MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE: The Rise of Leon Thomas

The past year in music has seen different types of artists who have found success, whether it’s a fictional K-pop group or rising TikTok stars; but the genre that is more familiar to the western masses and has been making a return to mainstream conversations is R&B. Right now if you take a look at the Top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100, you will find four different mainstream R&B hits – including one by Leon Thomas. “Mutt” is his breakout hit and is expected to make some serious noise at next year’s Grammy’s (the nominations are announced November 7th). He’s about to embark on the biggest tour of his career, and with that comes new music, including a new EP titled PHOLKS. The first single is “Just How You Are” and it completely captures Leon’s R&B meets Rock-n-Roll/Funk vibe.

Leon spent majority of his teen years on the Nickelodeon show Victorious alongside other future stars like Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Liz Gillies and Victoria Justice (who also released new music this week). If you had a child born in the late 2000s/early-2010s you also might recognize him as the voice of Tyrone on The Backyardigans and now his career as a musician is earning him some serious respect in the music game. He recently won the BET Award for Best New Artist back in June, but he’s actually been doing music professionally for over a decade, even winning a Grammy for co-writing SZA’s smash-hit “Snooze” back in 2024. Still, his music stayed relatively unseen by the general public and felt almost exclusive to R&B-heads. I first started listening to him when he released his debut album Electric Dusk back in August 2023. Songs like “Treasure in The Hills” and “Crash & Burn” bled into my playlists on a daily basis, quickly becoming some of my essential tracks. When I heard “Mutt” at the end of 2024 though, I knew something was different. The song felt like a throwback to some of the most timeless bluesy sounds, likely due to its incredible sample of “Silly Love Song” by Enchantment. It felt like a hit beyond the reach that he had achieved thus far. Fast forward a year later and the song is at #6 on the US Top 40 Radio charts, and still climbing. Leon has now officially crossed over genres in a way that a male R&B artist hasn’t done in a while. To crack the Hot 100 top 10 is one thing, but very rarely do R&B tracks hit the Top 10 at Top 40 radio formats anymore, so that is huge – and hopefully a positive indication about the future of radio.

Don’t think the success of “Mutt” is getting Leon comfortable. Just in the last few months, aside from the upcoming EP PHOLKS, he has released a deluxe version of the MUTT album with 8 new tracks as well as countless features with artists like Odeal, YG, Sasha Keable, 4batz, Aminé, and Annie Tracy. He recently told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that momentum has been his “fuel in the studio” and it’s churning out more greatness. Leon is single-handedly bringing back the sound of R&B to the mainstream audience, and I’m just grateful to be along for the ride.

Next week we’re getting Khalid’s new album After The Sun Goes Down, his first as an openly queer artist. This week is an ode to all the artists who didn’t see Taylor Swift’s massive new release as a threat, and I thank them. Don’t worry Swifties, I’m not totally cynical – Taylor does get some love in the choices below.

Listen on…

MCs PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Just How You Are” by Leon Thomas

Leon has proven that he is more than just a one-hit-wonder, elevating his sound and artistry to new heights with every new release. Not only does his voice completely pull you in with every note, he’s found the magic recipe for mixing funky and rock influences with contemporary R&B. This new song is a bold move in a funkier direction, with a psychedelic guitar and a groovy drum that is sure to make all 80s babies bust a move. Michael Jackson could totally have recorded something over this beat. The video is a glossy visual starring up-and-coming actress Lovie Simone who recently scored some success on the series Forever and plays the toxic love interest that has Leon spinning around in circles. His upcoming EP PHOLKS has been described in his own words as “the spirit of funk and the spirit of live music”. Used as a metaphor for the “folks” that inspired Leon as a musician, both the lead single and full project take influence from artists like George Clinton, Prince and Stevie Wonder. Leon is reminding the masses that R&B is not just for the bedroom or for a relaxed vibe, in fact the very greats of the genre originated on the dance floor and in band sessions. His recent collaboration with YG also had a similar dance/funk feel that you could point to as the first taste of his new musical sonic shifts. If you’ve seen Leon live however, then you would know that he always had the funk in him. The way that man owns the stage with a guitar in hand is nothing short of musical superstar, and it’s only up from here.

“Dancing in the Smoke – From the Netflix Series ‘Nobody Wants This’ Season 2” by GIVĒON

I admittedly am not a big TV watcher, there simply is just way too much music to be consumed and studied at all times. The odd show that did catch my attention last however was the Netflix comedy Nobody Wants This. The first season hit streaming last fall and was a huge success earning an automatic second season renewal and multiple Emmy nominations. As a Jewish man myself, I couldn’t help but chuckle at some of the jokes in the show as I saw some of my own family members’ personalities displayed on the screen before me and I loved it. I’m also a sucker for an unexpected love story, so it’s a win-win for me. GIVĒON lends his soulful vocals to the theme song for the new season, and it’s all about, you guessed it, finding love in unexpected places and joy through the tribulations that a love so strong may bring. GIVĒON’s voice is both heartbreaking and romantic all at once. Lyrics like “Spray paint the car when you’re hurting” feel like a foreshadowing to a future scene from the series, so let’s revisit this paragraph once the new season premieres on October 23rd – but if I’m proven correct, then it points to the clever nod to the housing soundtrack. The song follows the live instrumentation in his latest album BELOVED with those 70s R&B elements that make it feel like a modern day Teddy Pendergrass record. Now this is a f-king love song.

“The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift

I had some strong reactions on my first listen to The Life of a Showgirl, as fellow Squawkers will remember. While the album hasn’t gotten exponentially better for me, I can say that there are a handful of songs that I’ve added to my pop goodie bag, including the opening track “The Fate of Ophelia”. I did enjoy this one on the first listen so it’s not surprising that the official music video along with hearing the chorus on a constant loop throughout literally every form of media over the last few days has made me come around to the song. The song and melody follow the highly effective Max Martin pop song formula that has made him the powerhouse producer that he is today. The melody is catchy, the verses have an easy rhythm and the lyrics are still poetic in the way that Taylor has become famous for. This song is one of the stronger lyrical tracks on the record, using Ophelia from Hamlet to tell the story. The song has already broken every streaming record there is, and I can confidently say this may be the first time that every person reading this column has already heard the song I am recommending. I do think there’s something a little nostalgic about that though. The idea that the world stops for a music release. Back in the day it would always be that way when a major artist would drop music. In the streaming age where music has become so quick, and releases come and go as if they had never appeared, it is nice to see that there is still at least one artist who really can make the entire world listen to a piece of music. Whether they like it or not is irrelevant, because she made us all listen. For that and that on its own, Taylor deserves a spot on this week’s playlist (even if the rest of the record isn’t my cup of tea dahhling).

“Useless (Without You) – Begging Remix” by Elmiene, Muni Long

A few months ago, Muni Long left a comment on Elmiene’s IG post for him to “bring back begging”. The begging that she is referring to of course is the R&B begging that so many male artists like Usher, Tyrese, Keith Sweat, Jodeci and Boyz II Men would do in their music. The pleading cries for their lovers to either love them back or forgive them for doing wrong. Muni being the talented musician she is has taken matters into her own hands, teaming up with Elmiene on a remix of his recent track “Useless (Without You)”, appropriately titling it the “Begging Remix”. Elmiene made good on his promise too, as the song is him “begging” for his lover to take him back and letting her know that he is completely lost without her presence in his life. Elmiene is a British-Sudanese artist who has been making his mark on the North American market for some time now, playing alongside artists like D’Angelo and even opening for Stevie Wonder during a recent London show with Teen Vogue even calling him “one of the most promising vocalists of modern R&B”. Since this week highlights the incredible commercial success that Leon Thomas is experiencing, it feels like the perfect time for more artists in the same vein of Thomas to be experiencing a surge in popularity. In the same way that those artists who knew how to “beg” in their music had a wave in the 90s, it’s starting to sound like the mid-2020s could very well deliver on Muni Long’s yearning for the return of begging after all.

“Where You Are” by Jennifer Lopez, Tonatiuh

For those of us who have been listening to JLo for the entirety of her music career, you’ll know this is not the first time that Jen has given us some tango flair in her songs. We’ve gotten “Cariño” and “Open Off My Love” in the past and even a few visual tango moments in her 2004 flick Shall We Dance. In 2025 however, now is when we are getting full musical extravaganza and this duet between the leading stars of the new movie Kiss of the Spider Woman is Jennifer’s Latin roots meeting a theatrical stage – well, on film that is. Jennifer has recently talked about how she felt that her voice was always better suited for theatre, and she is finally getting the chance to show what she can really do vocally. I’ve never drank the hate-orade when it comes to JLo and I actually enjoy her vocals here and there, but I truly do believe that she delivered a fabulous vocal to the entirety of this movie’s soundtrack. This duet with the soon-to-be breakout star Tonatiuh (whose charisma on the track is potent) is sure to get some enjoyment out of even the most devoted haters. The movie is out on Friday, but the full soundtrack is out now and has awoken 12-year-old MC’s musicals soundtrack phase (referring to me of course lol). Not since the time of Dreamgirls, Mamma Mia! and Hairspray have I been this excited to watch a musical in theatres. Now I’m just waiting for Jen to let us know that she’s taking the whole production to Broadway – nothing gets online trolls more upset that her continuing to be able to do it all. You go girl.

MCs VIRAL PICK

“Everything is romantic” by Charli xcx, Caroline Polachek

Honey, there are layers to this week’s viral pick like no other week. Let’s start with the obvious which I’m sure all of you reading are aware of by now, but Taylor Swift and Charli xcx are feuding in the good old-fashioned 2000s gossip type of way. The exact way that my soul craves when it comes to celebrity feuds – lots and lots of pettiness. Taylor allegedly dissed Charli in her track “Actually Romantic” and Charli responded with a video of herself in the studio alluding to a diss track response. Both ladies didn’t mention each other by name but the reports are all over the place, and given the lyrics of Taylor’s diss track, it’s clear that it’s about Charli. Charli’s own song “Everything is romantic” was also officially been announced as a single on the same day of the release of The Life of a Showgirl. Taylor’s diss may have been a response to Charli’s song “Sympathy is a knife” but Charli releasing her own song that is a similar play on words as Taylor’s as a single on the same release day as Taylor is telling. Aside from the feud however, “Everything is romantic” was already picking up steam on social media as it was featured in the trailer to the upcoming Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi film “Wuthering Heights” which is due next year and is set to feature songs by Charli for the entre soundtrack. This has made for the remix of “Everything is romantic” with Caroline Polachek to blow up on TikTok, resulting in a surge of streams with the song currently sitting at #28 on the Spotify’s viral charts as well as a 48% increase in digital downloads. Charli also used the song in her viral post featuring clips from her wedding just a few weeks ago, making the song perfectly associated with falling in love. Just when you thought the Brat era was gone and packed up for good, we’ve been hit with a new wave thanks to both the biggest singer and biggest actors in the game. Whether or not you’re dissing Charli or her work is being profiled, either way it’s all contributing to the greater picture which is more success for Charli in what has been a breakthrough few years for the now icon.

@letterboxd
Watch the teaser trailer for Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi 🥀 In theaters February 13, 2026 via @Warner Bros. #letterboxd #movietrailer #margotrobbie #jacobelordi #wutheringheights
♬ original sound - Letterboxd

@mariaxlegolas
if only love looked like this #disney #love #edit #everythingisromantic
♬ original sound - sylvie

@charlixcx
the drama !
♬ original sound - Letterboxd

@nyuex
everyone else will want something in return, but the right person will give you everything without expecting anything back. #hopecore #charliedamelio #viral #pinterest #cozy
♬ original sound - sylvie