Leon Thomas’s record of connections is in depth.
At first often known as Andre Harris from Victorious, the Brooklyn native began off with appearing as his main artistic pursuit, making music on the aspect. Thomas labored with mentor Babyface in his Los Angeles studio and primarily produced for different artists on the time, his castmate Ariana Grande included.
He has since racked up manufacturing and writing credit from a star-studded choice of musicians together with SZA, Drake, Rick Ross, 6LACK, Submit Malone and Ty Dolla $ign – being the primary artist to get signed to Ty’s EZMNY Information.
Again in September, Thomas dropped his second solo album MUTT, which cemented his spot as a up to date R&B solo artist. Options got here from Ty, Masego, Wale, Axlfolie, Child Rose and Freddie Gibbs.
Aweng Chuol is one other considered one of Thomas’ A-list companions. The man artistic multi-hyphenate and mannequin met Thomas via mutual buddies and trade occasions, together with Teyana Taylor’s Met Gala After Social gathering, and has lengthy been a powerful supporter of his music profession.
Contemporary off HEEL’s launch and a BET Finest New Artist win, Thomas stopped by the Hypebeast studio for a dialog with Chuol.
Aweng Chuol: Who’s Leon Thomas?
Leon Thomas: Leon Thomas is a child from Brooklyn – a author, producer, artist, actor, and all-around artistic. New York Metropolis actually formed me; residing right here, I’ve been surrounded by so many alternative cultures and musical influences, and all of that confirmed me get down.
AC: A multifaceted king! Do you imagine in astrology? What’s your signal?
LT: I’m a Leo. What about you?
AC: That’s why you’re gifted. I’m a Libra.
LT: Okay, okay, I see you.
AC: We’re cool, we’re cool. [laughs] How outdated are you proper now?
LT: I’m 31, on the best way to 32. I ought to begin claiming it. I’ll be 32 on August 1.
AC: I’m nonetheless not over your Coachella efficiency…
LT: That was insane. Ty Dolla $ign introduced me out throughout his set for “MUTT,” after which he stunned me by bringing out George Clinton. Funk legend. He made me this fly ass all-white hat that he gave me through the efficiency. It was virtually like a crowning ceremony. Passing the torch and protecting the funk alive.
AC: The tradition is so pleased with you, truthfully. So, so pleased with you. Was that your first Coachella?
LT: It was my first time performing there. I’ve been to the pageant about 5 occasions. I prefer to go on the market and simply have enjoyable.
AC: I’ve by no means been to Coachella. I like watching y’all from dwelling [laughs]…
LT: You gotta pull as much as the desert!
AC: I don’t know. The gang … me and crowds …
LT: Nah, you’re a celebrity. They’d have you ever within the again. You wouldn’t have to fret about that.
AC: Should you have been to headline a pageant, which particular visitors would you carry out?
LT: I’d like to carry out Anderson .Paak. He’s so multifaceted and tight. I’d additionally like to have H.E.R. come out. She’d be an awesome visitor. We may perform a little guitar duel on stage.
AC: Inform me extra about your Tiny Desk efficiency – I do know there’s a narrative there, too.
LT: That was wild. We virtually missed our flight. It was snowing. There was a blizzard. Additionally, my grandfather had handed away a couple of week earlier than, so the psychological area I used to be in was actually heavy, however I used to be in a position to make use of these feelings within the efficiency, and searching again on it, I’m so pleased with myself and the staff.
AC: I do know your grandfather was an enormous inspiration for you.
LT: An enormous inspiration. Any time I’d be in New York, he’d decide me up and we’d run across the metropolis.
AC: I’ve met him in New York. He was a good-looking fella.
LT: Actual fly man.
AC: Relaxation in peace to a king […] How does it really feel to be a Grammy winner?
LT: Life-changing. I had a Grammy on my lock display screen for about two years. It was loopy to go from holding it on my cellphone to holding an precise Grammy after that.
AC: The manifestation is loopy.
LT: Having that in my front room now could be fly.
AC: How did your canine Terry encourage the album?
LT: The album at massive was impressed by relationships and situationships that didn’t work out, however I used to be in a position to make use of my canine as a metaphor for this. He’s an untrained mutt.
AC: He’s a menace.
LT: He’s a wild German Shepherd. So he was good to inform the story.
“I had a Grammy on my lock display screen for about two years. It was loopy to go from holding it on my cellphone to holding an precise Grammy after that.” – Leon Thomas
AC: You’ve written and produced for therefore many different artists – Ty Dolla, 6LACK, SZA, Submit Malone. How does writing and producing for your self differ from writing and producing for different artists?
LT: Once I’m doing a tune for myself, I get to write down all the principles. I do quite a lot of producing for different artists now. That makes me really feel like a personal chef. If they need steak that day, they’re getting steak that day. You must cater to the opposite artist. When it’s simply me, it’s no matter I really feel.
AC: How did you choose the options for MUTT?
LT: The options are simply my buddies. Wale turned a superb buddy of mine whereas we have been making that file. To today, we nonetheless name one another and discuss ladies and life, and this trade factor. Child Rose and I have been buddies earlier than the file, however the album made us nearer. I’m actually pleased with the options on the deluxe, too – Large Sean, Kehlani, Halle Bailey.
AC: Would you ever collaborate with Victoria Justice on a music venture?
LT: I’d positively collaborate along with her on music. We’ve talked about it up to now. We work with a mutual producer, Toby Gad, and he was making an attempt to arrange some periods, but it surely’s simply been robust with everybody’s schedules.
AC: It’s all the time the schedule.
LT: Scheduling is all the time what will get in the best way once I attempt to hyperlink up with any of my buddies to make music.
AC: It’s so laborious. After which if you truly discover time to hang around, all you need to do is simply spend time collectively and never work.
LT: Precisely.
AC: Victorious was my childhood present in Australia. What was your favourite a part of filming the present?
LT: Having actual buddies. All of us did our final two years of highschool collectively and spent all of our time kicking it. It was good to be surrounded by a bunch of gifted folks my age. We have been like a household. We appeared out for one another – even after the present ended. We’re very protecting of one another.
“You actually constructed this.” – Aweng Chuol
AC: Have been you engaged on music whereas filming the present?
LT: I used to be, but it surely was fascinating. It was this awkward factor the place I used to be making music that was just a little extra grown than my viewers was on the time. So as an alternative, I did quite a lot of writing and producing for different artists. That ended up being an awesome determination as a result of I discovered so much, particularly from my mentor Babyface. He let me use his A-Room Studio in LA – I even introduced Ariana Grande into the studio. I produced a number of songs on her first album.
AC: You actually constructed this. Did you ever count on MUTT to be this massive?
LT: Actually, no. It was such an awesome shock to see folks all around the world getting all the way down to my music. It’s a dream come true. I like seeing folks celebrating dwell music.
AC: You’ve achieved tv, theater, and music – would you ever stroll the runway?
LT: Actually, I’d pull up. Get these pattern sizes they discuss. I’m gonna hit some sit-ups and are available again to you on that. I’m with it. For actual, there are such a lot of wonderful manufacturers on the market that I’d like to work with. I like going to reveals and watching the runway, the creativity in motion. I’ve quite a lot of buddies over at Salehe Bembury.
AC: What’s your favourite model?
LT: Proper now, I’m actually connecting with AMIRI’s new swag.
AC: Which of your songs would you stroll the runway to?
LT: I believe “FEELINGS ON SILENT” could be such a phenomenal piece to play whereas the runway goes down as a result of it’s orchestral and virtually like a soundtrack. I additionally really feel like “MUTT” could be nice, too. I may see the women strolling to “MUTT.”
AC: “MUTT” could be wonderful. I may strut to “MUTT.”
