Leah Rosier provides a piece of Jamaica on the Leiden canal

From fashion model to reggae singer

Report: 2016

“Weed as a recreational tool, as a therapeutic agent and as a medicine,” Leah cheerfully shouts through the microphone. Leah Rosier is in favor of legalizing weed and everyone should know that. A passerby raises his thumb. “You see, that gentleman agrees too. All right, next tune: Herbalist!”

Nowhere in Europe is it warmer today. There is no wind and at twenty-seven degrees the beautiful old town of Leiden is sighing under a warm blanket that would suggest that it is high summer. The terraces and terrace boats along the Nieuwe Rijn are full. People saunter lazily past the market stalls set up along the canal. In the canal, sloops with wine drinking and crisps-eating day trippers are constantly sailing.

Velvet Music is located in the street of the same name that runs along the Nieuwe Rijn. If you want to escape the big impersonal digital music factories, visit Velvet: it is one of the few nostalgic record stores in the Netherlands that still has a place and has been around for twenty-five years. In contrast to a few household chains that now also sell a rack of CDs, at Velvet they still know that Jazz is not only an apple variety, but also a music style.

Intimate lighting, walls covered from top to bottom with the most beautiful LP covers, large music posters: this is the place for the music lover who thinks back to the past with nostalgia.

Weed, sugar and reggae.

It is Saturday afternoon, May 7th, the day of the in-store (store appearance) of Leah Rosier. A petite woman walks into Velvet Music, her hair in a bun on top of her head, bangs, and one dreadlock slung over her shoulder. Around her neck hang all kinds of chains, on her finger a ring in the colors of the Jamaican flag. Leah is supervised by the Black Star Foundation: Dennis van Tetering (regular DJ of the Black Star Foundation and also working for record company Universal Music) and Michelle Boekhout van Solinge (board member). The Black Star Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes reggae music (rhythmic music from Jamaica) in the Netherlands and supports new talent.

Leah and Michelle relax in the store. Because of the heat it is relatively quiet and there is still plenty of time. Topics such as the relaxed lifestyle in Jamaica (Michelle: “In Jamaica I found out that relaxing can also be an activity”) and age pressure for young adults (Leah: “Sometimes I think: I'll run out of eggs soon”) are discussed. Mark Sierra, co-owner of Velvet Music, meanwhile gives the music magazine Mania to Leah. Leah's brand new CD Only irie vibes, where 'irie' means 'good', is discussed in the section 'Stack plate'. She looks at the article in genuine surprise. “Niiice!”. Mark asks if she wants coffee. “Coffee wrong. With sugar. I like sugar. I can have it.” she laughs.

Leah likes weed, sugar and reggae. Other than her looks, there's nothing that reminds Leah that Leah ever lived a modeling life.

“I haven't made any friends from modeling”

From fashion model to reggae artist. Not only does the contrast seem great, it is, according to Leah. Yet the modeling work she did from age eighteen to twenty-seven has also brought her to where she is today. “I learned to travel independently at a very young age and it gave me a lot of confidence.” Traveling was lonely at times, but Leah also enjoyed it: “I've been very lucky to be able to travel through modeling and now as a musician. It really is a dream come true.”

In recent years, modeling has increasingly become a lottery. “Every time I was called for an assignment and it eventually fell through. There were fewer and fewer orders. Due to the crisis there was less work, and because of programs like America's Next Top Model, there were suddenly many girls who did the modeling work for free. I couldn't live off it anymore." Leah found the modeling world superficial: “I find it very striking that I haven't made any friends from modeling after ten years. Since I've been doing reggae, I've made maybe fifty new friends. Is really very special. You experience life in the same way: you know full well that the world is not perfect, but you still try to radiate something positive. To keep the people strong you know.”

Leah walks around the store. She stops at the entrance, where there is a large wooden CD rack. Her latest CD now shines in the bottom row. Velvet Music has taken care of it; there are stickers on the CDs: “Instore this afternoon at 5 pm!”. “Cool that they put that on there too!” says Leah enthusiastically. “And just next to Prince! Cool."

“Leah is different from the rest in reggae.” -Dennis van Tetering, Universal Music-

Dennis is busy with cables and boxes. As a DJ for the Black Star foundation, he will soon provide the music. The last two years they have been doing a lot of things together: “We work hard and make a lot of new things.” Dennis first saw Leah during a performance. “It was very awkward, but also very cute. A petite girl on a very large stage was singing songs. And there was something special about that. Leah is different from the rest in reggae. I think Leah also has the potential to cross over to a more mainstream audience.”

Since the sparrows are falling from the roof, Mark from Velvet Music meanwhile proposes to Leah to exchange the instore for an outstore. A performance opposite the shop, on the edge of the beautiful canal. The flower stall that is still there will soon be gone.

Leah steps outside for a moment. She bends over a buggy with a little blond girl in it, and chats with the girl's mother. It turns out to be Leah's twin sister. “Double. We don't look alike; I am very thin and she is normal.” The fact that her sister comes to her performance means a lot to Leah. Family support for this career switch was not always self-evident. “My family didn't quite know what I was doing and they thought maybe I was just sitting at home smoking weed. That's why I started posting more online. I thought: at least my family will see that I work hard.” Now Leah's family is all behind her. “Really fantastic. My father was at a performance yesterday and was completely moved.”

“Hey you can go to Jamaica. I thought: no wayyy…”

The cradle of reggae is Jamaica, an island in the Caribbean. Leah had a fervent wish to one day go to Jamaica: "I even remember Googling all the time: 'Win a trip to Jamaica'". One day that wish came true by bizarre coincidence. “My modeling agency was on my voicemail: 'You have a shoot in Jamaica.' I thought: no wayyy…. really fantastic! I am quite spiritual so I thought: this is really meant to be.” In Jamaica, Leah imagined himself in Utopia: “When I got there I thought wow… the climate, nice people and you hear reggae music everywhere.”

The King of Reggae, the late Bob Marley, is one of Leah's examples. “Bob Marley opened my eyes. That you can question the system in which we live. And that you should not always believe what you are presented with by the media and government.”

Furthermore, pop singer Gwen Stefani inspired Leah to become a singer: “I was such a fan of hers as a teenager. Still. The only pop artist I really like.”

Not a doctor but reggae; for Leah, reggae music is also medicine. “I am very sensitive. I can also be down and stress at times. So I try to surround myself with good vibes and reggae music. It really helps me through dark days.” Leah looks thoughtfully ahead. “I try to work on my music as much as possible because that's when I feel the best. I'm lucky enough to have a small studio at home and to be able to record any moment.”

The flower stall sticks.

It is now five o'clock. Although the flower stall has always finished cleaning up at this time, they seem to be making absolutely no moves to do so today. It is decided to have the performance take place on the shop side instead of on the other side of the street. “Beer?” Mark asks Leah. “After the performance”.

A small set is being built up under the red sunshade. Dennis moves behind the turntable and Leah stands next to it. She overlooks the flower stall and the stately canal houses on the other side of the canal.

Most of us would have a nervous breakdown at the very idea of starting to sing like this, out of nowhere, half in the street, without a defined stage. However, Leah seems to be super laid back. Without hesitation, she picks up the microphone. This used to be different: “Fortunately, I have performed so often that I no longer find it scary, but in the beginning I really didn't like performing. I got so nervous that I couldn't eat all day. Nauseous! And that also affects your voice; when you sing in front of people and you are nervous. Is he going to vibrate. But I was going to do it every time. That's what I learned from reggae music: don't give up, keep doing what you like.”

When Dennis starts the music, everything comes together. The reggae music, relaxed atmosphere and high temperature make Leiden feel like you are in a small street in Jamaica.

Leah kicks off with her new reggae song 'Only irie vibes'. If it gets a chance on the radio, it just might become a summer hit.

Since Leah is actually on the street, bag-carrying, ice-licking people are constantly walking past. Obviously people who don't realize they are passing a promising reggae artist. Fortunately, people continue to watch. After 'All around the world' Leah announces the song 'One day'. "Because one day I'll move to Jamaicaaaa".

A huge bang. A beam hits the ground. The market people of the flower stall begin to clear the stall imperturbably and loudly in the middle of the performance. However, the view for Leah is getting more beautiful every minute, a piece of the canal actually shines through the skeleton of the stall. Leah happily sings on and ends with the words 'Only Irie Vibes!'.

Leah is reggae.

“I think Leah has a good chance of making a living from music in the long run.” said Dennis van Tetering. “We (Black Star Foundation) go to Jamaica every year for inspiration. But when it comes to her future musically, I see that more in Europe than in Jamaica.”

Leah also sees opportunities in Europe: “My music is going very well in France and I work with a French band. But I would really like to have a house in Jamaica anyway.” For her thirtieth birthday, Leah wanted to have an album out and she succeeded. “I really can't complain anyway. And my second album is already out. Looking back, I've accomplished quite a few things. Overcome my fears.”

It's a good thing Leah was able to overcome her fears. Leah is reggae. And deserves a wider audience. Let's hope she gets the chance to present herself to the general public soon.

Saturday evening has fallen, it is still sweltering hot. The people are gone and the streets are emptying. Leah gets a beer from Mark, walks through the shop and mumbles: "Have to roll a joint too."