Leah Mari

Leah Mari (2001-) is a South African singer, pianist, dancer, performer and playwright.

Not to be confused with the California-based gospel singer with the same name[1].

Biography

Born in 2001 in Durban, where her parents were jazz musicians, she completed her schooling there. While at school she was a member of the KZN Youth Choir, appeared in local productions and was a recipient of the DALRO ACT Scholarship.

Training

Mari initially enrolled in the Bachelor of Music programme at the University of the Witwatersrand. However, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic presented unforeseen challenges. This realisation led her to participate in the Project Performer National Online Lockdown Competition, which attracted the attention of the directors from the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) in Cape Town. She was eventually awarded a scholarship to pursue her dreams at LAMTA, where she fully immersed herself in the world of musical theatre.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

She made her professional debut playing "Maria" in The Sound of Music (Pieter Toerien Productions in collaboration with Cape Town Opera, 2024), and she took on the iconic role of "Eliza Doolittle" in the national tour of My Fair Lady. She played the lead role in Pretty Woman: The Musical (2026).