Leon Thomas Racks In A Couple of Grammy Wins

Before he heads back out on his Mutts Don’t Heel World Tour, it was only right that the Brooklyn-born R&B/soul artist snag a couple more Grammys for the road. Leon Thomas III – born August 1, 1993, and slated as the most nominated R&B artist for this year’s ceremony – came away with his first solo Grammy for Best R&B Album with his record Mutt, and a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance with his smash hit “Vibes Don’t Lie”, at the 68th annual Grammy Awards. He earned his first Grammy two years ago for his production and songwriting credit on SZA’s hit song “Snooze”. His artistic excellence and musical genius lead him to another well deserved day of victories, giving him a total of three Grammy wins. He also performed on the main telecast at the ceremony.

This night was significantly special and record breaking for Leon because his sophomore LP Mutt became the first one by a solo male artist to win in the Best R&B Album category since the late, great D’Angelo‘s Voodoo LP back in 2001. It is now the second one to ever achieve this accomplishment. Additionally, among all solo artists, Mutt is the first one to win the award since Alicia Keys’ The Diary of Alicia Keys, which was awarded back in 2005.

What makes Mutt such an outstanding album? You have to consider the critical acclaim it received when it was released. It was widely praised for its creative blend of modern and traditional R&B elements, superb songwriting, and musicality. The intentionality of it seems to really connect with R&B fans and they feel an appreciation for how personal it is. Leon defines his own lane with this record, also blending soul, rock, and funk with its foundational rhythm & blues. Grammy voters are normally looking for what this album produced – rich arrangements, live-feeling bass lines, and layered vocals, forcing a closer listen than the average record. The vocal range gives character to the songs, going from grit to falsetto, and it expresses deeper feelings. Some of the themes you will find listening to Mutt are identity, desire, trust, and self-contradiction – all emotions that are mostly relatable. Compared to most albums that feel like a collection of singles, this body of work is intentionally composed to sound like a full length album, giving the listener an arc of feelings to experience along with it.

With “Vibes Don’t Lie”, there’s a blend of R&B and soul that creates this pocket of relaxed and precise notes, a groove that seems to easily flow. It has a strong replay value and it brings you into the experience instead of forcing you to follow behind. Leon’s voice blends well into the track, as he’s mindful not to dominate or over do his singing. And there’s this old school R&B/soul feel to it, making it timeless and spacious for emotional truth. This kind of track honors the core of what R&B is – how it gives us those memorable moments and earns our listening ears.

You can listen to Mutt on ERS+ or our sister station 88.9FM WERS during The Secret Spot evenings 10pm-2am. Check out Leon Thomas’ upcoming tour dates. Follow his journey and stay tuned for more classic R&B/soul vibes. Congratulations to Leon Thomas!