Marianne Leigh celebrates the growing pains of adolescence through her haunting lyrics and catchy pop-rock tunes. Her narrative songwriting style sets the 20-year-old apart from her peers, Leigh's "authenticity beaming through [her] connection, vast musical space and raw artistry". (NZ Musician Magazine).
Writing from her heart, it should come as no surprise that Leigh's career started at just 10 years old with the completion of her first song, her debut single 'Best of Me' releasing in 2019 after her nationwide Smokefree Rockquest win. At just 16 years old, Leigh brought her talent to TV performing live on the Cath Vincent and What Now TV Shows. Jesse Mulligan interviewed Leigh about her single “Could’ve Been The One” on Radio New Zealand where she played it live. She is a three-time finalist of the Play It Strange songwriting competitions and was mentored by award-winning NZ musician Bic Runga.
At 17 years old, the young musician was selected to collaborate with music icon Jamie McDell, on their single ‘Streetlights’, the process documented on the ‘Uke Can Do It’ TV series available on TVNZ On Demand. Following this success, Leigh was invited to perform at the Working Style Fashion Show and numerous festivals, including Sanctuary Sounds, VIBE, Earth Beat and the Big Gay Out.
Marianne Leigh is the latest star showcasing her talents on the 5 Minutes of Fame Television series, premiering on Maori TV and available on TVNZ On Demand. Leigh competed against the best talent in Aotearoa, placing in the grand finale.
Her hook-laden slice of indie-pop 'Sweet Goodbyes' broadcasted on Australian radio, taking Marianne Leigh international. Debuting on TheHits radio, the piano ballad 'Suddenly' “beautifully encapsulates the universal feeling of new love, showcasing her depth as a songwriter” (NZMusic.org), showcasing her depth as a songwriter, being just 17 when she wrote it solo. Her single 'Without Me' was hand-picked to play on all Air New Zealand flights, surpassing 80,000 hits within the first month on YouTube. Leigh shared an acoustic performance of her latest EP 'Simple Things' on the Tedx Talks YouTube Channel, a platform with over 36 million followers, before setting off on her debut tour in early 2022, two of the tour stops selling out.
"Marianne Leigh's latest single 'Crazy Gf' is an exciting step forward in her discography. Leigh's relatability, unique voice, and undeniable knack for writing catchy hooks makes her an absolute shining star on Aotearoa's pop scene" (Muzic.net).