Red Leather (artist)
Red Leather | |
|---|---|
| Born | Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, Rock music |
| Instrument(s) | Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Singing |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Website | https://red-leather.com |
Red Leather is a country and rock singer-songwriter from Reno, Nevada.[1] He plays guitar and sings. His first single, titled "The Only Time It Rains In Hollywood", released in 2022,[2][3] with several other singles following. His debut album, titled Reno, was released on November 17, 2023.[4]
He is well known on TikTok for his music as well as smashing a guitar a day outside of the headquarters for the record label Capital Records until they gave him a record deal, which he tore apart.
He is a very private person, never revealing his face, legal name, or age. He is a recovering addict,[1][5] being addicted to several drugs and alcohol, particularly cocaine.[5][1] He has been sober for 2 years.[1][5] He currently resides in Los Angeles.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Not much is known about Red's early life besides his place of birth. Most of what is known is implied through his music, social media, or interviews.
Red always had an interest in music,[1][6] learning to play guitar and sing,[1] which he used as an escape from reality. He played in several bands in his teens.[1]
Sometime in his early life, Red developed an addiction to alcohol and cocaine.[1]
In 2021, Red moved to Los Angeles.[3]
Suicide attempt
[edit]In 2021,[7] Red Leather got into a "dark place" and climbed the stairs to the roof of a building in downtown LA.[1] When he was on the roof, he looked at his phone and saw he had 1% battery left.[1][8] He then made a phone call to a friend, who he describes as an angel.[8][1] His friend picked him up, saving his life. He wrote the song "Sins" about this event.[8][7]
Heart attack and overdose
[edit]In December 2021, after being sober for an unknown amount of time,[1] Red Leather relapsed[6] on drugs and had a heart attack.[1][6][7]
Shortly after, on January 5, 2022, Red Leather drove drunk in Las Vegas before returning to his hotel and overdosing.[1][6][7]
Dakota
[edit]Some time before leaving Reno, Red was in a relationship with a woman he calls "Dakota". Red states that he chose his addiction over Dakota.[1]
Anonymity and social media presence
[edit]Red chooses to keep his identity a secret for multiple reasons,[1][6] including the fact that he fears people who he knew in Reno could find him,[1] the hat protects him from "old habits and bad influences",[1] and he received more attention while busking on the street.[1]
Red Leather started his career on TikTok, uploading himself playing several different covers. Red currently has 850,000 followers on TikTok.[1]
Musical career
[edit]Busking
[edit]Red Leather began his music career in Los Angeles by performing on Hollywood Boulevard.[1] During this time, Red began to write his own songs and post cover songs to TikTok.[3]
Debut single
[edit]In June 2022,[3] Red Leather released his debut single called "The Only Time It Rains In Hollywood", a song about homelessness on Hollywood Boulevard.[3] It features the accounts of two homeless people[3] describing how they became homeless and what they had lost in life.
Red released several other singles through 2022 and into 2023.
Burn In Hell Tour
[edit]Red Leather announced a tour ahead of his debut album. The Burn In Hell tour, named after the second song on his debut album, ran from November 1 to 29 and had four stops.[9][10] One in Los Angeles, California, one in Las Vegas, Nevada, one in Reno, Nevada, and one in Austin, Texas.[9][10]
Debut album
[edit]Red Leather released his debut album, Reno, on November 17, 2023.[4]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Train's Leavin'" | 0:55 |
| 2. | "Burn In Hell" | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Deathwish" | 2:48 |
| 4. | "Sins" | 2:58 |
| 5. | "Pusherman" | 3:19 |
| 6. | "The Biggest Little City In The World" | 0:24 |
| 7. | "El Dorado" | 2:06 |
| 8. | "Down Bad" | 2:57 |
| 9. | "Desert Storm" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Watch My Daddy Die" | 3:04 |
| 11. | "Walk Away" | 2:39 |
| 12. | "House Of The Rising Sun (Cover)" | 2:18 |
| 13. | "Dakota" | 2:46 |
| 14. | "Devil's Grip" | 2:41 |
| 15. | "The Only Time It Rains In Hollywood" | 5:15 |
| Total length: | 41:15 | |
Reception
[edit]Currently, Reno has about 16 million streams on Spotify[7] and Red has about 350,000 monthly listeners.[6]
Musical style
[edit]Red Leather has a mix of rock and country, which can be described as rockabilly.
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]| Singles from Red Leather | |
|---|---|
| |
Albums
[edit]Reno
- Released: November 17, 2023
- Tracks: 15
- Singles: 12
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Bieker, Matt (25 October 2023). "Leaving the darkness behind: Reno native Red Leather went from addiction to online fame on the road to his debut album". renorn.com. Reno News and Radio. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "x.com".
- ^ a b c d e f g "Red Leather Paints a Haunting Picture of LA in 'The Only Time It Rains In Hollywood'". Ones to Watch. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ^ a b "Red Leather Puts Reno On The Map With Debut Album". Funk Punk Lives. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ a b c Farris, Written in partnership with Sidon (2023-11-20). "Single Review: Red Leather shares the single 'BURN IN HELL' from his acclaimed debut album RENO". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e f Girl, Galore (2023-12-05). "Artist Bio: Meet Red Leather - the alt-rock star whose hidden identity and intensive music have fired up hundreds of thousands of fans". Galore. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e "Album Review: Red Leather's debut album, RENO, is a masterwork - and a howl from the depths of addiction and despair". Rival Magazine. 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ^ a b c "Red Leathers First Concert At The Shed". Paulo Bonilla. 2023-07-24 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
- ^ a b "Red Leather Presents: Burn in Hell 2023 Fall Tour". tickets.thebeverlytheater.com. Retrieved 2024-04-25.