The secret life of soulful CQ musician Kate Leahy

KATE Leahy’s on a mission to get her music heard, and she’s on the right track to achieving it by organising an extensive tour around central Queensland.

KATE Leahy's on a mission to get her music heard by as many ears as possible, and she's certainly on the right track to achieving it.

The Yeppoon local is doing it all from her home town, or her "base", currently organising an extensive tour around central Queensland for July.

But she's playing her guitar and bringing her beautiful voice to Gladstone this Sunday for a special Mother's Day treat.

Leahy will join Dane Austin and Jess and Dwight for a Sunday session at Quoin Island, something she's excited about.

"It sounds really lovely and chilled out," she says.

"Haven't got plans with mum yet, there will be some sucking up to get around it! As a musician you miss events. My family is pretty understanding about it, though."

Leahy spent a few years in Gladstone during school, moved to Sydney and then spent a few years in England before returning home to CQ.

My first song I recorded when I was 18 and it got used in a short film in the US.

As a musician Leahy has reached many highs, such as touring around Europe twice and playing at big festivals, hitting number one on the Triple J Unearthed charts for her song Life Raft, and being chosen as the new face and voice of an ad campaign.

"A lot of what I do is producing. In this area (CQ) there's not really a lot that goes on. If I don't organise it, then it won't happen," Leahy says.

"I'm a producer, artist and I sell my music online and through CDs and different adverts. Being an independent musician is hard in itself."

Leahy is naturally talented in a number of areas, but music is definitely her forte.

"I've never had a singing lesson," she says.

"Your voice changes as you get older but it (voice) hasn't been tweaked. I've been a singer forever. My first song I recorded when I was 18 and it got used in a short film in the US."

Leahy teaches singing lessons privately and also enjoys a few pastimes that might surprise fans.

"I am a pretty mad gardener, which is embarrassing," she says.

"I like growing orchids and I love baking, too. I'm obsessed with making different breads. I bake a lot of pretzels.

"My other big passion is foreign languages - I speak fluent French and I'm getting there with German.

"I've got all these old-people traits."

Leahy has worked hard to maintain her status in the music industry.

Her song We Like was chosen as the song to use for the Summer of Capricorn campaign.

"It was quite a shock and it's really cool," she says.

"It's a song about living in the region so it's suitable."

Leahy is working on an EP that's a work in progress, but she's releasing one song in the next few weeks.

Her advice to others wishing to ignite a music career is simple: "The most important thing is to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Don't do it for fame and be prepared to work hard."