MUMBAI: Singer-composer Leslee Lewis who is popularly known as ‘Lezz’ in the industry has now moved to international markets with the song “Entourage” with rapper Omar Gooding under Kyyba Films.
To know more about the release, Radioandmusic got in touch with Leslee Lewis, “My move into Hollywood actually let a lot of people see me as a singer along with being a composer/producer”.
Check the interview below:
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‘Entourage’ marks your debut in Hollywood, tell us how the shift has been from Bollywood to Hollywood?
Any talented person in the entertainment industry whether one is in music or something else, they would want to go to Hollywood as it is the biggest stage in the film zone. I feel I am lucky in the way that I was invited to collaborate with The ATG, Omar Gooding and Kyyba Films. My move into Hollywood actually let a lot of people see me as a singer along with being a composer/producer. With producer ATG and rapper Omar Gooding and me being the vocalist is giving me a new space for people to see what I do besides what people already know about me. In ‘Colonial Cousins’ also I am a singer but there are two people there, it’s a shared platform. Here, I am a solo singer and that too in Hollywood so I think it’s a fabulous move and I am super excited.
What helped you decide ‘Entourage’ would be your debut vehicle into Hollywood?
Well, I didn’t decide that ‘Entourage’ will be my debut vehicle into Hollywood. I was approached for the song, they invited me and asked me if I would sing the song. I really liked the concept and I gave it a thumbs up. Also, when I heard Omar Gooding’s rap and The ATG’s production was going to be there I felt it’s going to be amazing, and it sounds great you all can hear it. The production is really superb so I got great production, great collaborators and I am singing with Kyyba Films. What better place would you want to be in?
Tell us about your experience of working with Omar Gooding and The ATG on Entourage.
The ATG is such a cool guy, he is so chilled. He never pushes you beyond a point, he lets you breathe and gives you freedom and I feel that’s a lovely part. I can see that Omar is also naturally talented because he is performing the rap so effortlessly. Omar’s story telling in the song is so simple and fluid at the same time. The ATG’s production is so catchy, he has hit the spot perfectly. I found the entire team including director Ricky Burchell and producer Tel K Ganesan also very open, they let me be myself. I never felt them pushing me according to what they wanted. So, the collaboration was really beautiful and everybody is shining in their own spot. That’s why you are hearing this song being so great.
Last year we all witnessed a recreation of The Eagles song by the Colonial Cousins duo in a virtual interview which received amazing response from the fans, so could this be a hint for all the fans that the Colonial Cousins are working on your next masterpiece of music and it is going to launch soon?
I and Hariharan don’t know about the masterpiece, we never created one, it’s all God created. We were not trying to create any; we were just doing what we love. We are open to it, I definitely know that at some point we both will bring out a single. Everything has changed so much, the music has moved to a completely different dimension. People directly stream and directly upload it to various platforms. So, we are not sure what we want to do but I know Hariharan and I are very open. I think with the right environment and when the things are supposed to happen it will happen, like ‘Entourage’ happened. I didn’t plan to do it. We are still performing live like The Eagle’s concert and still going strong.
You are known as the music maven of India and have received so much love and awards for both your composition as well as your singing music, but tell us what do you enjoy the most?
It’s a tough question because I love music overall. I have been awarded a doctorate in music; I was awarded so obviously I was doing something right. For me ‘Entourage’ is my 5th avatar being an artist as a singer. My 1st avatar was when I was 17 years old and I wanted to be a guitar player in a studio. In my 2nd avatar I wanted to do jingle but everyone said no to me but since I was a guitarist people did call me to play for jingles but not to compose one. So I had to struggle my way to getting my first jingles like Mango fruity fresh and juicy, Doodh doodh doodh piyo glass full to prime time commercials in this country. I have done jingles for practically every brand in this country. Later in my 3rd avatar I didn’t want to compose for 10 to 15 seconds now. I wanted to do a full song but again was rejected for the same. But then I got a chance to compose my first song Pari Hoon Main, and everyone praised me for it. And in the 4th one I decided to form Colonial Cousins, when the album launched in 1994 it was shelved till 1996 because nobody knew what kind of music it was. So in each stage starting from nothing I have reached the highest stage. I was the only Indian to perform in the MTV London original show. Now in my 5th stage I am a singer/performer, a side which no one has seen and that too in Hollywood films. Probably I am the first Indian singer to sing in a Hollywood film in English. As a performer I have been performing all over the world from Beijing, Istanbul, New York, and Munich etc. So, my 5th avatar has started and I am really excited more than anybody else. Currently I am in the bottom line of my 5th avatar and you have to watch me for the next few years. I am Happy ‘Entourage’ has happened to me as a singer. So, the singer performer has already started journey. I just turned 61 this year but since it’s 2021 I consider myself 21 years old. Entourage has given me a label of singer/performer and Hollywood has accepted that so I am very happy and excited for the new journey. I am so thankful to the entire team as well; we have all been there for each other and supported each other and that’s why the final product became fabulous.
