Leon Thomas: Tiny Desk Concert

On the morning of Leon Thomas‘ Tiny Desk concert, many NPR staffers assumed the show was postponed due to a snowstorm in the D.C. area. Not only did he proactively schedule his coast-to-coast flight but he was also 30 minutes early to the office. With his sophomore album, MUTT, Thomas has planted his flag as the most exciting artist in R&B music today. The Tiny Desk had to happen now; nothing would get in the way of divine timing.

Thomas was destined to be an entertainer — he’s been doing it for most of his life. His parents were both musicians and introduced him to their world early on. As an actor, he appeared in multiple Broadway plays before becoming a staple on the Nickelodeon network. Under the tutelage of Babyface, he earned his chops as a writer and producer, eventually penning and producing big hits in R&B and hip-hop.

He opens this set with three songs from MUTT and closes with two from 2023’s Electric Dusk, including “Breaking Point,” which he dedicates to his recently deceased grandfather, the opera singer John Anthony: “This is one of his favorite songs.”

SET LIST

• “VIBES DON’T LIE”
• “YES IT IS”
• “MUTT”
• “Breaking Point” 
• “Treasure In The Hills”

MUSICIANS

• Leon Thomas: vocals, guitar
• Chris Payton: guitar
• Ali Roots: keys, piano
• Joe “Jough” Cleveland: bass
• Quintin “Q” Gulledge: drums
• TK: background vocals
• Ayana Layli: background vocals
• Sha’Leah Nikole: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Bobby Carter
• Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
• Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
• Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Grace Raver
• Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
• Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
• Photographer: Alanté Serene
• Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Lars Gotrich
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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