What is soul? Everyone from Parliament Funkadelic and Donny Hathaway to Aretha Franklin and the recently departed D’Angelo has defined and put their distinct stamp on it in some unique and indelible way. And while heartfelt lyrics, impassioned raw delivery, and an incendiary musical aesthetic are at the core of this R&B tradition, there are those artists who are embracing these elements, while at the same time re-designing and re-shaping them.
Leon Thomas III is one such musician; a contemporary practitioner and aficionado of the genre who has grown up in the arts and is set on embracing the mantle that he’s accepted for well over 20 years now. And he’s earnestly changing the game, yet respectful of its abundant legacy.
Signed to rapper Ty Dolla $ign’s Motown Records’ imprint EZMNY (Easy Money), Thomas has recently rolled out his fifth record, the adventurous EP PHOLKS. Over the course of seven tracks, the young singer-songwriter takes you on a musical journey of epic proportions.
“With PHOLKS it’s nice because I’m just being true to myself on it,” explains Thomas. “It is definitely a representation of me not compromising to be recognized. I’m just being me, you know? You get to hear me playing drums, bass, guitar, lead vocals and keys on the album. But, for a lot of the tracks, shout out to my co-producers David Phelps and Freaky Rob. They really hit the bulk of a lot of the instrumentation because those guys are beasts, man. They really locked it in.”
The dreadlocked 30-something auteur draws on a rich tapestry of influences in crafting this new recording, with a sonic melting cauldron of rich psychedelic rock, funk, progressive, jazzy and, of course, soulful touchstones. Songs like “5 More Minutes” and “Lone Wolf” blend ambient textures, with lush vocals. “Baccarat” features dynamic guitar riffs and “My Muse” and “Just How You Are” run the gamut from old school R&B to classic ‘80s-style Prince.
“I’m just really honing in on my love for the ‘70s and soul, rock and funk music,” says Thomas. “At my shows there’s like no LED screens with a bunch of high tech visuals and things going on. It’s really about stripping it back to what you might have seen back in the day at a Prince show, or even a Hendrix show. With them it was really about the music and the performance where the band is up front. They’re live and center, with the lights locked in and the stage design is amazing. But it’s not necessarily this big extravagant thing. And it’s about connection. I’m excited for people to connect with me in a way that maybe I haven’t been able to present prior to this.”
The release of the EP PHOLKS is just the latest episode in the series that is the life of Leon Thomas III. And the use of a TV metaphor in documenting this artist’s journey is apropos, for he is a man that literally grew up in, and has dedicated his life to, show business.
You can’t talk about Thomas without acknowledging his deep family roots in the arts and entertainment. His mother is a singer and vocal coach and his stepfather was a guitarist with blues great B.B. King. Also, his grandfather, John Anthony, was an opera singer who appeared on Broadway in the ‘70s in productions of Porgy and Bess and Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. So, by age 10, the Brooklyn/N.Y.C.-born and bred Thomas was immersed in theater and music by way of his environment.
“I like to say I come from a tribe of musicians,” says Thomas. “In my language just about everybody in my family can play or sing something. It was just a healthy place to grow up in, wanting to chase being in the arts. And from a really young age they supported this passion and just created an environment that really told me I could do whatever I put my mind to. That’s why I play so many instruments and I’m an actor and a songwriter, artist and producer. I was never told I couldn’t do something. It was always, ‘alright, well learn it and don’t be horrible at it.’ So, hard work was the mission, but they made the work fun for me, so I was constantly having a good time.”
As a pre-teen, Thomas got his first taste of performing by auditioning for, and getting the part of, Young Simba in The Lion King on Broadway. He went on to appear in productions of Caroline, or Change and The Color Purple. His acting abilities opened doors for signature roles on television and in films as well. His film credits include August Rush (2007) with Robin Williams and the 2017 Kathryn Bigelow-directed drama Detroit.
As an actor, Thomas is probably best known for playing Andre Harris on Nickelodeon’s series Victorious (2010-2013). It was there that he got a chance to display his early instrumental and vocal chops along with burgeoning stars at the time like Ariana Grande and Keke Palmer. He also provided the singing voice of the character Tyrone for an animated Nickelodeon show called The Backyardigans. But making the transition from New York City to sunny California for those television opportunities did not come without its share of challenges.
"Prior to moving to Los Angeles I was doing pretty well, with the Broadway plays and that movie with Robin Williams,” says Thomas. “I got this offer to do the TV show Victorious and they flew me and my family out there and put us up at the Four Seasons. And, to be honest, the hardest part of this wasn’t breaking into the acting biz, but it was surviving the biz. So, after the TV show it was tough, you know? I had a lot of hopes and expectations and dreams to really utilize being on a number one TV show as an opportunity to become potentially a movie star or even just run straight into being an artist in a very big way. But there was a lot that God put on my journey that had me learning more. So I ended up just producing and songwriting more than anything. I got the opportunity to work under Babyface, learning the production side of things. I got some movies and TV shows in that interim, but it was all school for being an artist. And now I’m seeing how that paid off.”
And this juncture was, indeed, the fork in the road. This was the period of time where Thomas had some real decisions to make regarding what career direction he was going to follow and what pathways to best pursue. His fortunes truly changed when he decided to eschew college studies in favor of diving into the music production world. Through GRAMMY-winning engineer-producer Bob Power he got a crash course in navigating his way around recording studios. And at 18 that led to the opportunity of a lifetime when he was afforded the chance to work with award-winning artist and producer Babyface.
“My mom asked me, ‘are you sure you don’t want to go to college?'” recalls Thomas. “But I knew what I wanted to do. And I felt like Babyface was doing everything I wanted to do as a songwriter or producer. Being at a studio and seeing his Bentley and knowing that he owned the building we were creating out of, let me know there was more to music than just notes. There’s a business side to it and there was no better way for me to build a career. So, I spent about six years producing and writing for other artists, but I was studying the entire time. He was the first mentor that I really had a chance to watch.”
As a producer, Thomas worked with Ariana Grande, Drake, SZA , Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, Toni Braxton, and Post Malone. As part of the production duo The Rascals he won a GRAMMY Award for Best R&B Song for his work on SZA’s smash “Snooze.” He also received a nomination for Rick Ross and Drake’s single “Gold Roses.”
“I was spending years behind the scenes, making records for other people, and was getting fair amounts of success doing songs and getting placements, but I wasn’t really feeling financially abundant at that time,” says Thomas. “And I think the hunger is what really brought me to a place where I had to start being myself and unapologetically me.”
So, while working on several projects for others, Thomas was starting to develop his own persona as an artist in his own right. With his, now, well honed business and technical savvy, he brokered a modest deal in 2018, with Priority/Rostrum Records to release his debut solo joint called Genesis.
On the strength of respectable airplay off the Genesis record, and with his consistent and award-winning work in the production realm, people in the industry were starting to take notice. In particular, was Motown Records A&R representative Shawn Barron, who was partnering with rapper Ty Dolla $ign on a new venture, with the aforementioned EZMNY Records. A chance meeting at a stop light in traffic brought Barron and Thomas together.
The association with EZMNY led to the release of subsequent albums Electric Dusk(2023), Mutt (2024), Mutt Deluxe: Heel (2025) and, of course, the latest project PHOLKS. Each project has been a musical steppingstone toward Thomas’ dreams of artistic autonomy and creative freedom. And, while the intrepid singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist adhered to the basic tenants of pop song construction, the path to getting there was anything but conventional.
While Genesis featured the seminal vocal stylings and lean production that set the groundwork for an emerging pop talent, his Electric Dusk joint bumped things up a notch. With the blessing of Ty Dolla $ign, and collaboration with Freaky Rob and Dave Phelps, the sky’s the limit, in terms of sound design and lyrical filigree. The dreamy and ethereal cascading keyboards and hip-hop sensibilities that weave through tracks like “Slow Down,” “X Rated,” and “Love Jones” embrace chill vibes and ambient textures. “Blue Hundreds” and “Fade to Black” experiment with odd meters and sound effects, while the epic single “Breaking Point” shines a spotlight on the true depth and breadth of Thomas’ storytelling capabilities and vocal prowess.
Moving on to the Mutt release was a crucial and pivotal moment in Thomas’ career maturation and goals in becoming a fully formed artist. “There was just a barrage of different things between me watching the Elvis biopic that had come out at that time and ‘Hound Dog’ being his signature song and his mascot,” explains the singer-songwriter on the concept behind the title for his 2024 album release. “I felt like it was a really cool and smart thing to do for popular culture. George Clinton and the song ‘Atomic Dog’ is another thing that comes to mind. It’s that dog reference that has been made throughout pop culture. I felt like it would be a smart way to have my own spin on it and, you know, utilize the term ‘Mutt’ to my advantage. It’s just a different outlook on it, and the hook came to me fairly quickly prior to even hearing the track. So, once we had the track for it, the song kind of just flew out. And throughout the record I’m dealing with all of these falling in love stories and break-up stories. So, it was a good metaphor for control, essentially.”
Mutt was the second in the current series of full-length and visionary releases that continued to perpetuate Thomas’ progressive musical and personal view. Referencing his dog Terry as the template for the title “Mutt” is not about manipulation or misogyny as much as about viewing himself as a “mutt” in relationships that are not so fully formed and somewhat self-deprecating; a searcher with some lessons on life and love, yet to be explored.
Mutt really set the tone and put Thomas on the map as a real player and a notable artist. Sonically, it is a continuation, in many ways, of his multi-genre blending of a classic and neo-soul aesthetic. All of the songs possess a deep and intimate vibe that truly draws the listener in to his world. “How Fast” kicks off the album and deals with the price and trappings of fame, while “Safe Place” offers another observational aspect on seeking solace in one’s life. “Dancing with Demons” matches a subtle groove, with a mystical feel and “Vibes Don’t Lie” simply tells the truth in a trance-like and sultry way. Thomas’ Marvin Gaye meets Raphael Saddiq approach has really served him well, with a project that has made a phenomenal impact on the music industry as well as with fans.
And the facts don’t lie. Mutt has racked up charting accolades, including No. 1 Billboard R&B Songs, Digital Song Sales, R&B Streaming Songs and Adult R&B Airplay. The Mutt release was also Billboard’s R&B Album for 2024 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
With the incredible success gleaned from the Mutt album, Thomas followed that up earlier this year, with a star-studded addendum to it entitled Mutt Deluxe: Heel. It includes nine new songs as well as remixes of tracks from the original Mutt featuring vocal collabs with luminaries such as Big Sean, Kehlani and Halle Bailey.
The self-professed workaholic is certainly riding high and not prepared to take his foot off the gas pedal any time soon. With the release of his new joint PHOLKS Thomas is in the midst of a world tour billed as Mutts Don’t Heel. The completely sold-out North American leg of the tour kicked off October 30th in Dallas, hitting Austin, Nashville, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago, and Los Angeles, with rising R&B star Ambre in support. In 2026, the tour heads across the pond for a bunch of European dates, including London’s Eventim Apollo, Paris’ Elysee Montmartre, Berlin’s Huxleys Neue Welt, and Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre, before heading to Australia for stops in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.
“So, this tour is starting at the end of October and I’m just really excited about being on the road, man,” says Thomas. “It’s gonna be a long journey of shows because I’m also doing Europe the top of next year. It’s gonna be a stretch, but my team and I are working hard to be ready for every twist and turn.”
While Thomas is just kicking off this massive world tour he’s been keeping his live performance skills honed by making public appearances at key events such as Coachella 2025 where he sat in on sets by Muni Long, Ty Dolla $ign, fellow Victorious cast mate Victoria Justice and one of his all-time heroes George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic.
But as Thomas prepares for, what should prove to be, one of the biggest tours of the coming year, he maintains a program that has kept him in good stead for well over two decades now. “I actually have a very iron-clad pre-show ritual, I would say,” says Thomas. “I usually eat pretty light. I meditate for about 15 minutes. And then I have another meditation that just preps me for any nerves or anything. It’s just like all about calming the mind. I do about a 30-minute vocal warmup. It’s very light on the voice, but it just gets me right. And then I listen to this playlist that I curated with all the people that inspire me over a range of different genres from Prince, to Earth, Wind and Fire, to Led Zeppelin, to Black Sabbath and Michael Jackson. It’s just like my war music. I’m just prepping to get out there. By the time that playlist is over and a couple of people are popping in and out of the dressing room, I’ll put my in-ears on and I’m ready to kick some ass!”
GRAMMY Award-winning producer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor; Leon Thomas III has never shied away from hard work or a challenge. He has always faced it head on and has done it with grace, humility and a sense of decorum. That discipline is what fuels his work ethic, and his passion for the music.
“Soul is true emotion,” says Thomas. “I mean, you know, I’ve been prepping for my tour, so I’ve been watching like a lot of old live concert footage of James Brown. It’s so theatrical, man! You know what I’m saying? It’s on stage and they’re all on their knees and you can feel their pain, you can feel when they’re happy and that whole range of emotion is so big."
For more information, visit leonthomas.com
