Ceci Leon Releases First Original Song: "Make It Easy"
We are so excited to announce the release of "Make It Easy" by Ceci Leon! Her first original song is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and BandCamp. The music video is live on YouTube and can be viewed by clicking on the thumbnail above.
How long have you been involved in music?
I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember. I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 years old, and fell in love with playing guitar and singing when I was 12.
Could you list some of your biggest musical inspirations? Who have you been listening to recently and who would you say inspired some elements of "Make It Easy"?
Some of my biggest inspirations are people like Willow, Hozier, and Hiatus Kaiyote, but the inspiration for the overall vibe of “Make It Easy” I feel stemmed more from artists like Lake Street Dive and Allen Stone. I’ve been listening to a lot of Jacob Collier recently so that definitely influenced the song vocally.
What are the major differences that you notice between performing covers/arrangement and performing your original music?
I honestly don’t feel much of a difference between playing covers and originals, since I like to have fun with whatever I’m playing and deviate a bit from the original song, but I do get far more nervous performing original music because it’s my own music. It’s something very personal to you, and it’s going out in the world for other people to hear.
How do you feel the Wynwood School of Music has helped you in this process?
WSM has been incredibly helpful with the process of recording, mixing, and mastering the song, as well as almost everything else in the process of releasing it. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to get this song professionally recorded in a studio, when on my own, I’d have no idea how to navigate the process of recording, much less releasing the song. I’m so grateful for this entire experience.
Now that "Make It Easy" is out, what's next? When can we expect more music?
I think releasing this song has definitely given me more of a drive to write, and I’m so excited to release more. I’ve got so many ideas that I’m working on now and I can’t wait to develop them. Nothing else is going to be released anytime soon, but definitely sooner than later!
Get To Know The Members!
Brianna Acevedo: Prior to joining the Lotus Jazz Quartet, I had been in multiple bands such as Four Now that would play shows around different locations throughout Miami. Having preformed at venues such as The North Beach Bandshell and The Fillmore, I’ve been able to learn more about multiple aspects of the music industry. Recently, I’ve been working hard with the rest of the Lotus Jazz Quartet on arranging, writing, recording, and releasing music original music.
Ceci Leon: I have been playing music my whole life, and have been playing guitar and singing since I was 12 years old. Since then I’ve played at several venues all around Miami, with several bands including the Miami Beach Rock Ensemble and the Lotus Jazz Quartet, as well as playing on my own. I’m currently focusing my energy towards songwriting and recording.
Cristian Acevedo: Outside of the Lotus Jazz Quartet I am a gigging drummer, college student, studio musician, touring drummer, and educator. I play in a variety of bands. I perform many different styles of music from rock to jazz. My dream is to tour and express myself musically in hopes of captivating audiences around the globe.
Sydney Greenwald: I'm in the bands Arrowhead, Miami Beach Rock Ensemble, and the Lotus Jazz Quartet. I have been playing with Arrowhead for about six years. I have been playing guitar for around 9 years. I’ve played at places such as Wynwood Yard, The Bandshell, and on Lakeview for Halloween shows. I have recently been working on a little bit of writing and music production along side to playing classical guitar and bass.