Blackpool singer songwriter and Freddie Mercury Scholarship winner Leoni Jane Kennedy crowdfunds RUSH acoustic tribute album

22 year old Leoni writes her own music – but now wants to put her own mark on classic songs that she’s loved since she was a child.

Leoni said: “My whole life I’ve been listening to this band, and learning from them. So it’s my way of showing the world this is how I got to be the artist I am. It isn’t a complete copy, I’ve reinvented their songs in my own acoustic style and it’s shedding a new light on it.”

Her music is often described as 'haunting' by her audiences. With intricate guitar riffs alongside powerful, soulful vocals, she is achieving a new rock sound with progressive influence in her rhythmic and melodic structures and lyrics that surpass her years.

Reinventing classic songs

Originally from Thornton, Leoni describes how she ‘instantly connected’ with ‘La Villa Strangiato’, a song by the prog-rock band when it came up as a YouTube suggestion when she was 11. And she has remained a loyal fan ever since.

She added: “As soon as I put a Rush song on it’s like I zone out and there’s nothing else that exists. The rest of the world is quiet. Being a musician living in London things are always a million things on my mind and I need that more than ever.”

“Rush fans are like a community"

The former pupil of Millfield Science and Performing Arts College even performs with a Rush tribute band, called Moving Pictures – along with her former teacher John Eoin De Paor.

“John really encouraged me, when other kids thought I was a bit crazy. Rush fans are like a community.”

Leoni’s career started at 13 and she got a big boost when Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor funded her university education in 2018.

In 2020, the band performed and recorded Rush song, ‘Time Stand Still’ for Songs for Neil, a tribute album to the late drummer and lyricist of Rush, Neil Peart.

Vinyl shows off stunning artwork

Leoni has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project. She needs to raise £5000 in order to be able to record the album, which has so far reached £3,800.

Fans can pledge money to receive the finished product when it’s released – packages range from a £15 CD to a £200 personalised song package.

And while Leoni says CDs are her preferred format, she hopes more people will opt for the vinyl, adding: “I love the whole package, where I can write all about my background in the insert and it shows off the stunning artwork which is a hand-painted portrait by the talented Lorna Bannister.”

The funds will cover the production of the album and merchendise, as well as production costs. These funds will be put into the purchasing of pre-sold items whilst leaving room to profit for the hard work that went into the making of it for Leoni and the team involved.

She expects the vinyl will be ready to ship around December 2023, if she reaches her target.

To help with the Kickstarter campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leonijanekennedy/new-world-woman.