Minke

So, what is Minke? “It could be an eighties glam rock band, a nineties girl group, or a modern DJ duo,” laughs UK-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Leah Mason—who operates under the moniker. “I’m as obsessed with Fleetwood Mac as I am with Spice Girls, so the name sums up my admiration for a whole diverse melting pot. I think it’s interesting to hear different sides of an artist. I want to show as much of myself as I can.” Every time Leah records a track, she most certainly does. As a result, the songstress architects a signature style that can veer from moments of stark, soulful solitude and cathedral-size jubilation to lovelorn lyrical ponderances and climactic guitar solos. Long before earning the endorsement of Billboard, HARPERS Bazaar, and Zane Lowe as well as tens of millions of streams, she discovered her calling while growing up in the tiny UK countryside hamlet of Westbourne. Co-written alongside Paul Garred of The Kooks and recorded in a Kent barn, the echo-y alternative soul of “Gold Angel” properly introduced Minke over a skittering beat and guitar cries. Not only did Lowe tout it on Beats 1, but it graced key playlists such as Spotify’s “New Music Friday” and “Pop Rising.” Not to mention, it hit #1 on Hype Machine and garnered acclaim from The Line of Best Fit and many others. Within a year, “Gold Angel” exceeded 15 million cumulative streams and counting.