Leoncia Maria Martin, known professionally as Leoncie,[1] is an Indian–Icelandic musician. Her other stage names are Icy Spicy Leoncie and Indian Princess Leoncie.[2][3][4]
Life
Leoncie was born in
Goa in India. She is of Indian and Portuguese descent (Goa was a
Portuguese Colony until 1961).[5] She studied music at
Trinity College Of Music London.[6] In 1982 she moved to
Kópavogur, Iceland after marrying an Icelander, where she worked as an entertainer.[7][8]
A singer-songwriter, she has been compared to
Madonna and the
Peruvian entertainer
Tigresa del Oriente.[2][9] In 2003, Morgunblaðið called her "one of the most unusual and controversial artists in the country."[6] Icelandic musician
Dr. Gunni [
is] said in 2015 "It is difficult to explain or describe Leoncie, or her cultural significance to foreigners. Perhaps she could be described as an un-ironic Icelandic/Indian version of
Ru Paul?"[10] In 2016, journalist
Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen [
is] called her "the enfant terrible of Icelandic outsider music."[4] She has appeared on the British shows The X Factor and Eurotrash.[1][11]