I first heard the name Leon Bridges in 2022 when my fiancé asked if I wanted to join her and her sister at his concert. Truthfully, I had no idea who he was. She sat me down, played me a few of his songs, and right away I noticed something rare — his sound was a seamless blend of soul, R&B, gospel, and just the faintest touch of country. It was warm, authentic, and intriguing. So I said, “Why not?”
The girls were buzzing with excitement as we headed to the University of Illinois Chicago on August 24, 2022. I didn’t really know what to expect — especially because, in my experience, not every artist sounds as good live as they do on the album. But I was optimistic. The night started on a high note with the opening act, Little Dragon — a group I’d always wanted to see live.
Then came Leon. From the moment he stepped on stage and sang his first note, I was hooked. His voice carried the same magic as his recordings — maybe even more. He’s one of those rare artists who sounds just as good, if not better, live. By the end of the night, I knew I’d witnessed something special.
Fast-forward a couple of years, Leon Bridges had earned a spot on my regular chill-out playlist — the soundtrack for winding down after work or relaxing on long drives. Then, in the fall of 2024, he surprised us all with his self-titled album, Leon. I actually found out before my fiancé (which I’ll admit made me feel pretty proud), and when I told her, she was ecstatic.
The album is a testament to his growth as an artist, with my personal favorite track being “That’s What I Love.” It’s smooth, cinematic, and drenched in soul, with a subtle country twang in the guitar that ties the whole thing together. The moment I heard it, it felt like being transported into a warm, golden-hour memory — the kind of song you want to play on a late summer evening with the windows down and nowhere in particular to be. Honestly, how cool and smooth do you have to be to write a song this effortlessly dope about the things you love? Every note has intention, every instrument feels placed with care, and his delivery is so laid-back yet commanding that you can’t help but stop what you’re doing just to let it sink in. It’s the kind of track only Leon Bridges could pull off — effortlessly cool yet deeply heartfelt.
Since the release of Leon, he’s moved from being a “rotational playlist artist” to someone I listen to every single week, if not every single day. Signed to Columbia Records since 2015, and with over 4.5 million monthly Spotify listeners, Leon Bridges still feels like a rare personal discovery — the kind of artist you want to keep following as he continues his journey through the music world.
Listen to the self titled album “Leon” below.
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