Singer/Songwriter Lenii To Release Song and Video For 'Live Your Life' By Nick Cordero, Featuring Footage From Amanda Kloots

On September 1st, Irish-born singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Lenii will release her version of the song "Live Your Life," by Nick Cordero, the Broadway Star who died from Covid-19 on July 5th. The single bookends a moving story that had an impact on theatre and music lovers worldwide.

In late March, as New York City started to shut down amidst the onset of the pandemic, Lenii moved to Los Angeles to finish working on her debut EP. She landed in Laurel Canyon (the neighborhood known for music) and it was not long before she was using her musical talents to lift the spirits of those around her.

Soon after Lenii arrived, she found out that her next door neighbor, Broadway star and Tony nominee, Nick Cordero had recently been admitted to the hospital diagnosed with Covid-19 and had been placed into an induced coma. A neighbor invited her to perform the Carole King / James Taylor anthem, 'You've Got a Friend' to cheer up Nick's wife, Amanda Kloots - who had only just moved to the Canyon with Nick and their 9-month-old son Elvis - as Nick had just been tapped to reprise his lead role in the hit musical, Rock Of Ages.

Sadly, Nick's condition worsened - and he ultimately died on July 5th. During his battle, his wife Amanda had called on the internet to perform Nick's song "Live Your Life" every day at 3:00 PM and urged the world to post their version and hashtag it. Amanda would then share all those videos across her social footprint - which numbers in the millions.

Soon, Lenii would perform her version of Nick's song as part of local street choir gatherings in the back of a pickup truck for Amanda and Nick's family - and has now teamed up with a local Los Angeles piano player Jason Borger and her younger brother Michael Murphy on cello to bring this stripped back version of "Live Your Life" to Nick's fans worldwide.

"I couldn't believe how gorgeous Lenii's version of Life Your Life was when I first heard it. She pulled up in the back of a pick a truck with a band to sing to me and I was instantly in tears listening to her sing. Her voice is so beautifully haunting. I love how she has interpreted Nick's song and I know he would too. I am so grateful to forever have this version by Lenii to listen to," said Amanda Kloots.

"When I first sang Nick's song "Live Your Life" for his wife, Amanda and their family, all I wanted to do was give her a hug. I could never have imagined then, that night in the pickup truck, how big of an impact it would also have on so many strangers. I began getting really personal messages from people about how much the song has touched their lives and I had this very humbling realization that the music I make is really for everyone else, as much as it's for myself. I think it's amazing how we can love people we've never met and want to take care of someone we've never met," said Lenii.

Lenii has recently returned to her home in Ireland, where she has been visiting family and working out of local studios. "I just got out of the studio where I produced and performed a new version of 'Live Your Life'. I was able to remotely record the piano in Los Angeles and then I got my younger brother to play the cello parts. He did such a great job and I am kind of a tough producer - and work really hard at getting every part just right. I had my boyfriend Bill play some additional piano and sing some backing vocals. So I had to get creative under this quarantine to use what I had around me - and then used video conferencing with Jason in Los Angeles and the master engineer in London and have been texting a lot with Amanda in Los Angeles."

A video of 'Live Your Life' will be available on all streaming platforms along with the single on September 1. The video was made using cell phone footage that Amanda sent to Lenii -with Lenii editing the raw footage into the video.

"It was so hard to edit - but also so beautiful to see the love between Nick and Amanda. A real look behind the curtain into someone's life, and I felt so honored to be trusted with the job of making this video. I direct and edit all of the music videos for my own music, so I was up for the task - but it was so emotional."

Lenii is now back at work on the finishing touches for her debut EP "In All Fairness" which comes out at the end of September.