Spoken word poet Leeanna Allen releases new song “Don’t Let Go”

According to 31-year-old Leeanna Allen, a contemporary gospel singer, songwriter, and spoken word poet, people are rarely told of the hard work and sacrifices it takes to be successfully/happily married. Allen, who has been happily married for the past 10 years, recently dropped her new song “Don’t Let Go” – an encouragement that your relationship might be worth fighting for.
Explaining the concept behind the song, Allen told the Sunday Times, “We’ve all had those moments in our relationship where we felt like throwing in the towel, just calling it quits and running for the hills. Emotions run high and words are spoken without thinking about how the other person would receive them. Well, this song is an encouragement that if what you have is worth fighting for, then fight, don’t let go that easily.”
According to her, it is difficult to understand some of the challenges faced in marriage before getting into it. “Nobody tells you it is this hard to be successfully/happily married. They do not tell you the work and sacrifices it would take to be successfully married. We go into the relationship, but many times we do not have the tools and skills to navigate the rough waters.”
She, however, pointed out that this will only work if both parties are working and viewing themselves as a team, and are willing to grow and develop emotional maturity and effective communication skills. Allen acknowledged that not all relationships are worth fighting for, especially in the case of constant abuse and chronic adultery.
“But if it is a case of falling out of love and growing apart, those things are actually rectifiable. There are tools and skills if learned by both partners, your marriage can grow back much stronger before you had that season of growing apart. If we work for this, we don’t have to let go; we can fight for this.”
Allen revealed that she took about half an hour to put this three-minute track together since it was “an inspiration from the holy spirit.” But during the process, she contacted her cousin “Golden”, a rapper, who is also featured on the track, to put together the bridge.
“Don’t Let Go” was recorded at Vision Sounds Studio. While this is Allen’s first project with this recording studio, she disclosed that she will be working with the studio on an initiative called “Mixed Essence”. This, she added, will see her collaborating with other artists who need a public platform for their vocal abilities.
According to her, an official launch for the initiative will be done on Valentine’s Day 2021. She said it will feature life songs and Christian songs that come from relationships with God.
Allen released her first album when she was 26. Titled: “Severely Flawed But Labelled Loved”, the album is a CD compilation of songs that are a testimony of her acknowledging her identity in Christ.
“We pick up so many labels as we go through life; failure, loser, unwanted, unworthy. I was holding on to the fact that my true label is that I was loved by the God of the universe. So, the songs were written around that concept. I hope to revisit the songs and bring them to their full attention,” Allen related.
The former Bishops’ High School student recounted that she began writing poems during her pre-teen years. She explained that it was and still is a powerful way to produce messages “and I became pretty good at them. It is something that works effectively for me. I have written numerous poems.”
“I usually write based on inspiration. Sometimes it is based on my personal experiences. Other times it is based on the experiences of others and how I would deal with that type of situation,” said Allen when asked about what motivates her to write poetry.
Giving her opinion on Guyana’s music industry, she admitted that although the quality of music is improving, “we have some ways to go but every improvement is a step in the right direction.” But one of the biggest challenges faced by artists, according to her, is the lack of protection for intellectual property.
“The art forms are left behind because intellectual property is not seen as important. Education is limited in terms of how you navigate the music industry. If more emphasis can be placed on these types of intangible skills that can be revenue generators, not just for the artist, but for the country, it would help.”
Speaking to upcoming artists, Allen advised, “Believe in yourself, it takes courage to put yourself out there. Because you never know how your message will be received by others. But you have got to believe in yourself first before anybody else will. And take the time to hone your craft. Practice and educate yourself, connect with other persons that might be doing it.”
Allen’s new song, “Don’t Let Go” is available for purchase on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and Apple Music.