Laura Lee Ochoa | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Leezy |
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | October 14, 1986
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 2009–present |
Labels | |
Member of | Khruangbin |
Laura Lee Ochoa [1] (born October 14, 1986), also known as Leezy, is an American musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of the musical trio Khruangbin.
The daughter of Mexican-American parents, [2] Ochoa played piano and guitar as a child, but picked up bass at the suggestion of (then future) bandmate Mark Speer. Ochoa met him in 2009 through friends, where they initially connected over a shared love of Afghan music. Ochoa was an art history major with a focus on art of the ancient Near East. She worked as a math teacher for six years. [3] At the time, she was interested in playing piano again and he suggested she "follow the sound of the bass", which she had never thought about doing before. [4] [5] This recommendation led her to begin playing, which she says came very naturally to her. [6]
Ochoa has recorded five studio albums with Khruangbin: The Universe Smiles Upon You (2015), Con Todo el Mundo (2018), Mordechai (2020), Ali (2022) and A La Sala (2024) as well as two EPs: Texas Sun (2021) and Texas Moon (2022), both with the band and Leon Bridges. Prior to forming the group, Lee played bass on tour with Yppah. [4] In April, 2021, she collaborated with Los Angeles–based singer-songwriter Niia on the song "Not Up For Discussion." [7]
In Khruangbin, Ochoa performs as "Leezy", an alter-ego that helps her keep some parts of herself private: "It helps me separate from her and it helps me emotionally to put it on her, so I let her take on all of the pressure." [4] She is the band's creative director, using her training in art and architecture to set up staging and create choreography and graphic design. [8] Both she and Speer sport long black wigs while performing [9] and "Leezy" goes through many costume changes throughout a show. In 2011, she made the decision to never wear the same outfit twice on stage, estimating that she has worn 600 different outfits whilst on tour. [10] She wears two different outfits per show, a decision inspired by Elton John, who was known to change up to four outfits. [3] She is also inspired by Prince who handled choreography and played guitar at the same time. [8]
Laura Lee Ochoa | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Leezy |
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | October 14, 1986
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 2009–present |
Labels | |
Member of | Khruangbin |
Laura Lee Ochoa [1] (born October 14, 1986), also known as Leezy, is an American musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of the musical trio Khruangbin.
The daughter of Mexican-American parents, [2] Ochoa played piano and guitar as a child, but picked up bass at the suggestion of (then future) bandmate Mark Speer. Ochoa met him in 2009 through friends, where they initially connected over a shared love of Afghan music. Ochoa was an art history major with a focus on art of the ancient Near East. She worked as a math teacher for six years. [3] At the time, she was interested in playing piano again and he suggested she "follow the sound of the bass", which she had never thought about doing before. [4] [5] This recommendation led her to begin playing, which she says came very naturally to her. [6]
Ochoa has recorded five studio albums with Khruangbin: The Universe Smiles Upon You (2015), Con Todo el Mundo (2018), Mordechai (2020), Ali (2022) and A La Sala (2024) as well as two EPs: Texas Sun (2021) and Texas Moon (2022), both with the band and Leon Bridges. Prior to forming the group, Lee played bass on tour with Yppah. [4] In April, 2021, she collaborated with Los Angeles–based singer-songwriter Niia on the song "Not Up For Discussion." [7]
In Khruangbin, Ochoa performs as "Leezy", an alter-ego that helps her keep some parts of herself private: "It helps me separate from her and it helps me emotionally to put it on her, so I let her take on all of the pressure." [4] She is the band's creative director, using her training in art and architecture to set up staging and create choreography and graphic design. [8] Both she and Speer sport long black wigs while performing [9] and "Leezy" goes through many costume changes throughout a show. In 2011, she made the decision to never wear the same outfit twice on stage, estimating that she has worn 600 different outfits whilst on tour. [10] She wears two different outfits per show, a decision inspired by Elton John, who was known to change up to four outfits. [3] She is also inspired by Prince who handled choreography and played guitar at the same time. [8]