Leon Thomas III has had a big year. Following a Best R&B Song win at the 2024 GRAMMYs for "Snooze" and a three-month stint in Florence, Italy to produce Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s Vultures series, the R&B singer and songwriter is ready to see his own name atop the marquee.

When he’s not penning chart-topping songs or producing for the likes of Ariana Grande, Post Malone, Drake or Chris Brown, the former child actor is adding notches to his own musical utility belt. Since joining Ty Dolla $ign’s EZMNY Records as the imprint’s first artist in 2022, Thomas has evolved into a R&B fixture. His debut album, 2023's Electric Dusk, showcased his slick lyrics, free-flowing melodies, and anthem-made ballets in full form.

Now, the Brooklyn-born artist is set to build on his newfound momentum with his sophomore release, Mutt. While the project may seem carefully curated, Thomas says the album and his artistic journey is loosely-tailored by design.

"There are parts of this that people may think are calculated, but I’m just flowing," he tells GRAMMY.com. "I’m just glad people are resonating with everything I’m doing naturally. It’s a journey."

Mutt unites Thomas' love of jazz icons like Art Blakey and Miles Davis with neo-soul and rock acts like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin to forge sleek jams with a contemporary edge. Album cuts "Vibes Don’t Lie" and "Yes It Is" are a baptism in neo-soul vocals, evoking innovators such as D’Angelo, Musiq Soulchild, and Maxwell.

The album is as lyrically rich as it is sonically expansive. On the sultry "I Use To," Thomas recounts the sorrow of a lost love that once enriched his soul; "I Do" is a piano-laden tale of the hard-fought lessons that ushered in a new romantic endeavor. Throughout, the singer/songwriter is intensely vulnerable. "God and losing you is the only two things I fear," Thomas sings.

The rock-inspired "Dancing With Demons" is a foot inside the deep end of fame while "How Fast" offers a flash of braggadocio. "Hold on, I’m a visionary. This s– getting kind of scary/ So addicted to the top, it’s always missionary." And "Answer Your Phone" is a crowd-swaying tune set to enliven fans on Thomas’s first solo tour.

Like Thomas’ life, the album shows the "Socialite" artist embark on a one-way ticket to the top of the musical landscape. He’s no longer satisfied with playing the background. Thomas has embraced the weight of being a headlining act on Mutt, and he’s prepared to weather the uncertain storms and visible weeds he’s set to experience on his broader musical pursuits.

Thomas spoke with GRAMMY.com about his studio sessions with Ty Dolla $ign and Ye, the new generation of R&B crooners pushing the genre forward, and how his dog Terry inspired the album title.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How does it feel to release your second album?

It feels special, but I was super nervous. Dropping music in 2024 is an interesting process because you’re fighting the waves of so many social media moments and distractions. But it’s great to see my music cut through and for people to hear me. It feels like some of my best work, and I’m just excited for people to see all of the different ways I’m putting music together. This is going to be a journey.

What inspired the album title?

I got a dog three years ago. His name is Terry and he’s a German Shepherd and Husky mix. He’s such a sweetheart, but he’s always getting into stuff. I recognize the face he makes when he’s in trouble. I make the same face when I’m about to go through a breakup or something.

I felt like that correlation was an interesting process. I wanted to talk about the element of control between men and women when you’re trying to get your partner to act right. It seems to be a common theme in this generation, so I wanted to talk about it.

What sound were you trying to capture on Mutt?

For me, jazz is the root of who I am. My grandfather was really cool with Art Blakey back in the day, and he always played Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I try to find ways to implement some of the chord progressions that I hear in my head into my music. That will always be adjacent to neo soul, but I don’t necessarily want to do a whole live jazz album as a 30-year-old right now.

A lot of decisions that I made are also rock influenced as well. I was listening to a lot of Black Sabbath, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin during the making of the album. I’m finding ways to sneak in my influences, even though I know I’ll lock in on these R&B charts.

How did the production come together? Did you handle most of it?

I outsourced. There were a bunch of different guys that worked on the production. I think being around Ye and Ty Dolla $ign for the Vultures I album helped. I spent three months in Florence, Italy before I finished [Mutt]. I came back with a different taste level for how an album can play from top to bottom and how tricky we can get with the production. I started adding little pieces here and there to really elevate the sound of it. It’s definitely my symphony, and I’m trying to put it all together.

How is it working with artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Ye, Chris Brown, and SZA? Are you inspired by their work or studio sessions?

I think I’m inspired by osmosis. I don’t feel like there’s any specific style that I’m using that’s theirs. I’m just putting my neck out there and daring to be different. I’m not doing basic concepts or attacking basic instrumentals. I feel like I’m doing my best to push the genre by taking chances and experimenting. I’m just hoping that it’s received because I genuinely love the R&B genre. I want to see it grow and evolve, and I want to be a part of that process.

What’s your views on the current state of R&B?

I think we’re in a really amazing place. There are singers that fill that craving for the golden era of the 1990s. There are others with really solid vibes that feel like the '60s. And then there are people like myself who are blending genres and time periods while having fun, not giving a s— about the rules.

I think that’s a positive thing, but it’s abrasive to people who only see R&B as a linear thing. There’s a broad range in what it can be in its true definition, and I’m excited to see where we go in the future. There are so many artists playing instruments and singing their ass off without a lick of autotune. I’m definitely a fan of the genre, and the next generation is going to be nuts.

Do you feel this album will fill any perceived holes in the genre?

I’ll be honest, I create selfishly. I’m just going into the studio to chase some chills. I don’t really care about the holes in the R&B genre. I just feel like that’s a big boulder to carry on your shoulders. I’m just trying to tell my story. I’m doing my best to put these records together, to get them mixed on time, and to shoot these music videos.

When penning music for artists like SZA, Chris Brown, and other greats, was there a point where you were like, I got to do this for me?

Yes. It’s hard to be selfish, but the more reading I did and the more I learned about myself, it just felt like it was time to prioritize something that means so much to me.

Writing these records and working with these big artists is such a blessing, but I want to hit stages and see the world through my music. I want to collect furniture from all the different countries. I feel like the best way to do that is through my music, so this is me putting my music and my dreams first. And I’m just really excited about it all.

Did you ever have a moment of hesitancy, especially with you starting out as a child actor?

Yes, it wasn’t always easy. I think internally, I know who I am. I know who God made. I don’t need outside people to validate what I know to be true. Sometimes you have to be patient to allow people to grow with you.

It’s like being a Coca-Cola or a Pepsi. They met me as an actor and they know I make music, but they saw me in a certain light and as a certain brand. It takes time to transfer over and introduce new flavors to the consumer. I’m being patient with my fans, and I’m being patient with myself. I’m working harder to make a product that’s going to be acceptable and will allow me to continue making music I want to make.

You’re a multi-hyphenate. An artist, actor, producer, and songwriter. Do you ever get overwhelmed by it all?

When it comes to scheduling, I get overwhelmed. But I’m doing more to prioritize my mental and physical health without taking anything away from myself or my art. That balance is something I will continue to perfect over time. It’s like a muscle, and I’m still figuring it out. I want to do everything, and I know I can. I just think certain industries I’m involved in are a three-month season, rather than all 12.

How did it feel to win a GRAMMY for SZA’s "Snooze"?

It’s really surreal. I’ve never been one to put too much energy into awards, but that GRAMMY felt different. That was a special thing. I don’t have a college degree or anything, but this is the closest thing I can say to my pops that, "Hey, I’m validated here." He obviously sees the work I do with all these big artists, but him coming to my house and holding my GRAMMY was an interesting moment. Seeing someone who’s always believed in me hold something that validated his belief was such a beautiful moment.

Do you feel like you’ve found your voice, or is something you’re still exploring?

I feel like an artist’s work is never done. There’s always something to explore. I sat in a studio session with Babyface. He’s still exploring new things and he’s a lot older than me. The fact he’s still writing new songs and experiencing the world through his music lets me know it never ends. And I’m cool with that because this is a really awesome job. I feel like my voice is present and my voice is formed. It’s just all about packaging it so people can help me better.

Are there future collaborations or goals you have in mind down the road?

I definitely want to continue to make music, and I want to be rich enough to give back as well. I have a lot of initiatives and nonprofits I want to put together when I hit that $100 million mark, and I think it’s all possible through music. That’s why I fight so hard for my artistic journey because the brand itself can really uplift my own community.

When will your day-one fans see you go back to acting?

I’ve been ignoring self audition tapes for three years because it’s been insane trying to produce big albus and build these albums out in preparation for tours. But I’m looking forward to the release of this album and my tour to get back into acting class. I’m really a fan of the artform, so I want to shake off the cobwebs and really get back into the acting gym. I want to give [my fans] a performance that’s an elevation from everything they have seen from me before.

– Grammy.com

In the five years since his last album, 6lack has been on a voyage of rediscovery. While hits like “Ex Calling” and “Prblms” established his penchant for moody and atmospheric tales of heartbreak and loss over mid-tempo jams, the East Atlanta artist has taken on a new creative direction.

Veering from his grayscale vocals and mellow-tone raps, his new album, Since I Have a Lover, unlocks a chamber of new inspiration both musically and on his own personal journey.

“Time has been a little bit of a loop,” 6lack tells MTV News over Zoom. “It was a lot to learn. It was a lot to handle in my personal life. It was a lot to mature and grow from. And I think that the weight of having people waiting on you is something that you can't really ignore. It's not like it doesn't exist, so it feels great to have that weight off and to just be back in motion.”

On Since I Have a Lover, the airy vocals of the artist, born Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr., float over breezy, pop and acoustic-driven instrumentation on “Chasing Feeling” and “Wunna Dem,” and 6lack flirts with dance (“Temporary”) and wallows with Caribbean, beach-front tunes on “Decatur,” allowing his artistry to roam free.

“I think it's been super important to grow in between each project, and not even just musically, but personally,” he said, referencing the “moody” tenor of his 2016 debut, Free 6lack. “It felt like somebody trying to figure their way out of the situation, and East Atlanta Love Letter started to peek at where we could go with it within the realms of R&B. I think this album production-wise allowed me to express every feeling that I feel. Some days I might feel more pop or [alternative], and some days I might feel more traditional R&B or rap. It varies and it kind of plays to how relationships vary — everything isn't just one feeling or one color.”

The 19-track offering is an exercise of 6lack’s versatility. He melds inklings of his Atlanta trap roots with guitar-strumming and flowy tracks, all revolving around themes of self-healing (“Spirited Away”), positivity, and the mystifying powers of love on “Preach” and “SIHAL.”

For 6lack, this new direction was a “gradual blossom.” While there were cookie crumbs on 2020’s 6pc Hot EP that pointed to this more immersive effort, the Baltimore-born artist said the new album’s title, partly inspired by his relationship with R&B singer Quin, helped spark a new flame. It also drove him to create an open letter to his fans, which he hopes answer the questions that have loomed in his musical absence.

“I feel like the title more than anything it’s a response,” 6lack said. “It kind of serves to answer every question. Like, ‘Where have you been? What have you been doing? What's the theme? What's been inspiring you the most? Why haven't you been outside?’ Any question that you could possibly ask me, I think ties back to the title Since I Have a Lover. Having to be accountable for yourself is one thing, but having somebody next to you who can really look at you and see you for what you do right and what you don't do right and tell you just a hundred percent straight up, that helped me really hone in on where I wanted to be in my personal life and where I wanted to be creatively. It was like, ‘OK, I got to get my shit together. And once my shit is together in my personal life, then I know that will help inspire what I make music-wise.’”

But the shift was no easy feat. To embrace his new sound, he had to let go of the sorrow, regret, and heartache he internalized for Free 6lack and his romantic skepticism and stories of failed love quests that bled into his second effort. Once those thoughts were steered, once he focused on the treasures of his newfound relationship, and once he waived his past transgressions and mental blocks, 6lack sank into a new music-making paradigm, and the album poured out and turned into sonic gold. On “Spirited Away,” he says: “You know I got my vices, on the real / No, I ain't always nice, but I’m always real / It’s gonna take me some time to break off my pride / But I’m learning to show up, learning to slow up.”

“The process was only hard when I was resistant to change and to acknowledge that my life is different now,” he said, referencing how he’s stopped letting others’ perception define his personal and artistic growth. “I’m not sulking, I’m not depressed, and I’m not going through what I went through in 2016. If you even try to start a song that way, you might as well stop because that's just not it. And if you continue, that's what we call perpetrating, and I'm not here to portray anything for a specific award or category. I just want to make what's true to me.”

6lack’s sonic transformation was one he felt both he and his fans needed. In a world where negativity draws headlines and tilts the algorithm on its scale, the 30-year-old artist said it’s his responsibility to share notes of positivity. And on Since I Have a Lover, he never falls short of his mission.

On “Preach,” he raps: “Who am I to capitalize without giving back? / We all human but I can’t go a day not feeling Black / I made my money, but to my audience, I’m still attached / It’s like I know the whole world just wants that feeling back.”

“I think that the toxic theme has been populated and I think that it is honestly a lot easier to pull from depression, from heartbreak and breakups. And to me, that's easy,” he said. “It's harder to talk about good things. It's harder to make that translate or resonate with people. It is harder to make that sound cool. The world is only getting crazier, so if I can be at least a portion of the good that's coming out, then that's my job.”

His exploration doesn’t end with SIHAL. Along with feeding his current inspirations, the “Float” artist plans to collaborate with Quin, the very lover that inspired the new album title, and possibly lock in with Spillage Village group-mate JID for an upcoming collab project.

“I'm just going with the process, but I hope it continues to be something different,” he said. “I don't ever want to make the same album twice. I don't want to be in the same bag twice. I'm not telling the same story twice. There will never be a Free 6lack 2 unless I end up in a situation that puts me there, and let’s hope I don’t have to because that’s not what we’re looking forward to at all.”

Leon Thomas III Talks Unleashing 'Mutt' And Pushing R&B Forward

6lack Feels Good To Be Back In Motion

– MTV News