Leon Thomas Drops Funky ‘Just How You Are’ Single, Teases New ‘PHOLKS’ EP: Stream It Now

Leon Thomas is keeping his ft firmly planted connected the state pedal.

Just 1 period aft gracing the cover of Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players issue, Thomas has officially announced his adjacent philharmonic project, PHOLKS. Comprised of 7 caller songs, the forthcoming EP is owed Oct. 24 via EZMNY/Motown Records, and its funky pb single, “Just How You Are,” is presently disposable connected each integer streaming platforms.

Accompanied by a stylish, hazy music video featuring Forever histrion Lovie Simone, “Just How You Are” builds connected the sonic satellite of Mutt, Thomas’ acclaimed 2024 sophomore workplace album, with a gutsier fusion of funk, stone and R&B. Thomas’ soulful vocals wrapper astir each constituent of the track’s unrecorded instrumentation — from the psychedelic borderline of Freaky Rob’s guitar to the rollicking groove of D Phelps’ drumkit. “And if you cognize you had my heart/ Could ne'er decorativeness what you started/ You emotion to prime my satellite apart/ But that’s conscionable however you are are are,” helium sings successful the chorus, tracing the arc of turbulent emotion that helium simply can’t crook distant from.

Billboard exclusively revealed PHOLKS arsenic Thomas’ adjacent task successful his Aug. 30 screen story, and it volition get little than a week earlier the Grammy victor kicks disconnected his Mutts Don’t Heel satellite tour. Commencing connected Oct. 30 astatine Dallas’ House of Blues, Thomas volition play astir 50 dates crossed North America, Europe and Australia, earlier ending his trek successful Perth connected April 19, 2026.

Last period (Sept. 5), Thomas headlined Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop LIVE astatine New York City’s Webster Hall, the aforesaid play helium accepted breakthrough of the year astatine R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players. It’s been a winning twelvemonth for the Nickelodeon alumnus acknowledgment to the slow-burning rise of his deed single, “Mutt,” which peaked astatine No. 12 connected the Hot 100 and remains successful the chart’s apical 15 eleven months aft its Aug. 2024 release. “Just How You Are” besides arrives the aforesaid time first-round voting begins for the 2026 Grammys, wherever Thomas is simply a starring contender successful some the R&B and General Fields.

Watch the “Just How You Are” euphony video below.