Bend's Leo Dolan is a musician hitting his stride both lyrically and stylistically.
Though he fell in love with the arts through musical theater, he’d already picked up the guitar by age seven. Like many young musicians, his exploration of his own musical talents led him through a variety of influences and experiments: from prog-metal to pop rap. More recently, he’s been performing as part of the pop duo Simone & Leo as well as with the groups Gonzo, Two Dollar Bill, and Suma & Palo Soprano.
But it’s on his own that he seems to be finding fresh inspiration.
“My new works feels like the most progressive music that I’ve made to date, while still keeping what it is that matters and making my sound unique," Dolan reflects. "I feel like I’ve made some lyrical breakthroughs lately.”
For Dolan, what matters is the care and thought that goes into the craft of each song. As a singer-songwriter, he finds it paramount that no note or lyric goes unexamined. Dolan adds, “I always strive to make music that feels true and heartfelt. I hate putting filler lines that don’t mean anything in songs, so I want every word and note to have significance.”
With haunting guitar and layered harmonies, the song “Lion’s Mane” is no exception.
