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

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

These space-obsessed brothers are bringing a new attraction to South Street. It’s out of this world.

“Hey, you want to see Saturn?”

Posted on the corner of Sixth and South Streets on a brisk October night, sidewalk astronomer Brendan Happe greeted onlookers with the question. Some averted their eyes entirely, while others stopped in their tracks with a look of confusion that turned to curiosity within seconds.

Minutes later, a line formed toward the edges of the curb, as more onlookers walked over to Happe with a rush of excitement. Some were looking into a telescope for the first time, while others wanted to add Saturn and Jupiter to their list of sightings from afar. “It’s totally free,” Happe said. The amazement on people’s faces after looking through the lens was priceless.

“A view through a telescope is an opportunity to see something beyond the Earth, and in a way, it’s an inherently human experience,” Happe said. “It allows us to be reconnected to something that makes us human, and it’s something we’ve kind of lost over the past 100 years because of light pollution.”

“It was definitely more impressive than I thought because we saw the telescope and thought, ‘OK, it’s actually not that big,’ ” stargazer Mikolaj Franaszczuk said. “But it was the first time I actually saw Saturn with its rings, so it was really cool.”

“It was so miniature, but it looked so cool,” his 8-year-old daughter, Dahlia, said with a smile.

Happe, a space-obsessed New York native, has greeted Philadelphians for years on South Street with his brother, Bill Green, under the name Philly Moon Men.

Back in 2018, Happe visited Green, who lived above the Theatre of Living Arts at the time. He grabbed a pair of Green’s binoculars to look out into the night sky, and was immediately struck by the magic of the galaxy. The craters of the moon and the gleam of the stars helped spark a newfound passion, he said.

“Through my brother’s binoculars, I had this realization or reminder that we’re living on a planet,” Happe said. “The universe has been here the whole time, and in that moment, I really started thinking about it. Had it not been on South Street, I can’t really say how it would have really gone down.”

Growing up on Long Island, Green said, they never thought to explore space, and knew very little about astronomy before starting Philly Moon Men. But after that night inside his old apartment, he and Happe decided to share their experience and connect fellow Earthlings to the depths of the universe.

Months later, Happe joined his brother and moved to Philly. They started setting up a telescope and pointing people to the night sky on the corner of Fourth and South Streets, and went on to host programs with nearby businesses like Tattooed Mom, and even collaborated with the Franklin Institute in the years after their first night on the bustling street.

Derrick Pitts, the chief astronomer at the Franklin Institute, said he supports sidewalk astronomers like Happe, Green, and others who encourage Philadelphians to explore the universe from the city’s streets. Pitts remembered going down to Second and Chestnut Streets to encourage locals to look up at the stars.

“What happens is the people look through the telescope and suddenly go, ‘Wow, that’s really cool.’ And it makes that person with a telescope feel as if they are introducing people to a whole world. It’s a feel-good thing all the way around, and it introduces people to the sky,” Pitts said.

Having followed the group for some time, Society Hill resident Sam Greenberg said Happe and Green’s efforts to share intergalactic views and knowledge is why Philly Moon Men has gained such a following in the city. “The views are sick,” Greenberg said. “I think what he does is really cool, so I take any opportunity to see more of it.”

Fourth-grade science teacher Jess Trider said the group is a refreshing attraction on the historic street. “It’s really cool to have access to a telescope in the middle of the city,” Trider said. “[Happe] is so knowledgeable about it, and it’s just good to have a quick information dump.”

Instead of drawing people who visit a traditional observatory or museum, Green said he and Happe started Philly Moon Men so they could “just take normal people off the street and turn them into astronomers.” Green said, “It’s even more exciting, I think, than trying to get a physicist outside of a university.”

Established institutions will always have more resources than a group like Philly Moon Men. But Green said sidewalk astronomy brings the wonders of the universe to the city’s streets, and it’s important for both to work simultaneously to reach and educate the public.

“The Franklin Institute is always packed, and it’s usually the same people every time,” said Green, “but they’re not meeting the people outside of those distinct audiences. Those people on the street don’t get that experience. We don’t need this institution or planning, we just need a telescope and a little bit of free time.”

While the mission of the group has evolved over the years, Happe said one that’s remained consistent is their fight for light pollution advocacy. He pointed to countries like the Netherlands, which has made efforts to reduce light pollution, and his and Green’s hope is that their work inspires the United States to follow suit.

Pitts said he plans to form community partnerships with more groups like Philly Moon Men. That way, there will be more programs and community events beyond the science museum’s walls.

Green and his brother often get asked the same question: “Why South Street?” It’s the last place most would expect to see a telescope, he said, but it’s an ideal spot because of the myriad of cultures that brew in the area and the people that frequent the bustling street.

“If it wasn’t for Philly and South Street, this project would have never happened,” Green said. “[Philly Moon Men] is uniquely a Philly thing. South Street has always had this reputation of cultivating creativity, and we’re just another example of that.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Alien Superstar: We caught up with the Philly Beyoncé fan whose costume earned a shoutout from the singer

The BeyHive was buzzing Wednesday night at The Linc for Queen Bey’s arrival.

Before Beyoncé's first U.S. Renaissance World Tour stop in Philly, fans spent weeks mapping out their pre-show plans and piecing their outfits for the 2 ½-hour spectacle.

Yes, there were Philly celebs in the audience: We spotted Questlove and Jazmine Sullivan. But one unearthly audience member caught Beyoncé's attention. Newark, N.J.-native Tameer Peak, 27, embodied his inner alien superstar, wearing a six-pound UFO mask, as a nod to the “Renaissance” song. His otherworldly outfit even received an onstage shoutout from Beyoncé herself: “Hey alien superstar ... alien in the house,” the singer said to the sold-out crowd. “I really accomplished everything I wanted tonight,” Peak tweeted on Wednesday night.

“I’ve seen the concert three times now, and this was the best concert of all three,” Peak said to The Inquirer. He attended two other shows in London. “America was better because it’s been long-awaited. People had more time to prepare, and because of the section I was in, being so close to Beyoncé made it even more spectacular.”

Peak said one security officer stopped him from entering the BeyHive B area. “It almost failed horribly,” he said. “But once Beyoncé’s team saw me, they instantly loved it and helped me.”

The BeyHive pits are located on either side of the main stage while Club Renaissance ticket holders get to stand in the circle pit at the end of Beyoncé's runway.

Longtime fan Michael Ramirez, 25, arrived 12 hours before Beyoncé hit the concert stage to grab a prime spot at Club Renaissance. And to be that close to the superstar, he said to The Inquirer, was truly a moment to behold.

“She’s famously private, so the chance to get that close to her was really a treat,” Ramirez, who turned up at The Linc at 8 a.m., said. “And based on what she said about this album and [the ‘Renaissance era’] — it releasing all the stress and worries, and the dance floor being your freedom — I really feel like it was very much the vibe of that section.”

While Ramirez’s outfit of shiny button-down shirt, silvery shorts, and rodeo hat was (relatively) simple, the Harlem resident said he plans to go “fancier” when he attends the singer’s New Jersey, Atlanta, and Houston tour stops.

So far, Ramirez’s planned outfit includes a fringe-tipped jacket, black chaps, and matching cowboy boots, in line with the tour’s unspoken dress code.

Philly-native Trev Vanzant, 29, was surprised to see how spacious Club Renaissance was, leaving enough room for her and others to enjoy the “visually stunning” concert experience.

“I don’t think that visual aesthetic can be topped,” she said. “As far as a show at The Linc, there’s an amount of intimacy that can’t happen in a stadium like that.”

While Beyoncé put on a stellar performance in South Philly, Peak had a controversial take on who the real star of Wednesday night was.

“Irrespective of what anyone else thinks, Blue Ivy IS THAT GIRL,” Peak said. “The crowd was enamored by her stage presence. She ate her mother up. [She’s] a true star.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Jalen Hurts doesn’t have much time to meet his Drexel look-alike

For years, Jalen Hurts’ face has been on TV screens and Philadelphia billboards. His unshakable cool and dashing good looks have drawn brand deals and a growing base of admirers.

But off TV and beyond the billboards, if you’ve spotted “Hurts” at a Sansom Street dive or on Drexel’s campus in recent years, chances are you ran into Drexel lacrosse midfielder Ronnie Gunter, the Minnesota native who recently went viral for his close resemblance of the two-time Pro Bowler.

In an Instagram video shared by user wooder_ice on Tuesday, Gunter, 22, is seen being approached by 16 people who mistake him for the NFC Championship-winning QB. The video, originally posted by Gunter’s girlfriend, Emma Carpenter, amassed over 160,000 views on Instagram as of Wednesday morning.

Gunter has drawn Hurts comparisons since his sophomore year at Drexel. And while the stares and photo requests can be annoying at times, he has playfully welcomed the attention.

Their shared likeness, however, does not just stop at the goatee and 6-foot-1 frame. Gunter, who played his last lacrosse game for Drexel in May, has some NFL connections too. His cousin David Boston and uncle Michael Gunter played in the league, and another uncle, Byron Boston, was an NFL referee.

We talked to Gunter about going viral, juggling Vikings and Eagles fandom, and his desire to meet Hurts in person for a Spider-Man meme moment.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

First things first, do you think you look like Jalen Hurts?

I can see where the comparison comes from, especially when I put our pictures side by side. But personally, I feel like we look different enough from each other. But some people are fully convinced I’m him. Like we’re actually twins, it’s crazy.

Since you grew up as a Minnesota Vikings fan, was it weird getting compared to the Eagles star?

When I was graduating high school, my friends and family said, “You better not be an Eagles fan.” But it grows on you, especially when your home team is losing. It’s hard not to be a part of [the Eagles fandom].

I fell in love with the Eagles the first time I stepped into the city. I get the “Nobody likes us, we don’t care.” And I think Philly will always be a part of me when I eventually move on.

Did you think the video would go as viral?

I thought about it. I was waiting for someone to repost it and say, “Oh my god, Jalen Hurts was just here,” just because so many people have come up to me and told me, “Has anyone ever said you look like Jalen Hurts?”

My girlfriend was like, “I want to make a video of this,” and I was like, “Sounds good.” She made the video and posted it, and we both thought it would go decently viral. But not as much as it did. But here we are.

How do you feel about the comparisons?

I think it’s funny. And I mean, he’s not a bad guy to be compared to. He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, so I appreciate it. It’s an awesome comparison to be mistaken for that guy. I think it’s awesome.

Has anybody asked you to sign an autograph?

No, never an autograph. There’s been multiple instances where I’ve taken pictures with people. Some of them will do it just to fake out their friends, or other people actually believe that I am him. When I hang out with friends, I get it so much that by the end of the night I just play into it like, “Yep, I’m him.” It’s pretty funny because so many random people come up to me and I can finish their sentences for them.

Does it ever get annoying?

Sometimes it can get a little annoying, but other than that it’s pretty awesome. Especially being in Philly, everyone thinks Jalen Hurts is [at] wherever they’re hanging out. You can see people do double takes, then confirm with their friends and then realize, “Why would Jalen Hurts be anywhere I am right now?” I have always had a good spirit about it, and I don’t ever think it will get old. It’s still awesome because he’s such an inspirational person to get compared to.

I want to manifest you both meeting. It’ll be like the Spider-Man meme.

Me too. I’ve been getting compared to him since roughly the end of my sophomore year. I have gotten nowhere close to meeting him. I’m graduating next week and heading back to Minnesota. [So] I have like a week and a half to meet this guy, so hopefully we can get a side by side next to each other sometime soon.

You’re not going to act like the Drake look-a-likes who walk around wearing OVO hoodies, are you?

No, no, no. I’m going to obviously do me. I get some comments where people are like, “He’s trying to even dress like Jalen Hurts.” No, that’s just how I dress. I’m just out here trying to have a good time.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Montgomery County ID’s potential measles exposure locations after first 2025 case confirmed

Montgomery County officials have released additional details about the region’s first 2025 confirmed case of measles, including the places the unvaccinated child visited before their emergency room diagnosis.

The county’s Office of Public Health is still working on contact tracing along with the child’s parents. Meanwhile, anyone who visited the following locations last Tuesday and Wednesday could have been exposed:

From Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 9:30 p.m. to Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 3:15 a.m.

1. China Airlines Airport Shuttle Bus, departing from JFK Airport Terminal 4 and arriving at Pho Ha Saigon, 757 Adams Ave., in North Philadelphia.

Details about exposure during air travel are not yet available, a Montgomery County spokesperson said.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 11:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

1. True North Pediatrics Associates of Plymouth, 3031 Walton Rd., #C101, Plymouth Meeting.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 12:52 p.m. to 3:02 p.m.

1. CHOP King of Prussia Campus Emergency Department, 550 S. Goddard Blvd., King of Prussia.

The unidentified child arrived at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in King of Prussia on Wednesday, according to the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health. No other information about the child has been made public.

The measles case was not only the first in the region this year, but in all of Pennsylvania, amid a national surge of the highly contagious virus. So far this year, 164 measles cases have been reported across nine states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent data.

Measles is transmitted by air or through touching infected surfaces, according to the CDC.

Symptoms such as a high fever, cough, rash, and lesions on the inner lining of the cheek can appear a week or two after exposure. In some cases, inflammation of the brain, respiratory failure, and death can be among the outcomes of contracting the virus.

It can be particularly dangerous for pregnant people, immunocompromised people — including organ transplant and chemotherapy patients and people living with HIV/AIDS — and children under 5.

Between one to three in 1,000 children who contract measles will die, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

Montgomery County recommends folks check their vaccination status. If you suspect measles, the Office of Public Health recommends calling your health-care provider, urgent care, or emergency room before leaving your house. Or dial 610-278-5117 to have the Office of Public Health facilitate the visit.

In Philly, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is free to all residents at any Philadelphia health center. For an appointment, call (215) 685-2933.

Staff writers Michelle Myers and Abraham Gutman contributed to this article, which also contains information from the Associated Press.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Keke Palmer Gets Raw On 'Just Keke': How The Multi-Hyphenate Reclaimed Her Narrative & Entered Her "Awareness Era"

Keke Palmer has made the evolution from child star to Hollywood empress look seamless. Whether it’s on set of a blockbuster movie, along the red carpet, or in the podcasting space, the actress, author, and entertainment mogul has remained the same Keke she’s always been.

For more than two decades, Palmer has been steadfast in her pursuits and intentional with her public image. She’s taken on bigger and more mature roles as an actress and launched KeyTV, a Los Angeles-based digital network that produces scripted and non-scripted shows starring other industry talents. As she’s expanded her horizons and ping-ponged from one big budget project to the next, she hasn't taken her sights off music.

Palmer has continuously poured into her music career. Beginning with 2007’s So Uncool to her newest release, Just Keke, the pop and R&B singer has gradually found her artistic footing. With the release of her latest album, Palmer has  shed the immeasurable weight of perfection that she carried for so long on her shoulders. 

Palmer has effectively abandoned the charismatic Hollywood persona reflected in her TV and movie roles and hilarious viral quips. Rather than disguise her anger, confliction, or heartbreak harbored since her last project, 2023's Big Boss, Palmer shed her previous "mask" in exchange for a mirror. Just Keke reflects the most authentic parts of Palmer's Hollywood star and Lauren, the girl from Harvey, Illinois who’s outgrown the small talk, lingering hangovers, and romantic drama. 

Released on June 20, Just Keke is Palmer’s rawest musical project to date. The album, and accompanying visual album, explores Palmer’s family life, her journey as a new mother, and her very public breakup. Throughout the album, she addresses her contentious split with Darius Jackson, and how her seconds-long dance with Usher at his Las Vegas residency in July 2023 placed an irreparable wedge between them. Rather than address it on social media, Palmer was compelled to put it to wax. 

Along with the pain of heartbreak, Palmer swats down the rumors and misconceptions that circulate online, and illuminates how motherhood and her recent experiences have made her an even firmer protector and believer in her future aspirations. GRAMMY.com spoke to the multihyphenate about her musical journey, how her role in an upcoming Boots Riley movie inspired her to get back into the studio, Issa Rae’s advice to go "Off Script," the honor of being memed, and her hopes to take her son, Leo, on tour for the album. 

The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Between movies, TV shows and your podcast, how do you have time for music, especially a new album?

The conversation always leads you, meaning I don’t always have something to say for an album. I feel like in order to put an album out, you have to have a topic. A lot of the other things I do are collaborative projects, so it’s somebody else's words or it’s a role, or even hosting is just a curiosity of life. 

But with [Just Keke], it’s like me putting all of my thoughts together — everything that I feel like I’ve learned or I want to reflect from society. It really guides me. Once I feel that feeling, then I make the time to put that project together. Otherwise, I kind of allow myself to keep living until that itch comes back. 

You even recorded Just Keke while filming a new film. What was that balancing act like?

It was something I needed because, as I said, that itch came back. I was working on this project for a while, and I was working on [the Boots Riley film, I Love Boosters]. I think being in that energy I was like, I think I’m ready. I should start trying to get my words out. 

Every night after I was on set, or on the weekend before I went back to start my week, Tayla Parx and Ispent about four days working on the project. And it just gave me that break that I needed. Sometimes when I’m doing one thing for a long time — whether it be a TV show, a movie, or my podcast — I need to mix it up. I needed to do something different, and it happened to be music. I was also ready to tell my story for this time period of my life. 

It’s been two years since Big Boss. How was your approach different this go around?

Well, I think I'm a way different person, and my conversation is different with myself. People say this is my most personal album, and I agree. Not because I was being fake on the other ones, but because anytime that you are deeper with yourself, it just changes the way you speak and communicate with others. It’s like a lived experience that just evolved me in a way that I didn’t even know I could evolve to. It just opened up a different perspective for me that you hear in the music.

This album was a peeling back of the layers and showing the world an insight into the life of Keke the entertainer, and Lauren the person. Were there any moments you thought might have been a bit too close to the chest?

Yes, and that’s the reason why I wanted to work with Tayla on the project because she was somebody that I trusted; not just because she’s so skilled, but because she cares about me. 

My [relationship] with my audience is communal. I’m a Black girl, I’m a Black millennial, and I’m a young person — I take all that seriously. That’s how my parents raised me with my platform. But at the end of the day, I’m a human being. People saw me, in the most public way, go through a very human experience. So, as a person and as an artist, not to address [the public breakup] would be a halt in my growth as a person. I didn’t want to exploit myself, but I wanted to talk about how this has impacted me… how the relationship impacted the way I perceive myself, and all the other ways that I needed to grow and heal.

It was kind of the inciting incident that allowed that barrier of feeling, that weight of perfection to kind of crumble. 

You dug deep on "My Confession." Was there a moment where you thought, Damn, maybe I went too far?

There absolutely was. And by the way, we went through that with every song, damn near. From "Off Script" to "Misunderstood" and "Expose." We went through that multiple times, but definitely with "My Confession," especially with the family line. I was thinking, Well, how much can I say? How were we going to say it?

The way [Tayla] produces projects, it’s not just what I’m saying. It’s also how I’m saying it, the inflections and the vibe. You really get to tap into the energy of how I feel that I’m confessing. I’m truly getting this s— off my chest that I need to get off, and it hurts to get it off my chest because I’m not trying to make nobody look crazy or look bad, but it’s part of my life. And I need to own my truth. 

It was very much a back and forth type of thing where I’m thinking, Damn, is this too messy? But music is your diary. Music is a big, deep expression for any artist that’s trying to be true. Again, it wasn’t that other projects I wasn’t trying to be honest. I didn’t have these experiences to realize that. The music went further on Just Keke because I further as a person. 

How would you define this new personal or artistic era you’re in?

I think this is like an awareness era; a true observational era in moving from just being the performer to also presenting to my audience that I'm the architect. Like, this is what Keke Palmer the brand is going to be talking about this season. 

With Just Keke, it’s clear that I’m talking about fragmentation, integration, and what it means to be a product. I’m talking about becoming who you are in front of the world. I'm talking about your love life and your love story not turning out the way that you want it. But I'm doing it with artistic awareness, while I also take you through the journey as the business and the creative person behind it. I put this together to transmute my personal experience, but in an art form. I’m taking off the mask, so to speak, and saying, "Hey, this is what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and how I’m doing it." 

In another interview, you said this album was about, "Turning your mask into a mirror." Break that down for me.

I call my fans my miracles. I never called them anything before because it always felt kind of strange to me. But then after this experience, I was just sitting with myself and looking at my life, I thought, They’re my miracles. They saw it in me before I saw it for myself. 

And we’re reflecting each other back to one another. Anytime you get memed, it’s because people see themselves in you, and that’s the biggest and greatest honor. I think I have a unique relationship with my generation. I feel mirrored by them, and they feel mirrored by me. I think that’s really special because that means they see the truth. 

As a performer, I always try to keep it on point. But whether it was at the Met Gala, when I said, "It’s your girl," or when I did Vanity Fair and I said, "Sorry, to that man," they saw the real person. Even though I was trying to be as perfect as I could, they already knew I wasn’t perfect. And that’s what they love about me. And for me, it’s about taking off the mask and owning being in front of the mirror. Being that mirror for them, and being that mirror for me. 

Within the last two years, you became a mother. How do you feel motherhood has inspired you creatively, or even beyond music?

Motherhood has just made me braver. I think that's spilled into everything that I do — the ability to just have the courage to say "no" and have boundaries. To be firm in times when I was it wasn’t as easy to do it myself, but I knew that my son was watching. I knew this was going to affect my son because it’s going to affect me. 

I think it’s hard sometimes for people to stand up for themselves, even for the most confident people you can think of. It can be tough, but when you have a child, it becomes so detrimental. The child needs you, so you become stronger, braver, and more loving to yourself simply because you need to be for the kid. That’s the biggest way my son has impacted my life. 

On the visual album, you honor R&B icons like Whitney Houston and Brandy. Do you see parts of yourself in them?

They’re commercial icons, but they’re also Black women. A lot of what we speak to is generally flattened, fetishized, or it becomes a mockery because of the nature of our society. When I looked at women like Brandy and Whitney, I saw myself in them and saw them trying to become who they are in front of the world. It was never enough; [even] when you’re trying to be perfect, trying to do everything right. 

I remember when Brandy first had her child, and people were shocked. And when people judged Whitney, too. I feel like it’s just a rite of passage when you decide to be somebody in front of the world. I just wanted to honor them because they deserve to be honored for who they are, not for who people wanted them to be. At the end of the day, that’s what I’m saying with Just Keke. Maybe I’m not perfect. Maybe I’m just misunderstood, and maybe I’m not everything you want me to be, but I’m doing my damn best. All I can be is Keke, just like Whitney could only be Whitney, and Brandy could only be Brandy. That’s what’s necessary as we encourage the next generation to come into their own. 

The album wasn’t just filled with heavy material. The song "Tea, Boo" is a fun, house-inspired record. How was it putting songs like those together for Just Keke?

"Tea, Boo" is obviously like my personality. I think all the songs speak to different vibes of me. But "Tea, Boo" is like, "Hey, we’re kicking back, having fun, and let’s make a moment." 

"Tea, Boo" was a lot of fun. We were in the studio, and I was literally asking for some tea. And I was like, "Okay, I have some tea, boo." And Mike, the guy who was in there writing with me, was like, "What’s tea-boo?" And I was like, "No, I’m saying tea, comma, boo." And he was like, "That’s a song." From there, we started working on this record, and it was so fun. I wrote it around the same time as my book, Master of Me, so I was in the early stages of getting back into music. I kept it in the tuck, and felt it was perfect for the album. 

You were gloating on "Ripples," and included your family in the vignette during the visual album. That had to have been a special moment.

I was showcasing the side of me I damn near forgot about myself because I was doing everything that I could to be Keke Palmer. But there’s Lauren Palmer inside that created that persona to be able to survive. But now, I don’t have to do it to survive. I can do it with intention. 

Aside from talking my s—, I also wanted to show what it means to build a legacy. To show this is what it means to play your role in your family, and to continue to do what you need to do at all costs. My family has supported me. I’ve supported them, and they won’t stop. That’s how we’re going to keep doing it. That’s how I was raised. My dad talked to me about [actors] Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, and I remember meeting Kyla Pratt for the first time. I was so nervous that I didn’t say anything. And he was like, "You need to always show respect to the people that put on before you." He was kind of checking me, even though I was starstruck. I think about that often because he was like, "You’re not in competition with each other." We are in support of one another, and we have to give each other flowers whenever we see each other. It’s like we all have ripples that we come from, so we have to pay respect to that."  

Will you have a tour for this album? And if so, will baby Leo be on board for the ride?

You know that baby Leo has to come. I literally can’t leave without baby Leo. I would love to figure out a way. I don’t know what my tour is going to be like because I definitely feel like it has to be its own shape. I’m a musician, but how I see myself as an artist is everything at once. I want to figure out what’s the best way to do that kind of show because it has to be very much Just Keke. But doing a show and doing a tour is definitely on my list. It’s been the main thing me and my team have been talking about.

– Grammy.com

Former UArts dance instructor could be deported due to school closure

With dreams of becoming an artist, Turkish-born dancer Su Güzey immigrated to the only U.S. city she had ever visited — Philadelphia.

Güzey, now 33, moved to Philly in 2021 after being accepted into UArts’ MFA in dance. While pursuing her master’s degree, she began teaching as an adjunct assistant professor in the dance program, and performing in university-funded productions to help boost her resumé. She volunteered for several local productions and performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Fest.

With the school’s unexpected closure in June, Güzey lost her job and faces a threat far greater than unemployment — deportation. “I’ve had challenges in my life, but I never felt freezing and full despair as if everything was going to go wrong,” said Güzey, who completed her master’s program while at UArts. “It triggers my nervous system in a way that I have never felt before. I don’t like this feeling.”

As former UArts students, staff, and faculty members protested, Güzey was rushing to submit job applications. She had 60 days to find another job in academia in order to maintain her visa status, an almost impossible task given how few academic appointments are made during the summer.

Güzey still doesn’t know if she will be forced to uproot her life in Philadelphia, leaving her home in Fishtown, her career and friendships behind.

“I don’t want to generalize people’s experience when they are migrating from home, but the feeling of home is something you desperately seek,” Güzey said. “It’s not a space that you create. People make a home for you, and the people I’ve met have made Philly home for me.”

Even though the UArts’ dance program is moving to Vermont’s Bennington College the program’s new incarnation will have no full-time faculty but will use a roster of part-timers and visiting artists. With no full-time academic job on the horizon, Güzey is pursuing an O-1 nonimmigrant visa, commonly referred to as an “artist visa,” which could grant her an extended stay in the country.

“It’s just very complicated, and the place I’m in now is because I have looked at possible routes to stay, and this is the only one,” she said.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, O-1 visas are given to an individual “who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics ... and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements.”

Güzey is confident she fits the bill. The only issue is funding.

She needs $5,000 to pay lawyer fees and submit her petition, an astronomical sum for a recently laid-off immigrant artist who’s been struggling to find paid gigs.

To fundraise, two of Güzey’s friends encouraged her to start a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised over $3,000.

“It’s beautiful to see [the support], and it proved my point that I found a home,” she said. “The support and care are undeniable.”

Her friend Jim Anderson, a graphic designer who creates under the name GRIMGRIMGRIM, said it’s “disappointing” to see artists like Güzey have to go to these measures because UArts shuttered its doors. He fears other creatives, too, will continue to be abandoned.

“It’s insanely f — d up,” Anderson said. “I don’t think people really realize the weight of it. The city wants to promote itself as some sort of cultural hub, but yet, they are helping kick people out that want to do good stuff here.”

Güzey said she and her lawyer are handling procedures as best they can, but “everything depends on how well the immigration office is going to respond,” she said. “At this point, we don’t know, and we have so much evidence based on my past experiences in the field. But again, it all depends on how they are going to see it.”

She doesn’t know whether it’s hope or stubbornness, but Güzey said she’s beyond the anxiety-ridden phase. She’s prepared for a more positive outcome, instead of the “bumpy road of pain” she’s been on the past two months.

“I don’t have any more anxiety attacks,” she said. “I have the strength to work on these things more and to fight for my rights. I deserve to stay here, and I have the skills and the experience to offer something to the arts community.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Amanda Seyfried, star of ‘Long Bright River,’ is glad she didn’t have to put on the Philly accent

Emmy-winning actress Amanda Seyfried sat in the backseat of a patrol car for a ride along with two Philadelphia police officers through Kensington.

Within minutes of the car pulling out of the precinct, there was a slight jolt. A driver had hit the patrol car, and Seyfried watched as the officers handled the situation with “humility” and “discretion.”

“I was asking a lot of questions, and they had a lot of answers about how to treat people,” she said. “The way they communicated, reacted to situations, and the patience they had as humanized police officers. We need to see the good ones, too.”

The actress, who rose to movie stardom after her breakout role as Karen Smith in the original Mean Girls, said the eye-opening tour through the 26th Police District prepared her for a “dream role” in Peacock’s new Kensington-set drama, Long Bright River.

Seyfried plays Michaela “Mickey” Fitzpatrick, a patrol officer who discovers a string of murders in Kensington’s drug market. As Mickey attempts to locate the killer, and find her missing sister Kacey (Ashleigh Cummings), she confronts dark memories from her childhood spent in the neighborhood.

The series, adapted from Philly author Liz Moore’s award-winning book of the same name, is close to home for Seyfried. The Allentown native grew up 60 miles north of Philly and was sold on Moore’s grounded portrayal of Kensington’s opioid crisis.

“It feels so local and important,” Seyfried said. “It’s a beautiful book that’s grounded in reality, and it’s an important story to tell. The perspective from a beat police officer in Kensington is interesting, and [playing] a female police officer has been a dream of mine. All the elements were there.”

Seyfried said Mickey is one of the more complex and challenging characters she’s had to play. She’s an “unlikable” character, whose past trauma and severed relationships have hardened her personality almost entirely.

“It’s hard to play her because I can’t fall back on a lot of the same tricks that I have when I’m playing a real person,” Seyfried said. “I’m not playing a character that we know. I’m playing a version of myself, and I struggled with keeping the metaphorical hat on. It was tricky.”

Seyfried leaned into their few commonalities. Like Mickey, Seyfried is a mother of two and an admitted control freak. Embracing the character’s dark past was admittedly hard.

“She has a completely different past than I do, and I had to fight to remember what I was, to keep hold of her story. It was a lot of emotional stuff,” she said. “It was a totally new uniform for me, metaphorically and as a literal police uniform.”

Moore’s presence on the set, Seyfried said, made it easier. The book is drawn from the novelist’s own experience of volunteering in Kensington, as well as her family’s history with addiction.

Moore’s involvement helped bring Philly to their filming location in New York City. As executive producer and co-creator of the series, Moore recruited local community members like Franciscan priest Father Michael Duffy and Philly rapper OT The Real for roles in the show. She also tapped organizations like Savage Sisters Recovery and the House of Grace Catholic Worker, which added to the show’s authenticity.

“We brought Philly to us,” Seyfried said. “I’m really proud of the people who never acted before that are in the show. I’m proud of the strength that Liz had to keep everything in line with Philly, and to bring us all together to put a spotlight on this neighborhood.”

When things veered off-center, Moore stepped in as the Philly aficionado. “Whoever was directing the episode at the time, she would always bring us back to Philly because Philly is a character in and of itself.”

To makes things a little easier, Seyfried wasn’t tasked with mastering the Philly accent. But Cummings, Seyfried’s Saudi Arabia-born and Australia-raised costar, didn’t have a choice.

“I don’t know what the [accent’s] elements are,” Seyfried joked. “It’s like things are [pronounced] a little wider … I definitely think that Mickey not having an accent is really funny, and it goes to show just how much of an outsider she’s felt her whole life.”

But Seyfried is barely an outsider. Filming the series and connecting with the Philly people on set brought back memories of her days in the city, from sleepovers at the Franklin Institute, visits to friends at Temple University, and nights dancing on tables at Center City’s Finn McCools.

She’s hopeful the limited series draws awareness to the issues in Kensington, while also highlighting the city’s beauty.

“I’m in awe of the city, and how it moves and operates. I understand the good and the bad, and in some way I feel like I’m coming home a bit. I can’t help but feel a kinship to the city,” she said.

“Long Bright River” streams on Peacock.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer