Allow Leon Thomas to reintroduce himself

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I have to say, seeing Leon Thomas in person was a bit of a surprise! He’s always had incredible locs, and I noticed right away he’d gone for a dark green tip – a total switch-up from the bright red he’d been sporting for the last four years. It really popped when he walked into the L.A. Times building on a pretty rare rainy day in October.

He beams when anyone notices the hair visible under his black beret.

The singer, 32, says he had a clear idea of how he wanted to transform his look. ‘I imagined myself with more tattoos, a six-pack, and green dreadlocks,’ he explained, ‘and it motivated me to make it happen.’ He’s been hitting the gym regularly and is planning tattoos with artists in both Los Angeles and Europe, but he says changing his hair was the first step.

Throughout my life, I’ve always had a vision of who I want to become. I picture a future self, and then I dedicate myself to making that vision a reality through hard work.

Music

Kehlani’s new song, ‘Folded,’ is her most popular to date, and she feels it’s the moment for her to reach a wider audience. The singer, originally from Oakland, believes this track will be her breakthrough.

For over two decades, Thomas has followed his gut in the entertainment industry, and it’s helped him become a major player in today’s R&B scene. After spending years successfully acting, writing, and producing hits for artists like Drake, Ariana Grande, and SZA – earning his first Grammy for SZA’s “Snooze” – Thomas is now nominated for six Grammys for his own music, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist.

Thomas believes his recent success is due to having the right tools and resources. He signed with EZMNY, a record label created by Ty Dolla $ign and Shawn Barron, back in 2021. He paused, then explained that he’s always been confident in his talent and knew things would change once people could actually hear his music. He’s thankful he had the vision to believe that would happen.

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He’s understandably feeling confident right now. His song “Mutt,” released in 2024, slowly gained popularity over several months before becoming widely known. The song’s relatable lyrics – using the metaphor of a well-meaning but flawed “mutt” to describe his own behavior in relationships – combined with its catchy bassline and strong beat, turned it into a surprise hit. It even caught the attention of stars like Tems, SZA, Keke Palmer, and Issa Rae, all of whom mentioned it positively in interviews.

The song, the lead single from his second album, entered the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year and has quickly gained popularity. It recently reached the top spot on Billboard’s radio airplay chart and has been certified double platinum.

Following the success of his album and its deluxe version, Thomas has been incredibly busy with promotion, including radio and podcast appearances, countless interviews, and events. Despite this, he’s continued to collaborate with artists like Wale, Disclosure, Odeal, and Sasha Keable. He started his “Mutts Don’t Heel” tour in October and has already performed over 70 times this year, with highlights including shows at the Hollywood Bowl with SiR, an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and the BET Awards, where he won best new artist. He also performed a popular live set for NPR’s Tiny Desk earlier this year, which has garnered over 4 million views and was later released as an EP – and even earned a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance.

As a total film buff, I’ve noticed it’s been an incredible run lately – it feels like every week brings something genuinely exciting to the cinema world! That’s what EZMNY’s co-founder, Barron, told me, and I couldn’t agree more.

Before he became known for songs like “I’m a doggggg / I’m a mutt,” Thomas grew up surrounded by music thanks to his family. His grandfather, John Anthony, was an opera singer who performed in the 1976 Broadway production of “Porgy & Bess.” Both his mother, a singer, and his stepfather, a guitarist who played with B.B. King, were involved in New York’s Black Rock Coalition and preferred their son wasn’t looked after by babysitters. The Brooklyn-born, now L.A.-based artist fondly remembers doing his homework while his parents performed and even joining them on stage to dance for the audience.

Thomas started his performing career at age 10 when a friend convinced him to audition for the role of Young Simba on Broadway. He continued acting in shows like “Caroline, or Change” and “The Color Purple” before landing his first film role in “August Rush,” alongside Robin Williams. To prepare for the movie, he learned to play the guitar, which sparked his passion for songwriting. He wrote a song that his parents loved so much, they helped him record it professionally with a session bassist. Reflecting on this experience, Thomas says it made him believe he could pursue music as a career. He’s now proficient in five instruments: drums (his favorite), guitar, bass, piano, and saxophone.

By the time he was 13, Thomas had a deal with Nickelodeon that also included a record contract with Columbia Records. He acted in several shows, including “The Backyardigans” and “iCarly,” before landing the part of André Harris on the teen sitcom “Victorious.” André was a high school singer who played multiple instruments, and he starred alongside Ariana Grande, who was quickly becoming a rising star.

After the show concluded in 2013, Thomas started collaborating with renowned music producer Babyface. Babyface then connected him with producer and songwriter Khris Riddick-Tynes. Together, they formed the Rascals and went on to produce hits like Rick Ross’ “Gold Roses” featuring Drake (which earned a Grammy nomination), Toni Braxton’s “I’d Rather Be Broke,” and SZA’s “Snooze,” which won a Grammy for best R&B song in 2024.

Transitioning from a family-friendly Nickelodeon actor to a mature R&B artist wasn’t immediate. He explains that he intentionally stepped back from performing to let audiences appreciate his existing image while also creating something new. He acknowledges that taking time away means essentially starting over and re-establishing himself, despite previous success, but he sees real beauty in building a brand completely from the ground up.

Music

Following the success of his first album, “Love on Digital,” the 25-year-old artist is now surprising fans with a move into jazz music. He’ll be performing at the Wiltern on November 14th.

He chose a blurry image of a forest for the cover of his new project, “Genesis,” instead of a picture of himself, because he didn’t want listeners to focus on his personal image or emotions. He’s been gradually sharing more about himself through his music with each release.

When Thomas performs, he brings the same energy as legends like James Brown, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, and D’Angelo. While his music is rooted in R&B, he seamlessly blends in elements of rock and funk. Videos from his recent concerts show him skillfully playing both bass and guitar, moving with incredible energy, and delivering impressive vocal performances that fans are trying to copy. You can always be sure Thomas is giving a powerful, captivating show.

He enjoys seeing R&B concerts, describing them as relaxed, but notes that his school is very competitive. He remembers his stepfather telling him about performing at the Village Underground in New York, where performers would compete to be the most impressive. This involved a practice called ‘cutting heads,’ where each artist had to outperform the last – doing increasingly daring things like playing instruments with their teeth, spinning around, and performing wildly on the floor, as Thomas excitedly explains.

He explains that when he performs, especially on this tour where he has creative control, he wants to deliver a powerful and energetic performance – something that really captivates the audience.

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With his 27-city tour about to begin, Thomas released a visually stunning trailer featuring Rae, his former “Insecure” co-star, to announce his new project, “Pholks.” The seven-song release was created with musicians Rob “Freaky Rob” Gueringer and David Phelps (also known as “D. Phelps,” who previously worked on “Mutt”), and it’s a tribute to the funk, rock, and soul artists who have influenced him. Driven by the singles “Just How You Are” and “My Muse” – songs that instantly evoke a classic “Soul Train” vibe – the music feels both comforting and reminiscent of the past, while still sounding fresh and modern thanks to innovative production and clever songwriting. It’s a project that honors tradition while looking toward the future.

During his Coachella performance in April, Ty Dolla $ign invited Thomas on stage. Ty recently praised Thomas as the new leading artist in R&B, making the collaboration a natural fit.

Honestly, I’m so thrilled for Ty! He told me he still can’t believe he got the chance to work with that singer – it’s a dream come true for him, and he’s completely blown away by the experience.

With everything going on, Thomas has been prioritizing his mental well-being. He’s been practicing grounding meditations and leaning on his close family and friends for support. He’s also been reading the Bible more often.

He also stays grounded by remembering the advice of his grandfather, who passed away last year, and by focusing on his core purpose: to restore a traditional, artist-focused feel to R&B music and inspire young musicians to learn instruments.

He hopes to inspire kids to pick up instruments – whether it’s after seeing him play guitar at the Grammys or drums on Instagram. He worries that with the growing use of AI, seeing live musicians might become rare, and he wants to encourage a new generation of thoughtful, historically-informed musicians.

Music

Enjoy our guide to 10 must-see concerts to enjoy from post-Thanksgiving through the top of 2026.

Thomas is finishing a busy year with shows at the Wiltern on December 22nd and 23rd. He’ll then tour Europe in March and Australia in June. Right now, he’s trying not to focus on the Grammys in February, but everyone around him – including me – keeps bringing them up!

Even if he doesn’t win any awards, Thomas has already made a significant impact on both R&B and music as a whole, and he’s committed to continuing to innovate. He’s always believed in his talent and knew what he was capable of achieving – it’s taken the world a while to recognize his vision.

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2025-12-18 21:02