Leona Naess

Leona Naess came into the world as the daughter of Arne Naess, one-time husband of Supreme Diana Ross. Although born and raised in England, she now makes her home in New York, where she works as an introspective singer-songwriter. Her alternative pop-rock draws from a broad palette of influences that stretches from Edie Brickell, Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell to the Cure, David Bowie and Joy Division. Naess’s voice often recalls Brickell’s, yet that resemblance forms only one strand in a much wider fabric of inspirations. She first began singing and writing songs while still in her teens, then at 18 moved to New York to study music and anthropology at New York University. After playing numerous shows at Lower Manhattan clubs such as CBGB and the Bitter End, the 23-year-old signed with Outpost/MCA in 1998 and began work on her debut album, Comatised. Released in March 2000, the record yielded the single “Charm Attack,” which appeared in Columbia/Phoenix Pictures’ teen comedy Whatever It Takes. Naess spent much of that year touring with Eagle-Eye Cherry and David Gray, yet still found time to write another collection. Her sophomore album, I Tried to Rock You But You Would Only Roll, arrived in June 2001 and revealed a more upbeat Naess. The emotions were far more raw and dark on this album, but her musicianship sparked a new sophistication. Two years later she collaborated with producer Ethan Johns on a lovely self-titled effort.