Today we’d like to introduce you to Leon Waldo.
Hi Leon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
There’s an old joke in my family that I learned to sing before I learned to talk. Growing up, I watched my mother, who was the pioneer of our family, lead mass choirs every Sunday in church. She passed to me the gift that was passed down to her: Music.
I remember spending hours everyday from sunup to sundown in a small corner of my room, practicing on a little Casio keyboard. It once belonged to my sister, but eventually she grew tired of me asking to use it and simply gave it to me. From then on, I would look out the window at the kids playing in the summer with water balloons and toy pistols while I learned to understand this craft. Every now and again, my mother would ask, “You don’t want to go play outside?” I would shake my head no and return to this solemn musical room.
By the time I was teenager, I had started writing my own tunes… The songs weren’t any good back then, but underneath it all, something much more was brewing. By 16, I had an album on iTunes, and by graduation, I was setting off to music school.
The little boy from Small-Town Texas was in the big city of Boston. During this period of my life, I met so many musical phenomenons. Friends that I still catch up with. I was introduced into music making softwares like Ableton and ProTools. I gained new inspiration in Electro R&B. From artists like Kimbra, Gallant and Jack Garrett. This changed everything for me. My music became bolder, eclectic and more daring.
The years after college was a little hazy. So I’ll skip that part. I moved to D.C., then lived overseas for a year. Once Coronavirus hit, I somehow ended up in Los Angeles.
In the madness, I felt I had lost a bit of who that kid in his room was all those years ago.
I set out to write a new record to regain the freedoms I felt I lost… It’s a feel-good record about Queer expression. It draws inspiration from afrobeat, synthpop and many eclectic genres. My 4th album, entitled ‘QUEERWAVE.’ is available everywhere June 25th.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My life has been perfect. I’ve never gone through anything!
No – I’ve struggled with lots of things. Without this becoming a therapy session, growing up I always knew I was Queer. But I didn’t know how to express it. So I pint up this part of me inside, only showing the sides to the world that I knew would be appreciated.
I remember watching LogoTV on 1% volume at 3 a.m with my finger sitting on the ‘Last Channel’ button, quickly turning back to Cartoon Network if any of my family happened to be awake. I would sit and watch at all of these fantastic creatures on shows like Queer as Folk, loving and kissing the same gender, And for a while, I would only express that part of myself at 3 AM.
Eventually, I was outed at school, and word got back to my family. It took a long time after that for me to celebrate my Queer identity. But now, I stand free as bird. And even made a record about it. Again, out June 25th.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being a Songwriter, I write the rhythms of my life. They are expressed through melodies and harmonies. When I produce a track, oftentimes I manipulate sounds to become different instrumentation and effects. I’ve sampled cracking an egg for a snare drum and birds chirping as hi-hats. There’s always a level of experimentation in my music.
I oftentimes write in many genres. My albums have referenced everything from Hip Hop to Indie Pop. To put myself in one finite genre would be too limiting.
I’ve performed on stages from Sofar Sounds to basement parties. I strive to make music that touches you on a deeper connection. That’s what I’m always the most proud of.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I tend not to believe in luck or coincidences anymore. I think it takes away from the countless ancestors working in our favor everyday.
Instead, I believe we are made to be in places at certain times in our lives. Like pawns on a universal chessboard. I think we’re much more connected in that way.
Besides, we live on a spinning rock who spends its time dodging asteroids. How lucky are we?
Contact Info:
- Website: waldowarehouse.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/theleonwaldo
- Youtube: Youtube.com/user/theleonwaldo
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Ry71R0xYI1JcQOHeDaql8
