Key LeBlanc is a singer-songwriter, self-taught guitarist, published author, composer, and philanthropist with a knack for expressing herself through music and service.
She’s a Louisiana native with a unique and gentle sound. Being a natural storyteller, she often gets compared to her favorite artists such as Corinne Bailey Rae and Jhene Aiko. Key LeBlanc manages to combine Pop, Soul, R&B, Rock, and Afro-beat elements into a uniquely beautiful package, which brings sounds of airy warmth to her audience.
Her most recent release is the power ballad “Toxic Feels.” Indulging listeners into her sultry vocalization that cascades with the instrumentation like butter, Key LeBlanc portrays a larger-than-life performance that has us hanging onto her every word.
Being no stranger to the world of Pop-Soul, there’s a sparkle that gleams from the desire she weaves into the way she conveys her messaging. Her songwriting takes on a balanced formula of timing and space as the notes in her wide vocal range propel into our minds with meaningful intent. Taking us through elusive verses, she makes quite the statement as we find ourselves at the mesmerizing hook which greets us with angelic harmonies.
As the narrative of “Toxic Feels” delves into the world of a venomous romance, and how it can be impossible to release yourself from its shackles, the manner in which her inimitable croons glide through our minds, leaves a lasting imprint that we don’t want to fade away.
What we love the most about this concept is how the relatability factor speaks to many of us in the world, as we try and navigate through the highs and lows of life. By taking a deep dive into her personal experiences, and bringing us a bit closer to who Key LeBlanc is as an artist and individual, we see just why she is garnering the well-deserved attention that she is.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Key LeBlan, and congratulations on the release of “Toxic Feels.” The way this track flows through our speakers leaves us really feeling the emotion you placed into it. Was it difficult for you to get this vulnerable on “Toxic Feels?"
Honestly, it wasn't difficult for me to be vulnerable while writing this song. I just expressed my truth and how I felt about the situation and the relationship at that moment. As a songwriter, I believe it's my duty to lay my heart out on the line and just give the World a glimpse into my life and my stories.
If your audience could take away one thing from this song, what would you want it to be?
I want my audience to ignore the message hahaha! Do not stay in a toxic relationship! Now after years have gone by since writing the song and changing it from a moody acoustic track to this fun, energetic dance anthem, I want my audience to listen and think about how they can change any negative situation into a positive one.
Could you please share a glimpse into the creative process that brought this song to life?
This song has had a long journey. I wrote it in 2018 after leaving that relationship. The lyrics, melody, and guitar chords just came instantly. Then I moved back to Dallas in 2019 and ran into an old high school friend of mine who just so happened to be a producer now (used to be a youth pastor). I showed him the song and he loved it. We found some local musicians and recorded the song with all the live instruments. My acoustic guitar, live drums, live bass, keys, and Spanish guitar. I was happy with it but not in love. Then one day a friend of mine introduced me to her friend, a successful Nigerian producer. I sent him the track to see if he had any constructive criticism. He accidentally added these afrobeat drums that were supposed to go in another session to my song, but he loved the sound. He played it for me and cautioned me that it was different... and I fell in love. It just worked. We spent all of 2020 re-producing the track and perfecting it, making sure the sound was unlike any other song we've heard. Honestly, I still have no idea what genre this song would be classified as but I love it. That's how I feel all music should be. No genres, just a feeling.
From the time of writing “Toxic Feels,” to this present moment, have you noticed a shift in your mentality towards this situation?
Oh absolutely! I wrote this song from a place of loss. Even though I had left that relationship, I still felt as though I could not get away from that "toxic love." Now when I play the song live, I tell my audience it's a bad song, but it makes you feel good, then we all laugh about it. I love dancing to this song and just feeling the beat move through me. It brings me so much joy because we put so much time and effort into this song. It's the first song I ever co-produced, so I am extremely proud of myself. I hope people listen to this song all summer and enjoy the creativity behind it as much as I do.
