Bio
Leah (Jett) Chynoweth-Tidy is an Australian-born, multi-award nominated singer-songwriter currently based in her father’s native Scotland. She created musical project Kissing The Flint (translation: ‘creating a spark’) in 2015 to cut through the fakery of the modern world. Authenticity and emotion run through her songwriting, story-telling and live performance, connecting and empowering a global audience.
Song themes flow from an adventurous spirit with crystal clear messaging and vivid imagery, drawn from experience, empathy, and imagination. Solo or fronting her bands in both hemispheres, this genre-fluid artist moves easily from roots beauty to rock raunch in explorations of the human condition, a genuine desire to empower others and a lifelong affinity with the natural world.
Leah began her original songwriting journey in 2015 after initially honing live performance chops in cover bands for several years. Participation in the 2017 Queensland Music Festival’s ‘Songs That Made Me’ female artist mentorship program formed the bones
of her 2019 debut EP ‘Unconditionality’. The title track is a clarion call-to-arms to own your true self and never compromise for others.
Sassy Kissing The Flint live performances in Australia include the Agnes Blues Roots & Rock Festival main stage alongside stellar Antipodean artists Vika & Linda, Tex Perkins (Leah’s 2017 RocKwiz National Tour team captain) and Dragon. Leah’s creative mentors include acclaimed Australian female artists Katie Noonan, Deborah Conway, Clare Bowditch, Tania Doko (Bachelor Girl), Francesca de Valence, Roz Pappalardo (Women In Docs, Lontano) and Sam Buckingham. Leah has been an active member of the vibrant I Heart Songwriting Club community since 2022 and written over 150 new original songs during that time.
Since relocating to the UK in 2020, Kissing The Flint has wowed many eager new UK audiences, attracted a fresh fanbase and received global radio and digital airplay. She has returned to Australia for release tours twice during that time. Her studio releases to date include the debut EP ‘Unconditionality’ (2019), sophomore blues-rock EP ‘Standing On The Fringe of Rooms’ (2024) and first full album, the multi-genre ‘Rule The World’(2026), recorded with Huey Dowling at Unit 7 Studio, SW Scotland and mastered by Ben Findlay (Real World, Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck). To date, Leah has released 8 singles and recently started recording her next full album at Unit 7 Studio, which is due for release in 2027.
UK live performances to date include Scotland on Tour, Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival, The Lodge Arts Collective, Kirkcudbright Steampunk, Arts and Fringe Festivals, Beattock Bash, Wigtown Shindy, the internationally acclaimed Stranraer Oyster Festival and a main stage slot at Music at the Multiverse alongside stellar UK artists Toploader, The Hoosiers and Tide Lines. She is now also an accredited Scottish Mentor.
As the driving force of Kissing The Flint, Leah remains passionate in her explorations and growth as a global artist, meeting the challenges of unprecedented times in history head-on. Her multi-genre songwriting has already earned an Australian Celtic Song of the Year nomination, Australian Songwriting Association Inc (ASAI) Indie-Rock Top 10, Voyager International Song Competition finals place, nomination for a Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award in 2026, and a swathe of five-star commended awards in her first two years of entering the UK Songwriting Competition.
Journeying with ease from soft to sassy, this passionate, multi-talented artist is on a dedicated mission to seek authentic human connections with a global audience through her unique music that not only speaks to your soul, will also get you up on your feet and grooving.
REVIEWS / TESTIMONIALS:
“Enthralling sound, evocative lyrics and commanding vocals.” (Jyla Blog)
“Citing Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks among her influences, Kissing The Flint is on a dedicated mission to resurrect female rock ‘n ‘ roll, one banger at a time.” (Marilu Ciabattoni, Lost In The Manor)
Hailing from Queensland, Australia but now based in Scotland, Kissing The Flint (aka Leah Chynoweth-Tidy) curbs her love for steampunk and rockabilly into feisty, genre-diverse music. Numerous rave reviews, energetic live shows and multi-award nominations prove she is not one to be ignored.” (Nicole Mendes, The Other Side Reviews)
Kissing The Flint (aka Leah Jett) is an artist adept at crafting immersive tales that delve deep into the complexities of human emotions and relationships. Drawing inspiration from powerful, resilient feminine narratives, Leah’s music creates a tableau of intense passion, formidable power dynamics, and raw emotions. Her songwriting skilfully oscillates between strength and vulnerability, presenting listeners with evocative scenarios that both entertain and resonate. With every track, Leah challenges you to not just hear, but feel, question, and introspect, making her one of the most compelling artists in the contemporary music scene.” (Testing Melodies)
“Kissing The Flint is the Australian-Scottish creative project of the brilliant musical mind Leah Chynoweth-Tidy. Bringing together the best elements of these cultures and heritages, Leah creates a brash and brilliantly audacious melting pot of swashbuckling blues rock with an indie aesthetic and pop sensibility. This foundation led to the 2024 unveiling of ‘Standing on the Fringe of Rooms’, a seven-song encapsulation of this modern musician’s outsider status, captured exceptionally through original compositions ‘100 or Less’, ‘Dune Girl’, ‘Gunslinger Love’, and more. The 2024 album marked a fantastic evolution from Kissing the Flint’s debut outing in 2019, the
genre-fluid ‘Unconditionality’. Throughout their latest, hard-hitting ten-track album entitled ‘Rule the World’, released in 2026, Kissing The Flint shape-shifts through realms of bluesy rock, country leanings, reggae, and ambient explorations. It’s an exciting listen, from top to bottom. (Tom Hilton, Aldora Britain Records)
FOLLOW, LISTEN AND WATCH NOW AT KISSING THE FLINT
Artist Liaison and Media
Leah Chynoweth-Tidy
E: kissingtheflint@gmail.com
PH: +44 7534 515 518 (UK)
W: www.kissingtheflint.com