An interview with indie pop musician Leetham
Meet Leetham, the ex-mormon indie pop musician making waves with their latest releases of catchy songs and social media content!
Leetham is a LGBTQ+ progressive alt/pop artist based in Salt Lake City. Leetham’s music celebrates the queer community and looks to make sure everyone is included in the community. Featured in Twisted Male Magazine, City Weekly, Race Chaser’s Podcast, and Ones To Watch’s official Spotify playlist, Leetham is taking the scene by storm.
Leetham has played major festivals in Utah and Arizona including Utah Pride Festival (2022), Utah Beer Festival (2022), and Mesa Music Festival (2024). They have also played shows alongside the likes of Cera Gibson, The WLDLFE, Gregory Dillon, The Unlikely Candidates, CupcakKe and Blindlove. Ready to conquer their dreams, Leetham brings a stadium sized performance to every show.
Leetham has been featured on X96 (Utah’s top radio station for alternative music) and Josh’s Big Gay Radio Show (based in Florida). They have also been featured on Out Loud Radio and other independent stations across the United States.
They recently released their latest EP titled “A Night in Hollywood” that blends emotional lyricism, energetic yet velvety vocals, and a combination of indie instrumental elements. The entire EP has insanely smooth transitions between tracks too, making it essential to listen to from start to finish to get the full experience.
The first song “Hollywood” feels like such a perfect song to listen to with the windows down on a sunny day. A chill and catchy chorus with lighthearted percussive elements carry the song all the time to the bridge where the featured artist Jaxon Keller brings an electric and bombastic energy to the track. This killer combo sonically is how I imagine Hollywood feels until the chaos hits in all the best and worst ways.
The second track titled “Lost My Head” starts off with a slow build and a soft vocal approach, building up to the dreamy pre-chorus, then immediately breaking into the electrifying chorus. The lyrics here on this song are quite relatable and down to earth too. I couldn’t help but find myself wanting to sing along by the end of my first listen.
The third song titled “Hot Box” feels like such perfect middle ground for this journey in A Night in Hollywood. I think I want to hot box a car while disassociating to this one to be honest, it just really captures the essence of emotions to that feeling lyrically and sonically. You can feel the longing in Leetham’s voice, especially when you get towards the end of the track.
The fourth and final song of the EP titled “Insomniacs Lullaby” feels like such a perfect closer to this project. Touches of synth mixed with catchy vocal melodies lead to a short build up to a memorable chorus, and then we’re in the unforgettable second verse that gets stuck in my head. I love hearing this verse, and not just because of hearing it on Leetham’s social media videos. All in all, this EP is a banger from start to finish.
I had the chance to interview Leetham about their history, making music, the EP, and more, check it out below!
Bryce Quartz: Hey there, Leetham! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today even though you have a cold. I hope you’re drinking tea and taking medicine to mitigate it, but otherwise how are you doing lately?
Leetham: I’m doing great now! Thanks for asking! Being sick is such a bummer, but I have you to thank for lifting my spirits.
Let’s dive right into the juicy stuff. How long have you been making music and what got you into it?
I’ve been making music since I was ten years old. I took piano lessons, sang in church, and performed in musicals throughout my childhood. My parents tried to put me in sports but it never really clicked with me. So music it was haha. Professionally, I have been working in music since 2016. I’ve played in multiple bands, and have produced and written for a few artists in my local scene. As for this solo project, I started it in 2020 and released my first single in 2021. It’s been a wild ride and I’m stoked to see where it continues to take me!
For those that have never heard your music, how would you describe it for first time listeners?
Oh boy. Pop? Maybe? My music has kind of been all over the place. To be honest, I feel like it took me until this last record I put out in October to find my sound. A few fans who’ve been following me since I started this project call my work electro clash. But for new listeners, let’s just say I make a variation of indie pop music.
You make indie pop music with lots of indie rock elements, and your vocals range from silky smooth to electrifying. Are there any musicians that inspire your sound?
Yeah! I’m a very eclectic listener. So when I hear something I love, whether it’s by a mainstream artist or indie artist, I like to write with their song in mind. For example, I was obsessed with Twenty One Pilots for a minute. So when I wrote my song Cigarettes, I had their sound and style in mind. I love that aspect about music. It’s just constantly inspiring people. One song inspires another and so on.
As a musician myself, this is one of my favorite questions. What does your songwriting process look like lyrically and sonically?
Typically when I write, I have to be wet. Like in the shower or in a pool or hot tub. That’s where my best ideas come to me. Then I’ll take the melody or hook I came up with and type it/hum it in my phone. From there I usually draft up a demo on GarageBand. Sometimes I’m able to produce a whole song on GarageBand. If I want to expand on the song, I’ll take it to one of my producer friends and we flesh it out together.
I want to dive a bit more into your history if that’s okay with you. You were raised Mormon and are no longer a part of the church, I am curious to know more about this. What was it like growing up Mormon and how did you get to the point of leaving the church?
I grew up Mormon and closeted. My dad was a part of our local bishopric when I was a kid. That means in our neighborhood, he was a big deal. Church was a big deal. It’s how I made friends. It’s how I learned to sing and play piano. Eventually I figured out I was gay. Probably around thirteen years old. I knew I was different. And I knew that the way I felt about myself would be perceived as a negative. So I hid. I fully embraced the church and buried myself deep down. This didn’t help my mental health at all. Everything kind of snowballed and I tried to unalive myself when I was fifteen.
Thankfully it was unsuccessful. But even after that, I still wasn’t ready to come out. It took me until a week before my 17th birthday to come out to my family. They were receptive and super sensitive about it and I am so grateful that they continue to love and support me. Word got out though. And eventually the bishop of our church (local church leader) took me out for ice cream, and he explained to me that if church was unsafe for me, then I should just leave. And that’s what I did. I left and now I’m as happy as I can be.
What has life been like for you since leaving?
It’s had its ups and downs but for the most part I’ve been happy! I’ve been lucky to pursue a career in music. I met the man of my dreams and we got married. Going on two and a half years as husbands now. My family has all since left the church as well! My parents are both huge allies to the local queer scene in Utah and have marched in the Pride parade a few times. I feel so lucky.
Okay, enough of the heavy stuff, let’s lighten the mood with one of my favorite questions. What are some of your go-to favorite meals? I’m hungry and need recs!
I am known by some as “burger boi”. Like if you want a good cheeseburger, I’m your guy! My current go to burger joint is Astro Burger in Salt Lake City. So shoutout to those guys. If you’re not into burgers, I gotchu. I’m really into tacos and Korean BBQ. The best tacos you’ll ever have are at a stand on the corner of state and 7200 s. The Korean BBQ, that’s on the opposite corner. Same intersection haha. People have this idea that Salt Lake City doesn’t have good food or culture. That’s silly to me! There’s a lot of culture and amazing food! You just have to do some work!
Okay, back to the music! You released your EP titled “A Night in Hollywood” back in October with four bangers on it. Can you tell us a little bit about this EP and what inspired it?
“A Night in Hollywood” is about seeing the grit behind the glitter. The grass is not greener on the other side. Every songwriter wants to move to LA. I certainly wanted to. But then when I took a visit I noticed all the bad that came with the good. It’s not this picture perfect paradise. It’s beautiful. But it’s broken and cruel at the same time. I wrote these songs from my own perspective on Hollywood. I sprinkled some childhood trauma here and there and topped it with heavy emotions and glistening synths and boom. The record came to life.
I know this is a tough question, but what track on the EP has the most meaning to you personally?
I think the song “Lost My Head” has the most meaning to me. There’s nothing to hide behind in that song. It’s me, a bass and some drums. The lyrics are raw and to the point. I hope anyone who ever finds themselves in a dark place can find that song. It validates those feelings of loneliness and overwhelming sadness. It’s really a sad song but goddamn it’s my favorite.
I’m a bit obsessed with your branding and your fashion, do you have any influences there and how would you personally describe your image?
Oh my god! Thank you! I have always loved clothes and fashion. My secret inspiration is actually Miss Padmé Amidala from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. She was always serving a look, no matter the occasion. And I want to live like that. I love expressing myself with my clothes. I love bright colors and gender bending classic masculine looks. Growing up, I wasn’t really allowed that expression because of the church. So now that I’m grown and out of the church, I have all these fun clothes that I love to style.
You’ve been doing live performances for a while now, how would you describe the Leetham show experience and do you have any live performances coming up we can catch you at?
I’ve been playing for years! I feel like I’ve really upped the energy of my shows as of late. I really want my fans to leave a show as sweaty as I am. I carefully curate my set lists to include bangers and I perform with a band that really helps transform the songs into a whole new listening experience. (Shoutout to Kyle and Mitchell). I don’t have any upcoming shows at the moment, but I am hoping to do a lil tour soon!
Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today! Do you have any words you’d like to leave the readers with?
Thank you for taking time to get to know me some more! I love making music. I love being gay. I love y’all so much!
Be sure to follow Leetham on social media to keep up with what he’s doing next, and stream his music on all platforms now!
