Leslie Damaso is a Filipino-American singer, visual artist, poet, writer, teacher and business owner at Buttonhill Music Studio in the historic community in Mineral Point. Her work has been focused on themes of Asian American citizenship, the effects of colonialism, the individual’s sense of belonging, identity, intergenerational trauma and community. She recently performed for the launch of a website through the University of Maryland, aimed to teach Asian American history in K-12 education called “Filipino American Lives in DC, Maryland and Virginia”. In 2020, her video “Bayan Ko” with Madison based band, Mr. Chair, had its world premiere through FilAm Arts LA’s Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture. Her album, May Laya, a collection of kundiman art songs of the Philippines, recorded with Jason Kutz, received the 2019 Best World Album award from the Madison Area Music Association. She has performed locally, hosted by Tone Madison, Communication, Taliesin, the First Unitarian Society, the Madison World Music Festival and Overture Center for the Arts.
Leslie’s poetry, essays and photography have been featured in numerous publications including the Driftless Writing Center’s Contours anthology and the 2nd edition of The Little Book Project WI. For over a decade, she has written through Driftless Appetite blog and The Voice of the River Valley, celebrating the Driftless Region and its people. She has partnered with Chicago chef, Eve Studnicka, for a pop-up dinner on the theme “Wisconsin-Filipino”. Their next collaboration will feature dishes from the music of Tom Waits. Leslie’s first solo art exhibit in 2019 included works in watercolor and pen with Baybayin (ancient Filipino script) and her calligraphy is featured in Surat, the first magazine in over fifty years to only use the ancient script.
Other upcoming projects will include her third album, a children’s book featuring a contemporary myth, a collection of poetry exploring her connection and disconnection in the states along with the indelible experiences from her childhood in the Philippines. Her music will be an accompaniment to a documentary called “Norte” by Cocoy Ventura, showcasing traditions in Luzon, the island where Leslie was born. She will also be part of a lesson on “Cultural Preservation and Adaptation” for Smithsonian Folkways.