The Rise of Leon Thomas: From Nickelodeon to Grammy Winner
In
2024, MUTT became the song that introduced a lot of people to Leon Thomas III.
For many listeners, it felt like a breakthrough moment. But the truth is… Leon
Thomas had been building toward this moment for years. Long before the awards,
the recognition, and the headlines, Leon had already been everywhere—from
Broadway stages… to Nickelodeon television screens… to behind-the-scenes studio
sessions helping shape some of the biggest records in modern R&B. While
most people remembered him as Andre from Victorious, Leon was quietly becoming
one of the music industry’s most respected creative minds. And now, after years
of working in the background, he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves.
So how did we get here? Well… without further ado…This is **The Rise of Leon
Thomas**.
The
Rise of Leon Thomas: From Nickelodeon to Grammy Winner
Leon George Thomas III was born on
August 1, 1993, in Brooklyn. From an early age, music and performance were
already a huge part of his life. Growing up in New York surrounded Leon with
creativity, culture, and entertainment, making the arts feel almost impossible to
avoid. One of Leon’s biggest influences was his grandfather, John Anthony, an
opera singer who appeared in the 1976 Broadway productions of Porgy and Bess
and *Jimmy*. Music also ran through other parts of the family—his stepfather
even played guitar for legendary blues artist B.B. King. Leon later recalled
doing homework backstage while his parents performed in front of packed crowds.
Watching the music, the lights, and the audience reactions left a huge
impression on him. To Leon, entertainment wasn’t just something fun to watch.
It felt like home. And before long, it became something he wanted to be part of
himself.
At just 10 years old, Leon Thomas
landed his first major role—and it was a huge one. Leon was cast as Young Simba
in the Broadway production of The Lion King, officially beginning his
professional career in entertainment. For most kids, performing on Broadway
would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For Leon, it was only the beginning.
After his run in *The Lion King*, he continued building an impressive theater
résumé with productions like Caroline, or Change and The Color Purple. But
Leon’s career soon expanded beyond the stage. In 2007, he landed his first film
role in August Rush. For the role, Leon had to learn how to play guitar—an
instrument that would later become an important part of his musical identity.
More importantly, the experience sparked something creative in him. Working on
*August Rush* inspired Leon to begin exploring songwriting, helping lay the
foundation for the artist he would eventually become.
By the age of 13, Leon Thomas III
caught the attention of Nickelodeon. Leon signed a development deal with the
network, which also included a contract with Columbia Records—an early sign
that both television and music were becoming major parts of his future. His
first work with Nickelodeon came as the singing voice of Tyrone on the
children’s series The Backyardigans. Around the same time, he also made
appearances on shows like Just Jordan, iCarly, and Just for Kicks. But
everything changed in 2010. Leon landed his breakout role as Andre Harris on
Victorious; a sitcom centered around a group of talented students attending the
fictional Hollywood Arts High School. Although the series starred Victoria
Justice, much of the show’s popularity came from its supporting cast, which
included talents like Daniella Monet, Elizabeth Gillies, and Ariana Grande.
Andre Harris quickly became a fan favorite. He was known as the gifted musician
of the group—calm, talented, and laid back. But while Andre stayed relaxed most
of the time, his grandmother Marilyn Harris often brought chaos and comedy to
his scenes. (shout out Marilyn Harris). Leon was considered a natural fit for
the role, largely because of his years of musical and stage experience on
Broadway. And while starring on Victorious, Leon also began focusing more
seriously on his own music career. In 2012, he released his first mixtape,
Metro Hearts, giving fans an early look at the artistry and songwriting style
he would continue developing in the years ahead.
Victorious officially came to an
end in 2013 after four seasons, closing an important chapter in Leon Thomas
III’s career. But instead of immediately searching for another major acting
role, Leon decided to move in a different direction. He stepped behind the
scenes. Rather than focusing on television, Leon began dedicating more of his
time to songwriting and production—wanting to establish himself as a serious
musician outside of his Nickelodeon image. During this period, he teamed up
with producer Khristopher Riddick-Tynes to form the production duo The Rascals.
The partnership quickly opened doors within the music industry. One of Leon’s
earliest major songwriting opportunities came through his former Victorious
co-star Ariana Grande. Leon contributed four songs to her debut album Yours
Truly and also produced her cover of Last Christmas for the Christmas Kisses
EP. For many people, this marked the beginning of Leon’s transition from
television actor to respected music creator. But he still continued developing
his own artistry as well. In 2014, Leon released his second mixtape, V1bes,
further showcasing his blend of R&B, soul, and alternative influences. Then
in 2015, Leon added another important accomplishment to his résumé. He worked
with legendary artists Toni Braxton and Babyface on their collaborative album
Love, Marriage & Divorce, contributing to the song “I’d Rather Be Broke.” The
project would go on to win a Grammy Award, giving Leon an early connection to
Grammy-winning music long before earning one himself.
That’s not to say Leon Thomas III
completely walked away from acting. Even while building his music career behind
the scenes, Leon still continued taking on select film and television roles. He
appeared on the pilot episode of Fear the Walking Dead, showing he still had a
presence in Hollywood outside of music. Then in 2017, Leon landed another
important acting opportunity when he joined The New Edition Story. Leon served
as the singing voice for the legendary artist during the series’ performance
scenes, while actor Woody McClain portrayed the physical scenes. The role fit
Leon perfectly. Not only did it allow him to combine acting with music, but it
also reminded audiences just how versatile he really was. His work was praised
enough that he returned the following year to reprise the vocal role in The
Bobby Brown Story miniseries.
That same year, Leon also appeared
in Detroit, the historical drama centered around the 1967 Detroit riots. In the
film, he played a member of the legendary R&B group The Dramatics. By this
point, Leon’s career had become a balance between acting, songwriting, and
production. Then in 2018, he officially took another step forward as a solo
artist with the release of his debut EP, Genesis. But while Leon was slowly
building his own catalog, his behind-the-scenes résumé continued growing even
faster. He earned a songwriting credit on Ella Mai’s song Not Another Love Song
and later contributed production work to Ariana Grande’s album Positions,
producing the songs “safety net” featuring Ty Dolla Sign and “nasty.” But
arguably his biggest production breakthrough came through Drake’s album
Certified Lover Boy. Leon contributed to three tracks: “In the Bible” featuring
Lil Durk and Giveon, “Love All” featuring Jay-Z, “Pipe Down” At this point,
Leon Thomas was no longer just a former child actor trying music. He was
becoming one of the industry’s most respected creative collaborators.
As Leon Thomas III’s reputation in
the music industry continued to grow, he soon began working closely with rising
R&B star Giveon. Leon either wrote or produced nearly half of Giveon’s
album Give or Take, including one of the project’s standout tracks, For
Tonight. By this point, Leon was no longer an upcoming producer. He was
becoming an established name behind some of modern R&B’s biggest records.
But in 2022, his career reached an entirely different level. In December of
that year, SZA released her massively successful album SOS. Among the standout
tracks was Snooze, a smooth and emotional record that Leon both wrote and
produced. At first, “Snooze” wasn’t the album’s biggest song. But over time, it
slowly transformed into one of the defining hits of 2023. The track climbed all
the way to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, only being blocked from the top
spot by Paint the Town Red by Doja Cat. And then came the Grammys. “Snooze” won
Best R&B Song, giving SZA another major career achievement—but because of
Leon’s songwriting and production work, it also earned him his very first
Grammy Award. After years of quietly building behind the scenes, Leon Thomas
had officially reached the highest level of the music industry. And while all
of this was happening, Leon was still continuing to grow as a solo artist
himself. In 2023, he released his first full-length studio album under Motown
Records, Electric Dusk. The project further showcased his blend of alternative
R&B, soul, and atmospheric production—proving that Leon wasn’t just capable
of creating hits for other artists. He could create a world of his own too.
Following the success of Electric
Dusk, Leon Thomas III returned to work on what would become the biggest project
of his solo career. The result was MUTT, released in September 2024. Almost
immediately, the album received widespread critical acclaim, with many critics
and fans calling it one of the best R&B albums of the year. But while the
project earned respect early on, its biggest moment was still ahead. By 2025,
the album’s title track, MUTT, started building serious momentum. One of the
biggest turning points came after Leon performed the song during his appearance
on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. The performance introduced the track to an
even wider audience and helped fuel its growing popularity online. As the year
continued, the song only became bigger. Additional live performances, strong
word of mouth, and remixes featuring Freddie Gibbs and Chris Brown helped push
the record into mainstream success. By the end of 2025, “MUTT” had officially
become Leon Thomas’ biggest hit as a solo artist. The song peaked at number 6
on the Billboard Hot 100 while also reaching number 1 on the R&B charts. In
August 2025, Leon released a special Tiny Desk version of the song, a move many
fans believed was connected to Grammy eligibility rules for the upcoming awards
season. And when the 2026 Grammy nominations were announced, Leon Thomas was
suddenly one of the night’s biggest names. He earned five nominations,
including Best New Artist & Album of the Year. For someone who had spent
years working quietly behind the scenes, the moment felt surreal. Then came the
wins. Leon took home two Grammy Awards with Best Traditional R&B
Performance for “Vibes Don’t Lie” & Best R&B Album for MUTT. MUTT
eventually earning a Gold certification in 2025. More than a decade after first
becoming known on Nickelodeon, Leon Thomas had fully reinvented himself. Not
just as a producer. Not just as a songwriter. But as one of the defining voices
in modern R&B.
By 2026, Leon Thomas III was no
longer just a respected songwriter or producer behind the scenes. He had
officially become a star in his own right. That year, Leon teamed up with Wale
on the song Dirt on My Shoes and was later announced as an opening act for
Bruno Mars’ *The Romantic Stadium Tour*. And that’s where Leon Thomas stands
today. From a Broadway kid in Brooklyn, to a Nickelodeon star, to one of the
most respected creators not just in R&B, but in music overall. But what
makes his story even more impressive is that it never happened overnight. Every
stage of his career built toward the next. The Broadway experience. The acting
roles. The songwriting sessions. The years spent behind the scenes. All of it
helped shape the artist the world is finally recognizing today. And the best
part? His story still feels like it’s being written. Much like Victoria Monét,
another artist whose rise came after years of behind-the-scenes work, Leon
Thomas represents a different kind of success story—one built on patience,
growth, and consistency. And if the last few years are any indication, The rise
of Leon Thomas may only be getting started. By this point, frustrations that
had quietly existed for years were beginning to boil over publicly.
SOURCES
https://thegrio.com/2025/03/31/leon-thomas-iii/
https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/leon-thomas-interview-589178/
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