Raspberry Leviathan

Raspberry Leviathan (Rasputin Levi, or Levi for short), born "Lakiya Hunter" on November 17th 1990 in Leich, Germany to a drafted Vietnam (now) war vet and a Cleveland city girl, identifies as a renaissance woman and an artist well adept in the tactic of "Escape through Creation"
Having relocated to Anniston, AL shortly before her first birthday, she has remained there for 23 of her almost 24 years.

A bit of a recluse, Levi taught herself guitar at 14 and elected to spend ages 14 through 19 in her room writing songs and poetry, playing along to CDs from her favourite bands, and listening to music, venturing out only for school and marching band rehearsal and mostly cultivating a social life with two "other little rock kids" and best friends.

Growing up, she was introduced to R&B and Soul music through her parents and developed an intense live and appreciation for melody that she utilized in tandem with the influence she got from guitar-oriented punk and rock bands (Nirvana, Green Day, JJ72, The Pixies, etc.).
It wasn't until 16 that, through watching FLCL (Fooly Cooly), she discovered the Japanese band The Pillows who would very immediately become her most favourite and most influential band, their song "Hybrid Rainbow" holding the place of most favourite song (she sports a tattoo of the title in katakana on her left forearm).
After that she formed the band Smashing Blue (still going strong, but far from the original lineup) and transplanted musically to Japan where she discoveres and fell in love with Ling Tosite Sigure, ART-SCHOOL, Ogre You Asshole, and Andymori (amongst others).

Fronting Smashing Blue, she remained mostly rock-oriented and into Japanese music (though catching onto artists Laura Veirs, Lauryn Hill, Jeff Buckley, and Stevie Nicks) into her college years.

It wasn't until around 21 that she started dabbling in the business of being an acoustic singer-songwriter when her mom procured her a "really terrible" acoustic guitar from a bar for $20. Twenty more dollars of repair later, she played in anyway.

Levi spent the next two years developing her artistry with Smashing Blue and as a solo artist, playing local shows whenever they/she could.
Having always proclaimed intentions to be the "biggest rock star in the world", with her own definition of success, her top aim in simply "to sing to the world":

"Being an individual who suffers from chronic depression,
I have found that music is the only salve that puts my
mind and spirit at ease. That, and remaining grounded.
Music has saved my life, and I know people on top of
people who's lives have also been saved by music. I want
to heal through music, as many people as I am able touch,
I want to sing them a tune that lets them know, 'Hey, I see
you' and that 'It's okay'. In the words of Jeff Buckley, I want
people to take 'whatever they want", whatever they need
from my music"

Raspberry Leviathan's follwup to her 2013 EP "Hello My Colour Dreamboat", entitled "Beauty Everywhere" is available now.

Raspberry also seeks to fix what Guitar Hero broke.