Mutt is the second studio album by American musician and actor Leon Thomas, released on September 27, 2024 by EZMNY Records and Motown.[1] Supported by the singles "Mutt" and "Far Fetched", the album features guest appearances from Masego, Wale, Ty Dolla $ign and Baby Rose.
An expanded deluxe edition of the album, subtitled Heel, was released on May 30, 2025; supported by the singles "Mutt (CB Remix)" and "Rather Be Alone". At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026, Mutt is nominated for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album.
Background
In May 2022, Leon Thomas was announced as the first artist to be signed to Ty Dolla $ign's newly launched EZMNY Records imprint, which was a joint venture deal with Motown.[2] His debut album Electric Dusk was released over a year later on August 25, 2023. Shortly after its release, Thomas began to start work on his second album, understanding that his deal with Motown would expect two albums in his "first cycle with them".[3][4] Conceptually, the album was inspired by a breakup Thomas experienced at the time, as well as observing the similarities in behaviours between himself and his dog, a German Shepherd and Husky mix named Terry.[5] In an interview on HuffPost, he described his dog as “a good guy, but he’s definitely mischievous... I was inspired by how he has great intentions but sometimes may do the wrong thing.”[6]
Singles and promotion
The album's title track was released as the lead single on August 9, 2024.[6] This was followed by the remix, three weeks later on August 30, which featured a verse from rapper Freddie Gibbs. A Chris Brown remix of the title track was later released on March 21, 2025, as the lead single for the album's deluxe edition Heel. The second single "Far Fetched", featuring Ty Dolla $ign was released on September 13, two weeks prior to the album's release.
In June 2025, Thomas announced the Mutts Don’t Heel World Tour in support of the album. It is set to begin on October 30, 2025 in Dallas and conclude on April 19, 2026 in Perth.[7]
The album was met with a positive reception. The Recording Academy gave special attention to album cuts "Vibes Don’t Lie" and "Yes It Is", lauding them a "baptism in neo-soul vocals, evoking innovators such as D’Angelo, Musiq Soulchild, and Maxwell."[9] The project was also recognized for being "as lyrically rich as it is sonically expansive."[9] In another positive review from publication The Culture Crypt, writer Valentina Reynolds applauded the project as "brave and bold... draw[ing] from the classic soul playbook and the modern rules of social media engagement in relationships to create something that feels timely yet not confined to 2024. His ability to effortlessly transition between slow, emotionally driven refrains and high-energy tracks highlights his musical versatility. With MUTT, Thomas has undeniably established himself as one of the leading voices in contemporary R&B."[10]
"Safe Place" contains a sample from "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", written and performed by Donny Hathaway.
"Feelings on Silent" contains a sample from "The Hands of Time", written by Darvid Thor, Henry Jenkins and Hudson Whitlock, as performed by Frollen Music Library.
"Mutt" contains a sample from "Silly Love Song", written by Michael Stokes and Emanuel Johnson, as performed by Enchantment.
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