Leila Naderi brings jazz, soul and new music to Christina Lake
An Okanagan-based vocalist, pianist and composer is bringing her latest music to Christina Lake this week.
Leila Naderi will perform at the Christina Lake Welcome Centre on Friday, Aug. 21, in a concert presented by the Christina Lake Arts Collective.
Naderi, who previously performed under the name Leila Neverland, blends elements of jazz, R&B and soul. Her current biography describes a musical background that includes choir, conservatory training and musical theatre.
The Christina Lake performance comes during a busy year for Naderi, who released her six-track album Of Roses & Royalty earlier this year.
She launched the record with a May 30 concert at Gateway Ranch near Kaleden, backed by an octet featuring strings, horns, drums and keys.
The album's material explores themes including love, fantasy, empowerment, heartbreak and resilience.
Naderi followed the release with a July performance in Kelowna as part of her Of Roses & Royalty Tea Party Tour.
She has also taken an unconventional approach to distributing the new music. Promotional material for the tour says Naderi does not plan to release the album through conventional streaming services, instead making physical copies available and planning digital downloads through her own website.
The new record follows Little Big Storm, a five-track release issued in 2021 when she was performing as Leila Neverland.
Naderi has described returning to her given name as part of reconnecting with her identity and mixed heritage. She was born in Baltimore to a Persian immigrant father and a Lithuanian-Jewish American mother and spent part of her childhood in Toronto.
Her Christina Lake appearance also comes ahead of another major Okanagan engagement.
Naderi is scheduled to join the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra for its Freya & Friends concerts in December, with performances planned in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.
Friday's Christina Lake concert runs from 7 to 9 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The event is indoors, with beverages available at a cash bar and a 50/50 draw planned.
Advance tickets are $25 for Christina Lake Arts Collective members and $30 for non-members. Tickets at the door are $30 for members and $35 for non-members.
The Christina Lake Welcome Centre is located at 1675 Highway 3 in Christina Lake.
An Okanagan-based vocalist, pianist and composer is bringing her latest music to Christina Lake this week.