Leanna Crawford Proves Good Things Take Time With Long-Awaited Debut, ‘Still Waters’
It was 2018 when Leanna Crawford was first introduced to audiences via Matthew West. The budding singer/songwriter earned a slot on tour opening for the award-winning artist and released her first songs in partnership with West’s label imprint. She then dropped a major label EP in 2020 with thoughtful selections like “Truth I’m Standing On” and “Mean Girls” turning heads. Ever since, she’s been dripping new music like a faucet, one steady melody at a time, releasing a smattering of singles, which have finally culminated in her official full-length debut, “Still Waters.”
Her long-awaited 14-track collection was well worth the time it took to make its way into the world. A more grown-up effort compared to her previous work, “Still Waters” offers a stream of contemplative pop with Crawford oscillating between stripped-back moments of raw vulnerability and universal themes that explore what it means not just to be a believer, but to be human.
The title-cut holds both timeless truth and a significant story. Inspired by her Aunt Maurine, “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” takes its chorus from the well-known “The Lord is my shepherd” Scripture. However, it’s the mention of her aunt at the top of verse one that really makes this ballad unique. Crawford’s Aunt Maurine learned she was on the verge of going blind in her 40s, so she decided to memorize the majority of the Bible…in its entirety. When Crawford met her for the first time, Aunt Maurine was 103 and could still quote Scripture — chapter and verse — on demand. Her real-life story is written into the first lines of Crawford’s latest single, underscoring the power of writing God’s Word on your heart.
Meanwhile, “Still Waters” opens with the convicting “For Heaven’s Sake,” a timely, gentle plea for unity and reconciliation with a title that turns the familiar phrase on its head. Sister selections like the sparsely produced “Simple,” the rhythmic “Make It Through” and the peaceful “Rest” continue to showcase Crawford’s uncanny ability to articulate her feelings as if she’s expressing her emotions to a friend over coffee. With intentional transparency, she lays her soul bare, making her girl-next-door lyrics easily accessible without watering down any substance.
Midway through the tracklisting, notable standout “Honest” lives up to its name with Crawford admitting she doesn’t always feel God’s presence or have the strength to worship when life gets hard and confusing. Poignant ballad “Jesus Is” is just as blunt with arresting lines like: “With the scoundrels and drunkards, lepers and me, on a hill far away, between a couple of thieves, the last place on Earth you think He would be, but that’s right where Jesus is.”
Just as lyrically rich, “Both Sides” finds Crawford straddling the now and the not yet with the kind of fierce faith that perseveres on “both sides of the miracle.” Elsewhere, a choir adds a fuller sound to a couple radio-ready tracks, including the soulful “I Know A Place” and the lost-and-found narrative of “Looking For You.”
Deep into the project, Crawford — who married NBA star Cody Zeller in 2023 — pledges forever on “Vow To Be Yours,” the song she surprised her husband with at their wedding reception. Chances are good the Crawford/Zeller celebration won’t be the last occasion where the sweet and charming original will be heard.
The road to “Still Waters” might have been exceptionally long, but the winding path to fruition allowed Crawford space to flesh out her artistic voice and hone her songwriting chops, which paid off in spades with a debut LP that’s more mature than most. Her warm, inviting vocal is as welcoming as her lyrical perspective, belying the relatable 20-something’s age. Fans will instantly fall in love with her emotional candor and confessional tone that’s as engaging as the Washington state native herself. Here’s hoping her sophomore set arrives in due time.
