How Motherhood and Jackson Browne’s Mentorship Inspired Mai Leisz’s Vocal Debut

Mai Leisz has been writing music and putting out her own albums for over a decade, but her latest effort takes things to a whole new level. What Love Can Be is a “tribute to family, home, and the beauty of understanding that love remains, even through change,” she explains. It’s her first album since becoming a mother, and it’s also her debut vocal album.

Although she began singing as a child, a bout of stage fright in her teenage years led her to focus on the bass. As far as her exquisite writing, Leisz has had plenty of influence in the singer-songwriter realm. For the past decade, she’s toured the world with Jackson Browne and the late David Crosby. Not only did she get inside their music and approach, Browne even helped her with lyrics for a song on her new EP.

What Love Can Be is a gorgeous soundtrack to Leisz’s life. She utilizes her fretless bass to deliver deep emotional expression alongside amazing musicians, including her wonderfully multi-talented husband Greg Leisz. Other guests include Michael Landau, Lee Pardini, Rachel Eckroth, Alan Hertz, Jake Reed, and Raul Vaigla, who was Leisz’s bass teacher back in Estonia.

We caught up with Leisz to find out more about her singing, writing the new music, and how motherhood has changed her music. What Love Can Be is streaming now on all major platforms including Bandcamp, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more.

What led to you singing again? Was it a natural process or a conscious decision you made?

A bit of both. I started writing these songs during the pandemic, not expecting anyone to ever hear them. It took a few years before I felt like, ‘Okay, some of these aren’t so bad – I wouldn’t mind sharing them.’ From there, it slowly evolved into actually recording them and letting them fly free. Once I made the decision to release an EP, I started approaching it more intentionally. I took vocal lessons and realized I’ve become a very different singer than I used to be – someone I can actually appreciate now.

What tips do you have for bassists wanting to sing?

Before you add vocals, make sure the bass part is totally locked in. It should be so second-nature that you don’t have to think about it while you’re singing… and be patient.

You’ve worked with some of the best songwriters in the world. How did they influence your new music?

Playing bass for David Crosby was like getting a masterclass in songwriting every night. What I learned from him goes way beyond chord progressions or lyrics – it was about how deeply personal and fearless songwriting can be.

Jackson Browne recommended that I listen to Leonard Cohen – so I did. I started reading Cohen’s lyrics like poetry, and that opened something up for me. I began doing the same with all my favorite artists: Joni Mitchell, Mark Knopfler, and of course David Crosby and Jackson himself. I’d ask myself, “Do the lyrics sing? Do they flow? What are they trying to say and do the words move me?” For the first time, I truly understood how essential the words are.

Jackson also helped me with my own lyrics. English isn’t my first language, so he became my Grammar Godfather – he’d gently suggest, “Maybe there’s a better way to say this,” and we’d work through it together. He’s a close friend, but still, I had to pinch myself. He’s one of the greatest living songwriters and one of the busiest people I know. The fact that he took the time to help me with my songs – what a gift!

The interplay between your fretless and Greg’s slide is amazing. Do you find you have to be more thoughtful about range and timbre when playing two non-fretted instruments together?

Yes, definitely. When I’ve worked with Greg on other projects, I’ve heard him say that he tries not to get in the way of the vocals with his playing. So when I play bass, I try to take the same approach – leave space, and not get in the way of what he might do. We are really listening to each other.

The songs have interesting instrumentations with banjo, oud, and n’goni. How did you come to using those instruments? Did you envision using them or was it through experimentation?

While I was writing these songs, I was listening to a lot of Robert Plant and fell in love with how he weaves in world music instruments. That’s where the idea of using oud and n’goni came from – I was writing these songs already imagining those sounds in them. I think I’ve grown a bit tired of traditional instrumentation, so I’ve been more open to exploring and experimenting. A big part of that influence also comes from being married to Greg – our house is full of instruments, from banjos to mandocellos. Sometimes I’ll just pick one up, start playing around, and the sound alone will inspire something new.

What Love Can Be features your bass teacher Raul Vaigla. What is your relationship like with him and what was it like to have him on your album?

Raul has become one of my closest friends – he’s one of the few people I’ve stayed in touch with over the years. He’s not just an incredible bassist and teacher, but someone I trust musically and personally. Having him play on What Love Can Be was so special for me. It felt like things had come full circle – this person who helped shape my playing is now part of my own music. It was emotional, honestly. He brought so much depth and heart to the track.

Has motherhood changed your relationship to music?

Absolutely. Being a mother is the most beautiful part of my life – and also the hardest and most important job I’ve ever had. Since Gia’s birth, I’ve felt incredibly inspired. It’s like a new part of me opened up, and with it, a deeper connection to music. I feel things more intensely now – there’s more tenderness, more urgency, more truth in everything I write. My time is more limited, but my purpose feels clearer. When I sit down to create, I’m more intentional. I want to make something real, something meaningful -not just for myself, but for her, too.

Will you be performing live with this music? What is next for you?

If I can get over my stage fright – I’d love to perform live with this music. It’s definitely on the agenda. As for what’s next, I’m always writing, so there’s more music on the way. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll perform without feeling like I’m going to pass out from nerves!