Top Ten With Brandon & Leah

Welcome to Top Ten With…, a fun Q&A session where you’ll get to learn all about the music scene’s hottest artists! In a Top Ten first, today’s interview is with not one, but two musicians, dynamic duo Brandon & Leah. Friends since childhood, the pair are now set to release their debut acoustic pop album later in the year. Get to know Brandon & Leah through our exclusive interview!

Top Ten With Brandon & Leah

I’m inspired by:
LEAH: People. I really love people. I am moved and motivated by the challenges and triumphs each of us experience individually and collectively as a whole.
BRANDON: My dog, Gus. He doesn’t need a computer, TV, or a phone to be content. He just needs a friend to hang out with.

I realized I wanted to play music when:
LEAH: I bought my first Beatles record.
BRANDON: I was very young. I have been singing my whole life but it wasn’t until college that I started playing guitar and became obsessed with writing songs. I fell in love with the beauty of the craft and never looked back.

Four songs you might find on my iPod:
LEAH: The Beatles “Across the Universe,” Bill Withers “Grandma’s Hands,” Etta James “Trust in Me,” and Ray LaMontagne “Empty”
BRANDON: Jack Johnson “Traffic in The Sky,” K’naan “Strugglin,” Miike Snow “Animal – Mark Ronson Remix,” Jesca Hoop “Dreams in The Hollow”

One word I would use to describe myself:
LEAH: Appreciative.
BRANDON: Steady

The best part of being a musician is:
LEAH: Without a doubt, the best part of being a musician is when a fan expresses to us that our music helped them through a difficult period in their life.
BRANDON: Jamming on the couch with friends.

Right now, I’m most excited about:
LEAH: The veggie lasagna in the oven! It’s almost ready.
BRANDON: Playing our next show.

Something most people don’t know about me is:
LEAH: I really enjoy going to the movies solo. That, and I’m a teribol speler.
BRANDON: I am very picky about my socks. Nothing beats a great pair of socks.

One of my happiest moments was:
LEAH: Just now, hearing the timer go off and taking the veggie lasagna out of the oven! 🙂
BRANDON: Surviving a clean-up set (a huge set of waves that broke sooner than normal) while surfing. Being scared for my life really makes me appreciate being alive.

My music is:
LEAH: Ever-evolving and ever-changing, along with my own personal growth.
BRANDON: Simple, easy to understand, and impactful.

In ten years, I see myself:
LEAH: 10 years older?
BRANDON: Traveling, surfing, and playing music.

Check out the video above for Brandon & Leah’s first single, “Life Happens”. The video is currently in the running for mtvU’s “Best Freshman Video” – click here to vote for it through Friday afternoon, March 23rd. For more on the duo, visit BrandonAndLeah.com and keep up with them on Facebook and Twitter.