A powerful First Nations voice takes to the stage: Leonie Whyman

You might already know her face without realising it. Leonie Whyman currently features on the hit ABC TV series Deadloch, the sharp, funny, much-loved crime comedy set in Tasmania...appearing both on screen and on its soundtrack. But acting is only one string to her bow.

Under the name LEO, she’s a genuinely captivating musician.

A proud Makwarra-Barkindji and Wiradjuri songstress, LEO is a multi-disciplinary artist who builds her sound live and raw, looping her guitar and her voice, layer upon layer, into something soulful and completely her own. It’s the kind of music that stops a room.

And it comes from somewhere deep. Her songs are drawn from her own spiritual journey and her lived experiences as a First Nations woman today. She writes to heal hurting hearts, to make people think and feel, and to use her voice as a platform to shine a light on the hard topics, the ones that matter. Healing and empowerment run right through everything she does.

After performing at venues and festivals across Melbourne, LEO is bringing her talents to the First Nations Music Afternoon this Saturday 17 October, hosted by the Macedon Ranges Truth and Reconciliation Group on Wurundjeri Country. The afternoon kicks off with a Welcome to Country, with refreshments on offer and LEO’s soul-stirring performance at the heart of it.

It’s exactly the kind of gathering that reminds you how music, truth and community all belong together.

If you’re anywhere near, don’t miss it. And if you’re not — keep an ear out for LEO on the radio this week. This is a voice going places.