Multi-award-winning musician and songwriter / Freddie Mercury Scholarship Winner / PRS Guitars artist Leoni Jane Kennedy performs an acoustic tribute to Rush with special guest Eóin de Paor from Moving Pictures (Rush tribute UK).
Tackling some obscure tracks and popular sing-alongs from throughout the many eras of Rush, Leoni and Eóin will play through songs from her reinterpretations album “New World Woman” alongside new tracks, set to be included on the next covers album in the near future.
Discussing the date, Leoni Jane Kennedy explained: “We’re ecstatic to see that Rush are playing together again with Anika Nilles paying homage to Neil whilst also giving Rush fans like myself the opportunity to see Alex and Geddy perform a full set together live! In the meantime across the pond in the UK, myself and Eóin are so excited to be performing some of our favourite Rush tracks acoustically for audiences who may not get the chance to go over there. My mum never used to like Rush until I created my acoustic Rush reinterpretations album ‘New World Woman’ and I’m hoping that everyone who has responded to this over the past two years will consider coming out and celebrating this amazing band with us! It’s an intimate lounge cabaret style set up for these shows but Eóin has his fancy feet trigger pedals he will be using the emulate string sections for some tracks. We hope people love it and are willing to see Rush in this new light! The timing is impeccable.”
Leoni Jane Kennedy hit the ground running in 2025, she was voted #4 in PROG Magazine’s 2025 Readers Poll in the ‘Best New Artist Category’ and released her first single of the year ‘Different Kind of Woman’ which received radio airplay from the likes of MNPR Magazine Radio as well as interviews with Rock The Joint Magazine, Full Pelt Magazine and Overtone Magazine to name a few.
In addition, she toured with Prog-rock band Solstice across the UK, was interviewed in PROG Magazine, performed with The Anchoress over two sold-out shows opening for The Manic Street Preachers at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London.
Leoni Jane Kennedy is a multi-award-winning singer songwriter, often described as ‘haunting’ by her audiences. With intricate guitar riffs alongside powerful, soulful vocals, Leoni is a musical polymath creating a new wave of rock with progressive influence in her rhythmic and melodic structures, offering lyrics that surpass her years. With a touch of a young Bonnie Raitt in her, Leoni performs her songs with a delivery second to none and is described by The New York Times as “a welcomed portal to something passionate and powerful”.
Winning her first title as the UK’s number 1 under 19’s singer songwriter award in 2014, thirteen year old Leoni performed live at the Houses of Parliament in London which led to a Yamaha sponsorship and an endorsement from Orange Amplification. Leoni would go on to win further songwriting awards and in 2018, ‘Queen’s’ Brian May and Roger Taylor chose her from hundreds of applicants to receive the ‘Freddie Mercury’ Scholarship, financing her entire university tuition fees. Leoni graduated with First Class Honours and then moved to North London where she obtained a Masters Degree in Songwriting. For the majority of her work, Leoni uses PRS Guitars, and her talents were again recognised when she was chosen as a ‘PRS Guitars Pulse Artist’ for 2023/2024, representing the brand as an artist in her own right and in late 2024 she was promoted to FULL PRS GUITARS artist endorsee after impressing the company with her dedication to live shows and social media presence.
Leoni’s latest album ‘New World Woman’ was independently recorded and released by her in 2023 as an acoustic compilation of reinterpreted tracks, originally penned by the Canadian prog rock legends ‘Rush’. After raising a whopping £5.8K via a Kickstarter’ campaign, Leoni then had the funding to create a huge merchandise range with products. ‘New World Woman’ has been a great success, completely selling out of CDs with only 20 vinyl remaining! Leoni is touring all over the UK to promote this album which has gained worldwide praise and the hearts of many.
“When I judged ‘Rock the House Under 19’s National competition in London in 2014, 13-year-old Leoni blew me away with her talent. Fast forward two years and a video of Leoni covering a prog rock song by Rush got 17,000 hits in 48 hours via Planet Rock’s website. Acoustic or electric, solo or with a band, Leoni definitely has a bright future!” – Paul Anthony (Planet Rock Radio)
“I’m so impressed with how far Leoni has come. There is a bit of the young Bonnie Raitt in her. There is a wisdom and a touch of the blues in her voice and songs that would fit with a woman twice her age. If she gets the chance and the support to play in front of thousands of people, travel, experience what life throws at her, I believe what I believed seven years ago, that LJK will become an accomplished, internationally recognised musician and songwriter with an enduring career. My company just released Laura Marling’s seventh album and Laura just turned 30 this year. I predict a similar trajectory for Leoni. I would encourage you to support this gifted and dedicated artist.” – Robin Millar CBE, Chairman, Blue Raincoat Chrysalis Group (Sade, Eric Clapton, Big Country, Randy Crawford)
In respect of Leoni’s performance at Prog The Forest December 2024, Jerry Ewing said: “Leoni Jane Kennedy continues to impress Prog, even though her intention to appear with a full band doesn’t happen this year. Performing solo with acoustic guitar, she kicks off with a take on Rush’s Kid Gloves, hardly the easiest of tracks to play, and later delights the crowd with New World Man and a poignant Tears, while her own material is equally awe- inspiring. No wonder The Anchoress, with whom she plays live, holds her in such high esteem.” – Latest Issue of PROG Magazine
New World Woman Live – An Acoustic Tribute To Rush
Sunday 2nd November 2025
Wrecking Ball Music and Books, 15 Whitefriargate, Hull, HU1 2ER
Tickets: wreckingballstore.co.uk/event/leoni-jane-kennedy-new-world-woman-tribute-to-rush