Ahead of her performance at The Jazz Cafe’s much anticipated day festival in early August, rising artist Ledbyher talks heritage, essence and leprechauns. 

One of London’s most interesting and eclectic new artists, Ledbyher is making her name by filling unique yet ubiquitous sonic pockets. Her growing discography across the past few years has found her nestled within the beating heart of the English capital’s underground, bringing off-kilter, idiosyncratic R&B-jazz-tinged ‘bedroom drill’ instrumentation and snappy, ear-worm vocals. 

Continuing her rise, the Indonesian-Scottish Londoner is set to further ameliorate her acclaim with her performance at The Jazz Cafe’s highly anticipated second annual festival on Sunday 3rd August. One of London’s most iconic locations, the revered venue has furthered their musical program with a day-long festival, set to once again take place at Burgess Park in South London. Alongside Ledbyher, the line-up boasts Masego, Lex Amor, Skiifall, James Masiah, Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, and many more. 

Wonderland catch up with Ledbyher ahead of the event, talking her background and influences, festival survival pack, and what to expect from a live show from her.

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Talk us through your year so far, what have you been up to?

I’ve been up to so much that it honestly feels like there must be a leprechaun working with me behind the scenes or something. I keep looking back through my camera roll since January like, “oh wait, that happened too.” It’s all moving fast, but I’m so thankful to finally be doing the things it took me six years to reach, and to be doing them with people who share the same passions. 

And I say passions plural because it’s been a real mix: music stuff, fashion stuff, uni stuff, and even some unexpected things I’ve picked up along the way like basketball, and a newfound love for a latte.

How does your Indonesian Scottish heritage inform your musicality and personal outlook?

Well I grew up first in Medan, Indonesia and if you ever go, the first thing you’ll notice is how loud and saturated it all is. The colours, the smells, the tastes… everything is so alive. Then we moved to a rural Norfolk village, which was a much quieter, calmer way of living. But that early perception of Indonesia never really left me. Seeing that side first made me aware as a kid that there was a big wide world out there, and so I never wanted to stay put.

When we moved here me and my sister also couldn’t speak English at all, which didn’t help. We faced quite a lot of rubbish as the mixed-race family who moved in down the road, so I saw the bad side of people quite early on. I understood at a young age how the way you look, or the way you articulate yourself, can define how you’re treated, but also that hate is often simply a lack of knowledge.

What, at the core, influences you to write and create?

I think about this a lot. It’s still something I’m figuring out! I’ve realised most of my writing ends up foreshadowing something that’s about to happen, even though I’m usually pulling from past experiences. It’s the creepiest thing. But I heard the icon Bel Cobain say the same thing live once, and it was such a relief, because it happens to me allllll the time.

I write about love a lot in my spare time, but the songs I tend to release are the ones I feel could connect with more people. So there are probably hundreds of love poems that’ll never see the light of day hahaa. It’s ironic, because I barely date, my last relationship was almost two years ago now, but yeah, it’s love. The sappy stuff. Oh and I always try to put a bit of motivation in there too so I can feel like a boss in the shower of course.

How would you describe your essence as an artist? What makes Ledbyher, Ledbyher.

I’m a patchwork of colourful pieces clinging together by fur coats, long skirts, and a steady stream of jokes and smokes.

Where did the idea for the name come from?

It happened in an English class in high school. We were doing poetry that week, and the teacher handed out the syllabus with all the poems we had to memorise for the exam. One of them was an extract from The Prelude by William Wordsworth (guy even has words in his damn name?!!)

The opening line was: “One summer evening, led by her…” And it just stuck with me. I couldn’t get it out of my head. The line and the poem itself, is beautiful.

You’ve had co-signs from the likes Skepta, Lola Young, D4vd, Freddie Dredd, BYNX, etc. but who is your dream collaborator?

I get asked this a lot and honestly, I have a different answer every time lool. I’m constantly discovering new sounds and in awe of artistry, whether it’s from the 1940s or something that dropped last week. But the names I always seem to circle back to are Chief Keef, Lana Del Rey, Thee Sacred Souls, and Slipknot.

You’re set to play Jazz Cafe Festival in early August. What can audiences expect from a live show from you?

Great question. It really varies from show to show. I’ve got a full band: Safi on sax, Albie on guitar, Georgia on keys, and our newest addition, Lokbe on drums. In an ideal world, I’d play with them all the time, every time. I love jamming out and letting them do their thing. It brings a whole new energy and structure to the songs and is how I used to hear music when I was little.

But sometimes, just a mic and my DJ, Dystopian is all the place needs. Either way, it’s still me, and it’s still you. We both gotta have fun out there!!

Are you a natural live performer or is it an aspect of artistry you’ve had to grow into?

Hmmm maybe a bit of both. I remember my first time playing live, I only had about three songs out, so I’d fill the rest of the set with covers, like “Soft Spot” by Piri and Tommy just to reach the 30-minute slot and get the crowd singing back something, anything we both knew. As soon as my foot touched the stage, the nerves disappeared. There was this weight lifted knowing the tracks weren’t mine, it felt more like karaoke, having fun, dancing it out, trying to get the words right.

Fast forward to now, the fact that when I go out people are actually singing my songs back to me? That’s been the natural journey evolving in real time. I’m growing into being the person behind my own music live, and learning to truly believe what’s happening in front of me.

What is in your festival survival pack?

Oooo if I’m playing, it’s orange juice, incense, a fat JBL speaker for the green room, another outfit (my real one) for when I inevitably spill said orange juice on the first, and tea, lots of tea.

But if I’m going to a festival? Whole different story. Get me a rolling tray, a box of white wine with the little spout thingy, 100 hair bobbles, my Ed Hardy side bag and… BLISTER PLASTERS!!

What else have you coming this summer and beyond?

Shapeshifting…making noise inevitably! Lots of collaborations with cool folks and videos that make you feel like you’ve been there before. I’ve got something very big and exciting on the way, so right now I’m just focused on doing my friends, family and myself proud, while representing everyone from the small-town dreamers to the big-city go-getters and beyond.

This is all still new to me, so you’ll probably also catch me frolicking in the sun with my friends in random places… or riding a Lime Bike the wrong way up the road.