- Leon Thomas launched his sophomore album, Mutt, on Sept. 27.
- The Grammy-winning songwriter has since been touring the U.S. on his first sold-out string of solo reveals
- “It is a fantastic factor to be right here now,” Thomas tells PEOPLE of the present second in his profession
For Leon Thomas, there is a “science” to crafting nice music. Simply as he jokes there is a “science” to conducting interviews mid-haircut.
Whereas backstage at his sold-out gig on the Music Corridor of Williamsburg in his dwelling turf of Brooklyn, the 31-year-old R&B hit-maker could not assist however chortle about squeezing collectively two elements of his schedule with the intention to make issues work — a fast haircut he wanted forward of some on-camera appearances the subsequent day, and his interview with PEOPLE.
Thomas’ pre-show schedule adjustment solely is sensible for somebody whose profession is taking off the best way his has in recent times. Whereas the multi-hyphenate has been a well-recognized face in Hollywood since his breakthrough work on Nickelodeon and a fixture within the music business together with his manufacturing and writing credit for the likes of Drake, Ariana Grande and SZA, his newest chapter is proving that he is simply as able to dishing solo hits and commanding rooms of followers with a guitar and reside band. And, from the look of his newest sold-out reveals, the music is clearly resonating.
“Essentially the most attention-grabbing a part of that science [of writing] is that you do not have to play by the principles of what all people else is doing,” Thomas tells PEOPLE within the venue’s greenroom on Nov. 13. “You possibly can stand by yourself two ft and dare to be totally different. And it might take a second, however individuals often decide up that frequency of freedom.”
Raymond Alva
As he promotes his sophomore album Mutt, launched in September, Thomas is now performing to followers throughout the U.S. on his personal, they usually’re exhibiting out for him in numbers he hasn’t seen earlier than.
“After the reveals, I undoubtedly have these exhale moments which might be simply so lovely, seeing sold-out crowds and other people benefit from the music and actually determine with it. It is one thing I dreamt of, one thing I’ve on my wall,” he says. “It is a fantastic factor to be right here now..”
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Whereas the singer-songwriter has an extended historical past of working behind-the-scenes and lending his abilities to others’ tasks, he says he is turn into “comfy” on stage solo, particularly in Brooklyn. In spite of everything, rising up in Park Slope, he attended a number of native live performance sequence together with his household, and even caught a glimpse of a six-song Prince set on the age of 12. “It was s— like that that actually helped me perceive it and wish to hit the stage, ready and able to go,” Thomas says of Prince, who he noticed once more years later at The Discussion board in Los Angeles. “He is undoubtedly my hero. I want I might have met him.”
He might not have gotten the prospect to rub shoulders with Prince, however Thomas’ checklist of collaborators (together with individuals he refers to as “precise legends”) appears to develop longer every time he releases new solo materials. Past Ariana Grande’s “Nasty,” Giveon’s “For Tonight” and Drake’s “Pipe Down,” Thomas notably co-produced SZA’s “Snooze” and earned the Grammy Award for finest R&B music in 2024 in consequence.
That trophy is now sitting in a cupboard in his dwelling as a reminder of how far he is come. “I actually do my finest to not let that get too in my head as a result of it is a lot work to do,” Thomas says. “And it’s a blessing to be up there [at the Grammys] representing SZA. However I would actually like to be up there as an artist in the future. So I am working onerous.”
Raymond Alva
Awards imply quite a bit to Thomas, however he tells PEOPLE he is conserving his present give attention to “constructing a group” of followers together with his solo materials — one thing he is persevering with to do with Mutt.
The undertaking, partly impressed by “psychedelic-sounding information” of the ’60s and ’70s, is a product of Thomas’s total listening habits, relationship standing modifications and, in a way, his canine. It additionally marks his first solo providing for the reason that Grammy victory and his second album whereas signed to Ty Dolla $ign’s EZMNY Information / Motown.
“I am attempting to create that psychedelic feeling in R&B and it is a actually robust factor as a result of the style is fairly iron clad,” he says. “They like sure colours, sure vibes, sure issues, however I am doing my finest to dare to be totally different.”
Through the two-year course of behind the album — which he finally began whereas wrapping up his 2023 undertaking Electrical Nightfall — Thomas soundtracked his life with music from the Alchemist, Madlib, Freddie Gibbs and Griselda, whereas additionally diving into some Black Sabbath and Roy Ayers throughout the latter half of the inventive course of. He is additionally been simply as massive on documentaries in recent times, together with a documentary on the Pink Sizzling Chili Peppers. However Thomas, whereas beginning to report footage of his personal journey, has a “principle” about conserving cameras round his orbit an excessive amount of as his profession progresses.
“It is virtually like quantum physics,” he says. “When eyes are watching, the molecule modifications and I believe the identical is for making music. You would possibly showcase a bit bit extra. And I believe it is not about exhibiting off, it is about being susceptible and actual and sincere and getting a real product. A whole lot of my classes, I am in a room on my own with concepts from individuals everywhere in the world and I am placing it collectively, however I want that solitude to do my factor.”
Whether or not or not followers will get to see a few of Thomas’ behind-the-scenes course of sooner or later, Mutt alone already showcases his songwriting at his most susceptible. And followers are connecting with it. The title observe has cracked 16 million streams on Spotify, has grown legs on TikTok by soundtracking almost 20,000 movies and leads followers into an album that contains a mighty string of collaborations, from the Wale-featuring “Emotions on Silent” to “Far Fetched” that includes Thomas’ pal Ty Dolla $ign.
The album title itself is thanks partially to Thomas’ personal mutt: his German Shepherd and Husky combine, Terry. The pup was a present from his ex-girlfriend, and whereas Thomas says he “represented the deterioration of that entire scenario,” he is having fun with seeing the canine’s persona as time goes on.
“I have been so busy with issues, he is not tremendous skilled, however he is child. I really like my canine. A complete lot,” Thomas says, earlier than sharing that he certainly sees a little bit of himself in Terry.
He provides: “I am a free spirit. I wish to do what I wish to do. He is canine. He does not all the time do the suitable factor, however he does have good intentions.”
Mutt — the album, not the canine — marks what Thomas is looking simply “one chapter” in a profession that is positive to see extra homecomings sooner or later. As he explains, he hopes individuals from “each stroll of life” can resonate.
“It is probably not probably the most PG album I’ve ever achieved, however I believe there’s parts for various demographics, simply figuring out that I wanted one thing for the younger individuals and one thing for the actual R&B heads, the OGs, the lovers of classic funk and the actual singers,” he says of his target market. “Generally you attempt to guess what individuals would need from you, however I am glad that I am ready the place I might simply actually be myself and it labored out.”
“It is actually soundtrack music, so I am simply hoping individuals fall in like to it. Heal from breakups to it. If we will proceed to construct collectively, this can simply be one chapter of many in an extended sequence of books.”
Mutt is now out there through Motown / EZMNY Information.
