inQUIZITIVE: Leah Cleaver

"I've held my friends and danced and cried on many dancefloors in pure joy" - There’s a beautiful contradiction at the heart of Leah Cleaver’s music.

The East London artist creates songs that feel equally at home in headphones and on the dancefloor, pairing bass-heavy production with deeply personal storytelling. Since stepping out as a solo artist, Leah has quickly established herself as one of the UK's most exciting emerging voices, blending influences as varied as Arctic Monkeys, Mary J. Blige, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bing Crosby into something entirely her own.

Following the release of her acclaimed debut EP ‘Pushing Up Flowers’, Leah kicked off her 2026 with ‘LIKE, YEH’ - a track built around attraction, frustration and the complicated people we struggle to let go of. It's another example of her self-described "jump-scare music"; unpredictable, playful and emotionally charged.

For the latest edition of inQUIZitive, CGuk caught up with Leah Cleaver to discuss toxic relationships, dancefloor catharsis, community, creative freedom and what comes next.

"LIKE, YEH" feels like a track built around tension and attraction. What was the emotional starting point for this song, and what did you want listeners to feel when they hear it?

The starting point was definitely the irritation I was feeling about a friendship that I was making a lot of excuses for, and I talked to my friends and they had similar stories about friends and lovers that they can’t shake for some reason or the other.

So really I just wanted everyone out there who’s doing a back and forth with a toxic or complicated person to just shut it all the way down! Rip off the plaster, and then go out and boogie with your besties… to my song.

You've described your sound as "jump-scare music" — unpredictable, playful and slightly chaotic in places. Where did that idea come from, and how does it reflect you as an artist?

I've always liked music that challenged me and some of my favourite artists blend so many genres, so I've tried to always do that. It's so fun.

Two of my favourite things are stinky bass beats blended with soft, close-to-your-ear vocals. I think it causes a feeling of tension and release that I'm super drawn to as a person in general.

There's a real balance in your music between intimacy and club energy. How do you approach blending emotional vulnerability with something designed for the dancefloor?

I think because I know club music was originally pioneered by black and brown trans women and the queer community as a whole, I always want to honour it when making dance music.

This music originated out of solidarity and release during a time of deep oppression and these dancefloors and ballrooms were safe houses, so I think emotive lyrics and stories of empowerment and struggle booming alongside a four-to-the-floor beat makes absolute sense to me.

I've held my friends and danced and cried on many dancefloors in pure joy and a feeling of, "Oh, you see me, you get me - how beautiful."

"LIKE, YEH" explores that push-and-pull dynamic of knowing someone isn't right for you, but still feeling drawn in. Why do you think that kind of emotional contradiction resonates so strongly in your writing?

I think because I try to always make safe choices with my heart. Definitely not boring, but I'm not about to have a messy love life. I love love, so I really need to always have peace within that.

So it's strange to me that I can set that standard with my romantic relationship but have found myself on the edges of madness, going through the motions with friends or even family members.

I think I'm contradicting my own standards in this song as I'm figuring that out in an honest, vulnerable way.

You've spoken about having a wide range of influences - from Arctic Monkeys to Mary J. Blige to Bing Crosby. How do you manage to filter such a broad taste into something that still feels cohesive and distinctly "Leah"?

I think always going back to the "why" of the song is important. What's the essence?

Always finding your way back to that can sometimes help filter out when you want to throw the kitchen sink and every song you've ever loved into a three-minute track — which is me and I really love to do.

But I'm learning to hone it all in in a more concise way, and hopefully my voice always brings you back to me. That's what the essence is.

From Exeter and Luton to East London and BIMM, your journey has taken a few different turns. How have those early experiences shaped your identity as an artist today?

All of these twists and turnings have taught me to build a village of people who ride for you and who you totally ride for too.

It's all about community - from my music teachers, to friends I made who had studios I could use for free, to my bestie Holly who's been taking photos of me for years and helping build this world.

It's all about your village and not being afraid to expand it. That can feel hard the older you get, but your people are everything.

You've already collaborated with some huge names early in your solo career. What have those experiences taught you about your own voice and creative direction?

Definitely. I've been so blessed to be championed by the incredible Fraser T. Smith, who has completely changed the way I see songwriting.

He brings things out of you that you don't really realise in such an authentic way and it all comes from a place of truth and a real love for the craft of making a song. It's so communal and so honest. Working with him at Abbey Road was a dream moment, to be honest, and seeing him in his full production glory was crazy.

And then you have people like Kae Tempest - a true wordsmith and someone whose voice I'm so drawn to. His tone is so raw and honest. He's championed me with a fierceness; they both have.

So I feel very lucky to be surrounded by wonderful artists who make great art.

Looking ahead to this next phase, what does evolution look like for you as Leah Cleaver? Where are you pushing your sound next?

I'm definitely pushing more singing. I love to rap and I love my low tones, but I also love to belt out a good tune, so I'll be exploring more of that in my upcoming music...

Still with a lot of stinky bass, of course.

First song you ever wrote?

"Some Peopl"e by ZEBEDE was the first song I wrote.

Truthfully though, it was probably an apology song to my aunt when I was six or seven after I ate all the chicken skin off the chicken the night before Christmas.

First time you felt like you had found your voice musically?

When I sang "Songbird" at Mama Stones, my artist development programme in Devon.

It was for the end-of-year performance when I was about 15.

First gig you ever performed?

For my family in the living room - probably singing Back To Black. My first official gig was with ZEBEDE at Nambucca on Halloween in 2016.

First moment you realised this could be your career?

Last summer when I released "Last Time" and saw the response. I felt all the love and realised this could actually be the real thing.

As Leah Cleaver continues to carve out her own lane, what stands out most isn't just her ability to blend genres or write infectious hooks - it's the honesty at the centre of everything she creates.

Whether she's unpacking the complexities of relationships, celebrating the importance of community, or soundtracking moments of release on the dancefloor, Leah's music remains rooted in connection. With ‘LIKE, YEH’ marking the beginning of a new chapter and more music on the horizon, she's continuing to push her sound forward without losing sight of the emotion that makes it resonate.

If this next phase is anything to go by, Leah Cleaver's evolution is only just getting started.