Kiran Leonard
When the Guardian likened him to artists like Ed Harcourt, Rufus Wainwright or Frank Zappa, and Pitchfork did the same to Joanne Newsom, Kiran Leonard was only 17. Laura Snapes of Pitchfork called his song “Dear Lincoln” the undoubtedly most refreshing song she had heard in the whole year (Kiran wrote it when he was 14). Today he is 20, has recorded many other great songs, and will soon release his second album. He will come to show his great talent to the visitors of Pohoda.
03. March 2016
He recorded the 16 tracks of his debut album “Bowler Hat Soup” on 22 instruments (including a radiator). Three songs rotated on BBC 6, which led to Kiranʼs being invited to live performance in various shows on the BBC. Journalists overtake in superlatives when his name is spoken: they highlight his technical sophistication, depth, erudition, and imagination that every artist at the top of career would be proud of. Kiran, however, is just getting started; it is the youthful unboundness (sometimes even madness) in his expression that is the element of difference between “just good workmanship” and an artistic delicacy.
On BBC, Kiran invited people not to be cynical and apathetic, and not to be afraid to get down to the realisation of grand dreams. He himself set an example. On 12th February, he released a 16 minute song “Pink Fruit”, which will be central of his second album. The song shows that Kiran has a bounty of ideas and will be generous with them in every of his tracks. We can expect really a lot on his second album “Grapefruit”, to come out 25th March.
Photo: Sebastian Matthes