Leon Thomas says his song “Mutt” was an “uncomfortable” one to play for his mother, but her prediction after she heard it came true.
“She told me this is going to be one of my biggest records. She spoke [it] into existence,” he shares in an interview with Billboard. The song is Leon’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry as a recording artist. It was also one of the songs he sang on NPR’s Tiny Desk, as well as his live TV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
“Mutt” was written back in 2022; Leon’s goal was to “have a record that shows what I’m about: live music, funk and vulnerability.” He says it all came together after he microdosed on psychedelics, and watched his dog and cat fight. He told Billboard, “I saw the similarities between us and how we have good intentions but don’t always do the right thing.”
Leon plans to build on the success of “Mutt” with the release of a deluxe edition of his album of the same name, which will include a song in which he plays every instrument, a collaboration with Stormzy and possible appearances from Kehlani, Big Sean and Halle Bailey.
“There [are] sides to me that I haven’t shown the world yet, so I’m spoon-feeding them,” Leon teases to Billboard. “You need to hide the medicine in the candy. This deluxe is me stepping deeper into my purpose.”
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