"Artist expresses emotions in music, not afraid to cry"

By Kristy Jenkins

With lyrics as soft as Jewel and a voice sharper than Tori Amos, Leah Andreone sings from an aching heart.

Like many artists, Andreone uses an emotional spectrum to express herself.

Anger, pain, hunger and passion are just a few of the feelings Andreone incorporates into her album, Veiled.

Twenty-three-year-old singer/songwriter Andreone is a native of San Diego.

She looks at the complexity of life as a blessing and wears many different masks in search of herself. Andreone writes of her own life experiences in various depressing states.

"When I was younger, I had an amazing ability to turn off my emotions and to ignore any disturbing situations around me," comments Andreone in a press release.

"But I wanted to be more honest with myself and with people around me. I think of that decision -- and the way it is reflected in the songs I'm writing --- as a sort of unveiling for me."

On the back of her album cover she writes: "I'm not afraid to feel... I'm not afraid to cry."

She is in touch with her soul and truthful about life. She is honest with her feelings and can relate to much of her audience.

Her lyrics are real life and often times not very pretty. One of her songs, "Problem Child," includes the very harsh lyrics about an abused child asking for forgiveness from his abuser.

Andreone plays the role of the child and displays intense emotion throughout the song. She continues to use this style of writing with many of the other songs on her album.

Andreone is still trying to find her niche in the alternative music world.

Her style copies that of many female singers in the industry. Her voice is more distinct and unique than her repetitive lyrics.

By changing her mellow voice and being more authentic in her work, she may go far.

As for now, her songs are only copies of those artists who have went before her.