Leonardo Prakash releases his first single with Spirit Voyage Records

Leonardo Prakash is a French-Mexican musician classically trained in his youth in guitar and sitar, and later in harp, flute, and jarana jarocha.  His unique musical voice has transcended his original traditional foundations as he has experimented with the fusion of these instruments into classic rock and roll, flamenco, Indian raag, and the folk music of Latin America, Turkey, Japan, the Middle East and Africa.

Throughout the years, Prakash has participated in a wide array of musical projects and has toured in Europe, the United States, Canada and Mexico. His collaborations span many genres with artists such as Bogdan Djukic, Jesus Mejía, Mitote Jazz, Jorge Pardo, Historias de Radne Krishna, Mardeleva, Ganavya, Elamir, Mirabai Ceiba, Jai-Jagdeesh, and Snatam Kaur, amongst others. 

Leonardo has been part of the Spirit Voyage music family for many years and has shared the stage with some of our most beloved artists and teachers during Sat Nam Fests in the US and Mexico. 

He has toured with Mirabai Ceiba and has performed on several Spirit Voyage Records releases on sitar.

After being recognized for his ethereal, passionate, and dreamy improvisational music, this year he embarked on a new adventure as a singer-songwriter, signing with Spirit Voyage Records to create his first record in this new genre. 

We are honored to present his first single “Keep the Faith”, composed, performed and produced by Leonardo Prakash himself. We invite you to learn more about this project in the following interview: 

We are so happy to be releasing your first album with Spirit Voyage Records  after you have been part of our musical family for so long. Can you share with us how you arrived at Spirit Voyage?

I met the Spirit Voyage family maybe 12 years ago by going to my first Sat Nam Fest. At that time I was playing with a piano player and singer called Dharm Singh. So you can imagine how happy I am, after all these years, to be a part of this label. I am grateful for the trust and I know we are a great team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52kXlkzBjV0

You have collaborated with Mirabai Ceiba, Jai-Jagdeesh and other Spirit Voyage artists playing on their albums and concerts. How has this influenced your music? 

Every musician I have played with has influenced me in some way but I could say that a big influence in my music today comes from Markus and Gelly (Mirabai Ceiba). The spaces they touch in themselves when the make music completely resonate with me and the musicality of their music really touches me.

We have followed your career and have seen how you have grown as an international artist. How do you feel about singing in three different languages (English, Spanish & French)?

The ability to sing and to give a message with words is something I didn't think I could do at this time of my life or maybe never. I am amazed that I was able to take that big step, I didn't feel it before, just now, before the first release. Suddenly I think to myself  “What are you doing?” “What a big risk!” hahaha, but  I am glad I didn't think about it before and just did it. 

I feel great, happy, grateful, everything all together. To share music with people is a real privilege, one of the best feelings of truth and fulfillment.  

Can you tell us about the production process? How do you feel about self producing your music?

This is the first time I went  into a studio by  myself with only my two ears to discern and make decisions. I discovered a potential I didn't know I had, I had some intuition about it, but to actually be there and witness it was very  important for me. I guess I was in need of some inspiration in my life and this experience helped me a lot, and also empowered me opening the door into a new world inside me. 

Keep the Faith, your first single, is a very inspiring song. What do these lyrics mean to you?

This song talks about feeling, hearing, coming back to this world of sensation, and for me this happens when looking at nature, at the stars, when I look at this greatness I know the Cosmos is inside us.

Can you give us a sneak peak of what is coming next for you?

We have two more singles coming up followed by the full album in October!