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Léon (Swedish singer)

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Léon
Background information
Birth nameLotta Lindgren
Born (1993-02-26) 26 February 1993 (age 31)
OriginStockholm, Sweden
GenresIndie pop
Occupation(s)singer, songwriter
Years active2015–present
LabelsColumbia Records / LÉON Recordings / BMG

Lotta Lindgren (born 26 February 1993), known by her stage name Léon (stylized as LÉON), is a Swedish singer and songwriter from Stockholm, Sweden.[1] Her first single, "Tired of Talking", was released on SoundCloud in July 2015.[2] She has released three full-length albums: LÉON, Apart, and Circles. She also collaborated with Jonas Blue on the house single "Hear Me Say".[3]

Career

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Early life

[edit]

Lotta Lindgren was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1993.[2] She comes from a musical family: her mother is a cellist and her father is a composer and conductor.[4] Léon began her musical career as front-woman of a hip hop and soul group in her teens before embarking on a solo career with producing partner Agrin Rahmani in 2015.[5] She has cited Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Beyoncé, Etta James, Sam Cooke, and Stevie Wonder as musical inspirations.[2][6][7]

2015–2017: First EPs

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Her first single, "Tired of Talking", off her debut release, Treasure (EP), gained immediate attention earning praise from the music executive and producer Chris Anokute and getting a mention by the singer Katy Perry, who tweeted "she's one to watch!" The song went viral clocking up millions of plays on streaming platforms.[8][9]

In October 2016, Léon played at the 31st edition of Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, Netherlands.[10] Her second EP, For You, was released on 3 March 2017,[11] followed by Surround Me (EP) consisting of four tracks in October the same year.[12]

2018–2019: Debut album

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Léon's first full-length album, titled LÉON, was released in March 2019 via her own LÉON Recordings in partnership with BMG. The album's release was preceded by the singles "Baby Don't Talk", "Falling" and the breakout song "You And I".

Produced by the production teams ELECTRIC and Captain Cuts,[13] the album blends modern electronic production values and more intimate stripped down sounds, with varied styles ranging from synth-pop to retro-pop and soul.[14]

The album was met with positive reviews from the critics, who praised its intricate melodies and intimate feel,[15] comparing Leon's vocals with those of Stevie Nicks and Amy Winehouse.[16] To promote the album, Léon embarked on a tour of Europe, the UK and USA.[17]

2020–Present: Apart

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After a series of singles, including "And It Breaks My Heart" and "Chasing a Feeling", Léon released her sophomore studio album, Apart, in October 2020. Created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the album was recorded and produced from start to finish in her hometown of Stockholm, with an old time collaborator, Martin Stilling.[18]

Though overall similar in sound to the debut album, Apart features a more stripped-back production and is more personal in nature.[19][20] It has been characterized as a break-up album[21] with songs filled with a sense of longing and nostalgia.[19] The album received generally favourable reviews. Although critics noted that the album may be not as accomplished as Léon's first record – nor distinctly recognizable from it – they praised her song-writing abilities, and, like on her debut outing, her mature vocals.[19][21]

In May 2021, Léon collaborated with Jonas Blue on the dance house single "Hear Me Say", which quickly amassed 18 million plays on streaming platforms. The video for the song, directed by Alex Nicholson, was released in July 2021.[3][22]

In September 2021, a single, "Dancer", was released.[23][24]

Léon released her third studio album Circles on 4 March 2022. It includes previously released singles "Dancer", "Soaked", "Fade Into a Dream" and "Wishful Thinking".[25][26]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Details Peak chart positions
SWE
[27]
Léon
  • Released: 1 March 2019[28]
  • Label: Léon Recordings, BMG
  • Formats: LP, CD, Digital Download
 58
Apart
  • Released: 30 October 2020[29]
  • Label: Léon Recordings, BMG
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
 —
Circles
  • Released: 4 March 2022
  • Label: LL Entertainment, BMG
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

Extended plays

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Title Details
Treasure
Spotify Singles
  • Released: 30 November 2016
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: Streaming
For You
  • Released: 3 March 2017[32]
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: Digital download
Surround Me
  • Released: 6 October 2017[33]
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: Digital download
Live from the Village (Acoustic)
  • Released: 10 May 2019
  • Label: LÉON Recordings, BMG
  • Formats: Streaming

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album/EP
SWE
[27]
2015 "Tired of Talking" —[A] Treasure
2016 "Think About You" —[B] For You
"Liar" —
2017 "Sleep Deprived" —
"Surround Me" — Surround Me
"Body" —
"I Believe in Us" 81
"No Goodbyes" —
2018 "Baby Don't Talk" — LÉON
"Falling" —
2019 "You and I" 68
2020 "In a Stranger's Arms" — Apart
"Who You Lovin" —
"And It Breaks My Heart" —
"Chasing a Feeling" —
"Head and Heart on Fire" —
2021 "Dancer" —[C] Circles
"Soaked" —
"Fade Into A Dream" —
2022 "Wishful Thinking" —
2023 "Pretty Boy" — Non-album singles
"Dirt" —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

Notes

  1. ^ "Tired of Talking" did not enter the Swedish singles chart, but peaked at number one on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[34]
  2. ^ "Think About You" did not enter the Swedish singles chart, but peaked at number eleven on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[36]
  3. ^ "Dancer" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number 14 on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[39]

Other songs

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Year Single Album
2016 "Dreams"
(Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC) 		Spotify Singles
2019 "Want You Back"
(with Grey) 		Non-album single
2021 "Hear Me Say"
(with Jonas Blue) 		Together

References

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  1. ^ Nordstrom, Leigh (28 April 2016). "Swedish Pop Singer Léon on Katy Perry, Heartbreak and Her First Tour". WWD. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Schwartz, Alexandra (27 April 2016). "Get to Know LÉON, the Swedish Pop Star Katy Perry Called "One to Watch"". Glamour. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Jonas Blue Teams Up With LÉON To Share Uplifting House Single "Hear Me Say"". CULTR. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  4. ^ Osenlund, R. Kurt (4 June 2019). "Léon is the finest Swedish pop export since Robyn". Document Journal. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  5. ^ "LÉON Is Sweden's Next Great Pop Export". NYLON. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  6. ^ Fombelle, Corinne (13 February 2017). "Q&A with Swedish singer LÉON". The Vanderbilt Hustler. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  7. ^ Nordstrom, Leigh (28 April 2016). "Swedish Pop Singer Léon on Katy Perry, Heartbreak and Her First Tour". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Léon, Sweden's Next Big Thing, Is Ready for Her Album to Drop". Vogue. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Swedish singing sensation Léon isn't tired of talking about music, touring and ABBA". vancouversun. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  10. ^ "First European Artists Confirmed for Eurosonic Noorderslag – Eurosonic Noorderslag". Eurosonic Noorderslag. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Léon Releases 'For You' EP Today". Skope Magazine. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  12. ^ Caminiti, Kasey (11 November 2017). "Interview with Swedish Soulful Singer Léon". DuJour. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  13. ^ "LÉON releases debut album & video for 'You And I'". TotalNtertainment. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  14. ^ "LÉON Talks Colorful Debut Album, "Want You Back," & More: Interview". idolator. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Léon by Léon – Album Review. Swedish singer-songwriter's winning debut". On: Yorkshire Magazine. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  16. ^ "LÉON Defies Categorization, Delivers Dynamic & Distinctive Self-Titled Debut | Album Review". Albumism. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  17. ^ "LÉON". Bandsintown. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  18. ^ Sahai, Fred (30 October 2020). "LÉON Faces Isolation on 'Apart'". PAPER. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  19. ^ a b c Pegg, Sam (30 October 2020). "Not Life-Changing, But Worth the Listen; A Review of LEON's Apart". The Edge. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  20. ^ Davies, Jeffrey (4 November 2020). "LÉON's 'Apart' is her most directly personal work". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  21. ^ a b Jayswal, Palak (1 December 2020). "Review: LÉON – Apart". SLUG Magazine. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  22. ^ Bhanawat, Akshay (4 July 2021). "Jonas Blue & LÉON Share Music Video For 'Hear Me Say'". T.H.E – Music Essentials. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  23. ^ "LÉON on Instagram".
  24. ^ @itsleonmusic (8 September 2021). "Link in bio ❤️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ "LÉON Eloquently Traverses the Fragility and Fortitude of the Heart on Exquisitely Crafted 'Circles' | Album Review". Albumism. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  26. ^ Moran, Justin (9 March 2022). "LÉON Embraces Life's 'Circles'". Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Discography Léon". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Léon by Léon". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  29. ^ "APART VINYL (PRE-ORDER)". Official LÉON Store. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  30. ^ "The Windish Agency: LÉON". www.windishagency.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  31. ^ "Treasure – EP by LÉON on iTunes". iTunes. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  32. ^ "For You – EP by LÉON on iTunes". iTunes. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  33. ^ "Surround Me – EP by LÉON on iTunes". iTunes. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 30, 29 juli 2016" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  35. ^ "Léon – Tired of Talking" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  36. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 2, 13 januari 2016" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  37. ^ "Léon – Think About You" (in Swedish). Grammofonleverantörernas förening. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  38. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Leon" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  39. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 37". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
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