20 For 20 is a new feature where I look back at 20 of my favourite things that has happened in the music world in 2020.
I made a friend in 2020, yep, hard to believe I know, but it actually happened. A remarkable young person in Melbourne named Leo McCloskey. Now just to avoid confusion due to the links I’m going to be posting, Leo was given the name Stella at birth but very recently decided they want to be known as Leo from now on. The soundcloud links that I want to share with you are still listed as Stella McCloskey though.
I kind of ‘met’ Leo during a live Isol-Aid stream earlier this year not long after virtually everywhere in the world went in to lockdown for the first time. It was around the same time I had just started doing some live streams myself to raise money for the NHS and Leo messaged me to thank me for the kind comments I had made during their stream and also to ask if they could perform on one of Indie Midlands live streams. Naturally having really enjoyed their stream I was happy to have them but it would mean they would have to play at 6am Melbourne time. Something Leo had no problem with.
What they did have a problem with though was forgetting that Australia was in front of the UK to such a degree that when they got up to play at 6am on the day of their set it was still the day before in the UK. They were playing 24 hours early! Thankfully Leo could see the funny side of their mistake, and so could we thanks to their mom posting about it on Facebook. Never the less Leo got up again early the next day and played their 6am set and I think it’s fair to say everyone watching instantly fell in love with their music.
To be honest a lot of people would have found an excuse not to play again the next day after making the mistake, especially having to do it so early, but the fact Leo did shows their character and how, in my opinion, they are a good person.
Leo would play a second (third) live set for Indie Midlands during the Aussie section of our No Means Know Festival. Thankfully this time at a time slot more suited to Australia.
Leo has a podcast where they discuss issues involving young adults in today’s world. So give it a listen if you feel it’s something for you.
It was the music that first brought Leo to my attention though and their music is beautiful. Full of melancholia and sadness yet completely uplifting, it’s raw and tender and personal and instantly spellbinding.
Hopefully 2021 will see some new music from Leo, but in the meantime we get to share in these great songs.
One of my personal goals in 2021 if possible is to get Leo to play in Birmingham if they are able to make it over to the UK. It would be nice to sit down and have a beer and a chat with such a remarkable & strong young person and also to see them play live in person.
Here’s to new friends…
Morph