Meet Rocky Leonard | R&B singer & songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rocky Leonard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rocky, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I believe being a risk-taker is necessary to reach success. Risk allows us to exercise the feeling of discomfort. The majority of the time success is always on the other side of whatever makes you uncomfortable so if you are OK with being uncomfortable for a little bit you will reap the benefit. That takes discipline. I have struggled with indecisiveness in my creative process because I didn’t trust my decision-making. I didn’t trust my voice. Also, I was afraid of missing the mark. I realized If you are okay with the idea of failing then you will never truly fail because you will use a “fail” or “no” as ignition to redirect your goals. This goes beyond music. Risk plays a big role in my creative process. From live performance arrangements, song selection, wardrobe, and make-up to writing lyrics and developing concepts. I am meticulous. Every decision I make is interconnected intentionally. I am always thinking big picture. I make it a habit to put myself in rooms where I am the least knowledgeable. By doing so I’m able to soak up everything in the room, of course, it is very uncomfortable when conversations are being held and you don’t understand what is going on but when you leave the room you’re much more knowledgeable than you were when you first entered. I am constantly reminding myself it’s okay to be nervous to take a risk but the most important part is that you do it. Just do it scared!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Rocky Leonard. I am a 21-year-old R&B singer-songwriter born and raised in Houston, Texas. I am currently a rising senior at Loyola University in New Orleans, majoring in Popular and Commercial Music. My love for music began in the church and it later extended to other genres. This is just the beginning of my artistic career. I am excited to see all the things that I’m going to accomplish in the future. Last year, I released my debut single “ILY//TIME” an R&B ballad that addresses the truth that love is a choice. I’m planning to release more music soon. I have a project in the works. The purpose of my music is to give those listening a chance to permit themselves to feel their emotions deeply. In the past, I’ve always minimized my feelings so I wouldn’t be categorized as dramatic, but in this music that I’m releasing, I want everyone to be honest with themselves. To sit in your emotions without regrets about anything that you’ve experienced is liberating. What sets me apart as an artist is my ability to create safe spaces for people to be 100% themselves on and off stage. One of the lessons I’ve learned is how important it is to have people that believe in you around. There are a lot of things that I do that I can’t do by myself. For so long I’ve tried to do everything by myself but when I started building a team and letting myself be helped by not just anyone but people that genuinely wanted to be there and to be a part of the vision I saw growth. I can clearly see the vision and my potential and it has made all the difference. I’ve also learned to trust my inner voice, as a creative you have to be very decisive and intentional with what decisions you make. Initially, I was timid about making decisions because I’m always calculating the result, but sometimes you just have to take a chance, trust your gut, and move with that feeling.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For Breakfast, I would recommend Black Walnut. I enjoy their avocado toast. Exploring the museum district is a must. The Butterfly Exhibit and The Contemporary Art Museum are two of my favorites. After the museum, I’m sure you would want lunch so I would recommend going to Black Market Birria Taco Truck. For the authentic Texan experience, I recommend Whataburger I get a #1 with no onions sub mayo with lots of spicy ketchup and a Powerade. For dessert, I recommend Hank’s Ice Cream to finish your day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shout out the current book that I’m reading “101 Essays that will Change the way You Think”. This book is constantly challenging me to be more aware of others but most importantly myself. This has different collections of essays that address different topics within emotional awareness. I wouldn’t be able to create music with transparency and accountability without emotional awareness. I would recommend everyone to read it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockylov/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockylov_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamrockyleonard

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOoZCt2mLNHRb5oY4HY8IMg

Other: https://linktr.ee/rockyleonard

Image Credits
Maria Paula Marino, A’mya McKnight