Edito de Ariel's AriaLEA inherited her passion for music from her father who traveled the world, playing trumpet with the 70's soul band, Black Heat, and her mother who taught her to sing from her soul by initiating her, at age 8 into the Jones Family Gospel Singers. A major turning point came when LEA was given the option of recording her first CD or spending a year as an exchange student in Halle, Germany. She chose to go to Germany. While there, she auditioned for the opportunity to sing at a music conservatory where her gift truly began to blossom. She performed her originals in cafes & clubs, sang with a classical chorus and a jazz ensemble and penned radio friendly tunes with the Brit pop band, Indigo Wild. LEA also took this singular chance to write, score, direct and act in an adaptation of Oscar Wilde?s fairy tale, The Happy Prince. She returned to the US and in 2000, she released her debut CD, ?creation? which earned her nominations from the Washington Area Music Association for Best Debut Recording, Best New Artist, Best Contemporary Folk Vocalist ? Female. When her next CD, ?Looking Forward?hit the streets, LEA was nominated Songwriter of the Year! She has released 6 independently produced recordings so far, one of which is a collaboration demo with German hip-hop group, Jazzafact. LEA has performed extensively in Germany, England and the United States East Coast. Her music has graced nearly every type of venue imaginable: cafes, clubs, colleges, churches, weddings, funerals, private house concerts and corporate events. She has even performed at the Kennedy Center?s Millennium Stage. She says that her most challenging and rewarding experience has been raising her delightful seven year old daughter.