Leon Thomas Explains How the ‘Elvis’ Biopic Paved the Way Towards His Breakout Hit ‘Mutt’

Key Highlights

• “[The film] talked about the hound dog, and I was like, man, I want to be on some Black Elvis shit — but find my own way to make it happen,” he recalls.
• The 32-year-old Brooklyn native had only recently moved into the foreground as a solo musician, having previously gained fame as a child star on Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” and a hit songwriter for SZA (he was a Variety Hitmaker in 2023 for his work on her smash “Snooze”), Ariana Grande and others.
• He’d released mixtapes and EPs here and there, but signing with Ty Dolla $ign’s EZMNY Records as its flagship artist in 2022 opened the lane to release his debut album, “Electric Dusk,” and its follow-up, “Mutt,” last year.
• Related Stories 'Paranormal Activity' Review: Only Nominally Related to the Blumhouse Horror Franchise, Haunted-House Show Ditches Hidden Cameras for Live Scares 'Wicked: For Good' Review: Between Broom Flights and Witch Fights, It's Ariana Grande's Time to Shine in Spectacular Return to Oz Thomas wrote the title track knowing it would be the project’s banner single.
• He already had the chorus in pocket and developed the verses over text with Bizzy Crook before fleshing out the song with producers D.