Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Leah Andreone began her musical career early (at the age of eight), singing with her older sisters' band. By the age of 13 Andreone was writing commercials and jingles, which led her to begin penning her own original songs. After dropping out of college, she began pursuing a record deal as a solo artist while working at a restaurant, all the while honing her act in the clubs of San Diego and Los Angeles. She was able to pass along a demo to some RCA record label execs who dined at her restaurant, signing Andreone exactly 24 hours later, after witnessing a live performance. Her first release, 1996's alterna-pop Veiled, was a major hit in France (along with its single, "It's Alright, It's OK"), which led to an appearance with the inaugural Lilith Fair tour. Hooking up with heavy rock producer Bob Marlette for her next album, 1998's Alchemy, naturally led to a heavier and more varied sound, including cameos by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Marilyn Manson/Two/David Lee Roth guitarist John Lowery. ~ Greg Prato