WHO IS LEOPLD?

There’s two of us in the group, Jakob (from Stockholm, Sweden) and Tom (Manchester, UK), although we are now respectively based in Georgia and Beirut.

We were friends for some time before deciding to start making music together, as Jakob had previously been working with another band, The Vinegar Tears.  It was a natural working relationship, with Jakob generally more focused on the music side and Tom on the lyrics/vocals. 

 ‘All Through Eternity’ is about to be released and is a collaboration with a Lebanese artist, Manel Mallat. Tom has been living in the Middle East for over five years and we wanted to try something new, mixing electronic rock/pop with an oriental sound.

GREATEST INSPIRATIONS OR INFLUENCES?

Musically, Jakob  has been heavily influenced by 80's and 90's synth acts, especially the likes of Depeche Mode and New Order. He grew up in this era and tries to take this and put a modern edge on it to create LEOPLD's sound. Lyrically, Tom likes to relay a story or experience or emotion in a vivid and sincere way. Bruce Springsteen and Brandon Flowers (The Killers) are big influences, and more recently Matt Healy from the 1975. Matt is also from Tom's hometown so to see someone achieve what he has is a great inspiration. 

FAVOURITE WEBSITES, PUBLICATIONS OR SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES?

Other than sites of our favourites bands and music sites, we also like sites that are artistic and creative: 

• Magnum photos (@magnumphotos)

• Plastik magazine (@plastikmagazine),

• NinuNina

• Tom is also a big fan of meme pages and both of us are big football fans too so anything to do with Manchester United or Arsenal.

MOST INTERESTING RESPONSE TO YOUR MUSIC?

Realising that people can interpret your lyrics in completely different ways. One song on the first EP called 'The Edge' is about struggling with thoughts of suicide, although someone wrote us that they felt it reflected a relationship they were in. We like this though, we hope people will listen and make the songs their own and relevant to their own lives and experiences. As I was taught at school a good artist should show, not tell.