Leah Mason’s latest single is a cry for authenticity. In her new pop era, Leah isn’t dabbling in anyone’s nonsense, targeting lame boyfriends (in her previous single “Your Boyfriend Sucks”) and copycats with honest lyrics. We got an inside look at “Klepto,” a song about the frustration of imitation gone too far.
Being a young adult is all about finding your place in the world. From career moves to sense of style, there’s a lot to figure out. These moves are difficult, but they get harder when someone is stepping on your toes. That’s exactly what Leah experienced as a friend’s style began to devour her own. “She would subtly ask me where my clothes were from, and the next week, she’d show up in the same thing I’d been wearing,” Leah shared. “It was flattering at first…” The flattery turned to annoyance as Leah noticed that imitation started to extend to shared crushes and friends. “It was so frustrating because it felt like she would try to take everything I told her about.”
While this can easily take a turn for petty drama, Leah’s real concern is authenticity. “For example, as an artist, I take inspiration from other artists all the time. However, when you hear the song that may have inspired me next to the song I’ve created, they may exist in the same category, but they sound entirely unique.” We all find inspiration in the ways that different people have figured out how to navigate life and self-expression, but ultimately we have to find our own methods for success.
Being yourself is always going to be your best option, but what if you’re dealing with you’re own personality “klepto”? “They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and someone copying everything you do is essentially a way of them saying they think you’re better than them,” Leah said. Her advice is, even when it’s frustrating, to take it in stride. “As annoying as it is—and trust me, I know—try to take it as a compliment.” Remember, if someone is imitating you, it means they think you have it all figured out!
“Klepto” is Leah’s second pop single since she decided to make the genre shift from classic rock and country. It isn’t an all-new sound for her though. “Although the sound is obviously very different to my old songs, much of my skills as a writer came from country music!”
