‘Music where you can hear all the words’ is the introduction to LeeSun’s website. Quirky and beautiful music describes LeeSun’s sound. Compelling, thought provoking and chilled out- groovy-alternative- pop describes her songs and our interview.

LeeSun currently lives in Leeds, United Kingdom and recently talked with mindyourmind.ca. We muse about truth, love, coping with life, sushi and the dangers of soda pop.

mym: How long have you been writing and recording songs? What inspires you to record?

I've been writing songs for about 10 years now, and recording for almost as long. When I was a kid, my sister had a little tape recorder and we used to record ourselves reading stories out of her school reader. Sometimes my sister, brother and I would make up and record soundtracks. Like once we recorded me playing some loud low notes on the piano while my bro and sis thumped around the living room making jungle animal noises. I loved it!

I guess it went from there to recording myself singing. My sister and I both loved to sing, and I always secretly thought I was a way better singer than she was. So once I snuck off into my parents' bedroom with my sister's tape recorder, shut the door, hid underneath all the covers, and recorded myself singing all the songs I knew. A half hour later, I rewound the tape and listened back, prepared to be transported to throes of ecstasy by the angelic singing I'd recorded. But there was no angelic singing. Much to my dismay, my voice sounded wavery, thin and out of tune. Oh well.

But I never lost my love of recording. I always thought it was the most fun, and I still do.

mym: How would you describe your musical style and sound?

That's a tough question! I used to think "quirky and beautiful song" was a good description. Lots of the lyrics and music are a little bit quirky. Or they used to be, anyway. These days I aim for less quirky, and more beautiful. Chilled out, alternative pop maybe? I don't know -- how would you describe it?

Simon & Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Ella Fitzgerald and Bob Dylan all really inspired me when I first started writing in 1995. They're all so good telling stories.

And they all sing about true things, things they've experienced and observed about life and people. But the sound that's always stuck with me as blowing me completely out of the water, is Daniel Lanois.

The ultimate for me would be to be able to produce recordings of the songs I've written so far with Daniel Lanois' epic, tingly sound.

mym: At mindyourmind.ca we strive to promote positive mental health and encourage young people to reach out when they need help.... What do you do to cope with stresses in life, what gives you support?

That's a really good question. I feel like I get stressed out a lot and I don't know why. When I'm really stressed out I usually talk to my best friend James (who I'm also married to!) or play/write music or journal or pray. James is really good at saying "awwwww" in a really sympathetic way, and he's quite good at cuddles too, which really help! Playing music, singing or writing can be really cathartic. And praying is a funny one because I used to avoid it until about a year and half ago, but now I find it fantastically helpful.

I read a Johnny Depp interview last year where he said something about how self-loathing had been a real part of his growing up, and that really struck a chord with me. Not that I hate myself. But often I hate things about the way I am or about my life and at those times it's really easy to just wallow in depression and self-loathing.

And sometimes I'll just stay that way for hours or days, or I'll be miserable off and on for weeks (or even longer).

One thing that often helps me break out of that is just remembering times in the past when I've just been so happy with the simplest things.

Like about a month ago, I was walking down the street with some friends and realized I was a bit miserable. I asked myself why. And I realized I've just gotten into the habit of often feeling kind of miserable. Then I thought back to when I was a kid, and how my idea of heaven back then was just being out being with my friends. Or having one of my fave foods. Or not having to go to school because it was summer.

And I thought, "Man, I can do any of those things whenever I want ... I can hang out with people or have any food I want or just enjoy some free time ... it's so great being an adult! So why am I being so miserable?"

It's kind of like the old 'count your blessings' thing ... sounds like an old trite cliche, I know. But when I actually do it, it works. Crazy.

Want2be (Click arrow below to play)

mym: That’s awesome... Your ‘Don't Drink coke’ song is definitely thought-provoking. First of all, you know I 'm going to ask you to elaborate on what inspired you to write this, and secondly, what has the response been towards this song? Should we just drink pepsi instead? LOL... But are other major corporations any better??

Actually, James wrote it. I just sang /recorded it! It kind of all started when James met a guy from Colombia at a European Social Forum conference last year. The guy seemed incredibly sad and serious and was giving out magazines about how paramilitary groups had been killing/abducting/threatening Union leaders at the Coca Cola bottling plant in Colombia for years, apparently with the help of the plant managers it seemed.

So James did some research on Coca Cola and found that they're quite happy to destroy people's lives and entire communities in order to make more money. As you've guessed, this is pretty common among major corporations. But different corporations take it to different levels. And Coca Cola have shown in the past that they're about as extreme as they can get in sacrificing people to profit.

Lots of people don't know how evil Coca Cola's behaviour has been up to now. "Evil" is a strong word, but that's the best word I know to describe what happens when corporations care more about money than people. I'm all for thriving, successful businesses, but we've really got to remember that businesses are here to serve people, not the other way around.

So anyway, James and I wanted to put out a really fun song that would let people know the truth about Coke. And "Don't Drink Coke" was born!

The response has been great so far! Loads of people have emailed us to just say they really enjoyed the tune. A couple of people have said they liked the message.

If you want to know more about the issues, www.waronwant.org is a good place to look.

How about Pepsi? I think drinking Pepsi is a step in the right direction, LOL! Of course, fizzy drinks are bad for you anyway, but if you must drink them and don't want to give your money to the jerks who kick down the poorest of the poor in order to make a few more million, then go for smaller, locally produced products.

On a hopeful note, would it really work if people just stopped drinking Coke? Would Coke then change it's wicked wicked ways? I think so! Since the "Don't Drink Coke" campaign started a few years ago, the killings/abductions of union leaders and their families have stopped. And that's just the beginning! Just think, by not drinking Coke, you are probably saving lives!

Now that's a happy thought! :^)

mym: What else are you passionate about?

Love! I don't mean just romantic love. I mean the sort of love that enjoys the very best in each person, love that doesn't judge and condemn others, love that listens, and accepts people as they are, and forgives in the most radical way. Love that gives, serves, surrenders.

It's the sort of love that I fail at every day, but when it works, amazing things happen, both around me and within me.

(For some amazing stories about forgiveness, check out www.theforgivenessproject.com/stories)

I'm also passionate about car-sharing, and sharing in general. My dream is of a world where anyone with a car would offer a lift to anyone they drove by, and where hitchhikers would never have to wait more than a few minutes for a ride.

mym: Any quotes to live by?

A few of my faves:

"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes." -- The Little Prince

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race." H G Wells

"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well." Dame Julian of Norwich (14th Century mystic)

mym: What's the one food you just can't live without??

All foods, I love food! (Especially sushi, fine chocolates, soft-boiled eggs, salty snacks, cream cakes, meringues, mexican, fresh crusty whole-grain breads, leafy salads, grilled mediterranean vegetables, caramelized onions, and home-made soups.)

mym: What are your plans for the future in regards to music, goals?

Just to record more songs and release a few albums. I guess releasing one album would be a good start. Eventually I would love love love to have my music played regularly on hundreds of radio stations and to have millions of people listening to and enjoying it!

Thanks so much LeeSun!!

For more information on LeeSun and her music check out www.myspace.com/leesun or leesunshine.blogspot.com.