Little Big Storm: Creating music through tough times

• Pandemic’s impact on identity
• Tough journey as a musician through COVID-19
• Providing comfort to others

The pandemic forced musicians to adjust to a new way of life. Many also had to adjust how they get their music to fans.

This was true for Kelowna artist Leila Neverland, who is well known on the local live circuit, She's performed at festivals and in youth collaborations.

She's released her latest work ‘Little Big Storm,' which was born out of the bounty of time she had due to cancelled gigs.

She called the time a ‘gift.’

“It was unexpected time, and I decided that I wanted to use it to create something that talked about our capacity for change and the ability to transform,” Neverland said, adding how the toughest part of the pandemic as a musician, was losing a part of herself.

“You wound up losing your career. You feel like you’ve lost your business. You feel you lost a part of your identity,” she said. “I had to do a lot of meditating to figure out what my music was outside of its commodity, and just re-integrate in me why I make art and what’s the purpose of making my art.”

The five-song offering reflects her emotional journey through these tough times.

“It takes you from a place of realizing that all the dreams we thought we would have may not come true right now,” Neverland said. “It moves through all the emotions that I was having through the pandemic.”

She said the EP has provided comfort for others who are feeling the same way she did.

“I’ve heard lots of responses from people saying it’s become their companion whenever they’re feeling weird or down and seeing all these changes. They have been commenting they’ve been putting the album on and it just gives them a sense of belonging, a sense of comradery in it.”

The album is available on her website and will be released digitally Dec. 22.