her touring the West solo, or with her new musical partner drummer and singer/songwriter Taylor van Zyl.
Her late father was a Persian immigrant Architect, and her mother's Jewish ancestors immigrated to America during the Russian Revolution in the early 1900s. She is a Landscape Architect and Professor.
Leila grew up in the Florida Keys until she was 6 years old, then the City of Toronto until she was 15, and finally Texas during high school.
She spent her childhood in choirs, theatre, and dance, and began songwriting at age 13 and dropped formal piano lessons.
Betwixt having children and homeschooling them:
- She released an original concept album as the live score to a theatre production called Transcending Orbit;
- She won 3rd Place at the PNE Star Showdown competition in Vancouver;
- She released a five track demo on Bandcamp, recorded by an employee of Bryan Adams' Vancouver studio;
- She initiated Kelowna's Pianos in the Parks' program;
- And she released her first commercial EP on Spotify
In her live performances, Leila Neverland wails away while rockin’ the keys, the uke, and a vocal looper, and her stories and energy are captivating, hilarious, and heartfelt.
She continues to write and record music and is gearing up to lay down her first full-length professional solo album this winter. Her timely lyrics offer messages filled with laughter, tears, contemplation, order, and chaos. Her compositions are complex, her truths are simple, and her humongous voice is just that: HUGE.
Catch her touring the West solo, or with her new musical partner drummer and singer/songwriter Taylor van Zyl.
Leila Neverland. Photo by Ana Luyben.
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"You took me right where I wanted to be." -Joseph Sanchez, Indigenous Group of Seven, Santa Fe, 2018
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“I’ve seen a lot of live shows come through here, and you were the best I’ve seen in a long time.”
–Hazel Bennett with The Dream Cafe, Feb 2019 “Potentially the most soulful performance ever.” --Aaron DaSilva, Fireside Festival, 2019 |