Song Exploder Leon Thomas - Mutt
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Jan 28, 2026 Leon Thomas, singer-songwriter, producer, and actor, reflects on making the title track Mutt and the personal moments that shaped it. Rob Gueringer, producer and musician (Freaky Rob), recalls studio sessions, the drum/808 loop, and recreating a sampled feel. They talk songwriting choices, P-Funk–inspired bass, vocal layering, and the vulnerable toughness behind the song.
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New Year Survival Mission
- Leon describes hitting January 1, 2023 with a survival-instinct mission to make a record that would secure his place at the label.
- He treated the album as a do-or-die creative sprint to create something that truly resonated.
Instagram Beat Sparked Collaboration
- Leon found David Phelps and Rob Gueringer via an Instagram video of them playing drums and bass and DM'd them to collaborate.
- Meeting them felt like finding 'lost brothers' who shared his broad musical taste.
Mutt As A Vulnerability Metaphor
- Leon connected the idea of 'mutt' to his dog and Elvis's hound-dog imagery to frame vulnerability and playfulness in the song.
- The word 'mutt' became a concise metaphor tying unrequited love, player behavior, and vulnerability together.