Ariana Grande’s 2013 debut album, Yours Really, not solely marked a seminal breakthrough for the previous Nickelodeon actress, but it surely additionally helped launch the careers of its creators behind the scenes. A decade later, two of these acts are taking middle stage on the Grammy Awards.
Victoria Monét co-wrote two songs on Grande’s debut and has written on each Grande album since. She’s competing for a whopping seven Grammys, together with greatest new artist and document of the 12 months with “On My Mama.” Leon Thomas, who starred on the Nick sitcom Victorious alongside Grande, co-wrote and co-produced 4 tracks on Yours Really, and he’ll doubtless add Grammy winner as a prefix to his title. SZA’s megahit “Snooze,” which Thomas co-produced, is the frontrunner in the most effective R&B music class.
“I respect all people who was concerned in [Ariana’s first] undertaking. To at the present time, we’re all very shut and actually look out for one another,” Thomas tells THR. “This trade’s virtually like a highschool — no person’s going wherever, which is dope — and it’s simply very nice to see all people evolve and develop.”
Successful a Grammy has been high of Thomas’ thoughts for the previous 18 months: “Presently on my cellphone, I’ve an image of a Grammy as my lock display screen. Each time I examine the time, I see it.”
Leon Thomas and Ariana Grande in 2010
Charley Gallay/Getty Photographs
Manifestation has labored for him — however he’s additionally put within the work. On his personal and as half of the songwriting-production duo The Rascals, with Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, Thomas has written and produced for Drake, Publish Malone, Chris Brown, Zendaya, Jack Harlow, Meghan Trainor, Toni Braxton, Ty Dolla $ign, 6lack, Ella Mai, Kehlani, Giveon, Jessie Reyez and legendary singer-songwriter-producer Babyface, who has been a mentor. Thomas even earned his first Grammy nomination, for greatest rap music, on the 2020 present for co-writing Rick Ross and Drake’s “Gold Roses.”
However music is only one of his many skills: He began his profession as a preteen on Broadway, showing in The Lion King, The Shade Purple and Caroline, or Change. And his performing credit embody Insecure, August Rush, Detroit and Rising Stars.
In an interview, Thomas discusses his work on SZA’s “Snooze,” Drake’s humorous demeanor and eventually releasing his debut album.
Leon Thomas
Kayla Oaddams/Getty Photographs
If you meet folks, do they put the items collectively and acknowledge that you just’re André from Victorious, Eddie from Insecure and in addition a singer-songwriter-producer?
It’s fascinating you say that. I used to be in Atlanta; I had to do that present for Morehouse and Spelman, and once I was strolling round, it was fascinating to see the totally different pockets of my profession that individuals would acknowledge me for. Surprisingly, lots of people who know me from music have been on this journey with me for some time. And if they’re simply coming to the social gathering, they’ve additionally seen me on TV. So it’s exhausting for them to place the items collectively at first, however I’m assembly lots of people who know all elements of my profession, which is absolutely, actually, actually shocking for me, man. That’s been a blessing to have the ability to populate so many various industries. It’s positively been exhausting at occasions, however I’m glad that I gave myself an choice to only assault no matter my coronary heart needs.
Did you all the time write and produce music?
At a sure level in my 20s, I targeted on writing and manufacturing as a result of it was paying extra. And typically within the performing area, as you noticed with the writers strike, you may do a variety of work on a TV present or a film however not essentially receives a commission Will Smith costs or something like that. I used to be positively that low season like, “Maintain on, y’all ain’t about to have me broke out right here.” So I used to be positively hustling, making an attempt to ensure I received some placements to steadiness all the things out.
It’s humorous as a result of some folks will say it’s exhausting to make music from songwriting …
Manufacturing although. You get a producer’s charge and then you definitely get these royalties. And that’s residual revenue, passive revenue, cash I don’t actually have to consider. It simply comes after you do the work. In order that’s what I used to be chasing. I learn this guide known as Wealthy Dad Poor Dad, and it talked about royalties and publishing and catalogs. And I used to be like, “Oh, let’s go. Let’s do it.” So I’m at the moment on my second catalog now. And I’ve been constructing this catalog for a very long time, man. I received a variety of songs beneath my belt, and I’m trying ahead to having the ability to cross one thing right down to my future generations.
Babyface additionally labored on Ariana Grande’s debut album. Did you introduce him to her?
Yeah. I threw a celebration at his studio and Ari got here by, Taco from Odd Future. We had a bunch of individuals there that evening. And we had some drinks and all people’s hanging. And I introduced her to one of many studio rooms and I stated, “I need to play you some songs. I do know you’re working in your new undertaking.” And we performed her “Child I” and I feel one different joint, and he or she performed me “The Means” at the moment. It was nonetheless a demo. And it simply genuinely changed into a tremendous, inventive relationship. I then invited her again to satisfy Babyface. I heard the ’90s vibe she had on “The Means,” so we actually took that power and added it on to a bunch of different songs she had beforehand recorded, and in addition some songs that we helped write for her as effectively.
You’re nominated on the Grammys for co-producing SZA’s “Snooze,” which has spent 52 weeks on the all-genre Billboard Scorching 100 chart, and is in its nineteenth week at No. 1 on the R&B charts. Why do you suppose it’s doing so effectively?
That melody that SZA wrote and people lyrics are simply so poignant. I’m such a fan of how she wrote that document. I really feel prefer it’s simply such a powerful music. It’s the type of music that you may sing simply on an acoustic guitar and it feels good. And I positively respect the truth that individuals are displaying a lot like to it. It’s a very good feeling. That is in all probability one of many greatest data I’ve ever been part of, so I’m simply blessed.
SZA wrote the lyrics for “Snooze” — what was your function in making the music?
I did the chords and performed a bunch of devices on it, like bass and guitar, and I had my boy, BLK, doing keys, and Khris did the drums, and Babyface got here in and added some licks on the guitar as effectively. We actually simply formatted the document out and made it work. I additionally do that factor the place I pitch my vocals up, the place I’ll gradual the beat down and I’ll sing a melody-pass over it, and I’ll pace it up and my voice looks like a pattern. That means, we don’t need to pattern precise outdated soul data and stuff. We will simply use my voice to provide that classic aesthetic.
You’ve labored with Drake a ton. What has that been like?
Actually dope. Drake’s a cool man, actually laid-back, actually humorous, witty. I really feel like typically we don’t get to see his character as a lot as a result of he doesn’t do a variety of interviews, however he’s a humorous man, man. He was simply very open when it got here to a variety of my concepts, musically. And I’m an enormous fan. I grew up on Drake. Drake received me via a few of my first breakups and shit like that, so to be able so as to add to his musical story was an actual blessing.
Leon Thomas co-starred on Victorious (Ariana Grande is second from left)
Lisa Rose/Nickelodeon/Courtesy Everett Assortment
What was it like being a Nickelodeon star with the success of Victorious?
It was insane as a result of I feel I knew what I used to be moving into, however I didn’t fairly notice it till it was in all probability the second season when it began to hit me. That’s when my face was on cereal containers and McDonald’s Glad Meals. And it was like popular culture success in a means that was actually, actually totally different. And I’m so grateful for that chance as a result of it actually gave me a possibility to see the world from a special lens. Nevertheless it’s positively a tricky gig evolving out of that younger picture. However I discovered solace in writing and manufacturing, and even with among the movies and TV exhibits I used to be capable of guide immediately after that. It was simply actually useful to maintain the ball rolling. My grandfather [was an opera singer] on this trade and he stated the important thing phrase to all of it is, “Subsequent? What are you doing subsequent?” So the second I used to be completed with Victorious, I used to be like, “All proper, what’s subsequent? And the way am I going to construct it?”
Leon Thomas appeared on Season 2 of Issa Rae’s ‘Insecure’
Justina Mintz/HBO
Did it’s important to audition for the function of Eddie aka “Neighbor Bae” on Insecure?
I did a movie known as Detroit proper earlier than that, and the casting director, Victoria Thomas, additionally did Insecure. She known as me in for an audition for Insecure and I’ll always remember it as a result of there was some fairly massive competitors within the audition room. Trevor Jackson and a variety of these actually massive actors on the time have been all there. And I simply keep in mind getting into there and I used to be simply ad-libbing so much. I used to be doing a variety of improv and I used to be making Issa Rae chuckle, truly laughing, simply actual fast on my ft, and I received it going. I used to be actual hungry at the moment, too. Like I stated, the performing world at the moment for me wasn’t actually paying the payments tremendous effectively, so I actually wanted that function, and I’m ceaselessly grateful to Issa for permitting me to grace the display screen with it.
How does it really feel to lastly step in entrance of the general public, musically, along with your debut album, Electrical Nightfall, which dropped in August?
It’s actually cool to see folks [feeling] the songs and lyrics and my tales. That is the album I lived life via. I went via so much, from being dropped from my label, from having points, simply making an attempt to determine my means out within the performing area. Writing and manufacturing was doing fairly effectively, however I nonetheless wished to get this artistry off. There’s such an ebb and stream of emotion that goes from feeling such as you’re so near your dream, however not fairly there but. I really feel like a variety of my feelings lived in Electrical Nightfall. Additionally my love life was up and down, so these are positively totally different scenes in my life.
Do you continue to plan to put in writing and produce for others?
I’ve been flying round, working with all people. I can’t let you know who I’ve been working with for the previous couple months earlier than I did my promo tour as a result of I signed an NDA. However one of many ones that I used to be working with, that I didn’t signal an NDA for, was J. Cole. And I don’t know if these songs will make it to the album, however they have been superb, man. We did three songs and so they’re actually, actually, actually dope. Been working with Wale so much. He’s like my new massive bro. He simply invited me to the crib for dinner.
A model of this story first appeared within the Dec. 15 concern of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.