PREMIERE: Leo Lore - Blue Print (Official Video) + 10 Questions

Peckham based soul singer Leo Lore shares his single “Blue Print,” which is the second offering from his forthcoming debut EP.

Leo Lore made his debut last year with his track ‘Sorrow’s Golden,’ and earlier this year shared the first track ‘Billie’ from his forthcoming debut EP, which fuses soul, jazz, and motown. With ‘Billie’ receiving support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6, and BBC Introducing, Leo has set himself firmly on the map as one to watch.

“As someone who’s had patches of shaky mental health, after I broke up with my ex-boy I went through a pretty grey patch, and a lot of the bad from my past surfaced. When I wrote this track, I was at the point where I was just sick of feeling shit, and annoyed at the things that “made me” - my “blue print.” I’m weirdly grateful for the rough though because it gave me a proper chance to check myself, to begin to unlearn the internalised homophobia that was holding me back, and become a man that I love.” - Leo Lore

Raised in the quiet space of Norfolk with a melting pot of cultures courtesy of his English father and his mother’s Yemeni and Romanian heritage, Leo’s home was filled with the musical loves of his siblings (his sister is singer songwriter Maya Law) and their wide variety of tastes. Inspired by his mother’s love of Carole King, Etta James, and Ray Charles, and his dad’s appetite for hip-hop acts such as A Tribe Called Quest and Jurassic 5, Leo also grew up listening to 90’s R&B, rocksteady, ska, jungle and afrobeat, and credits this mixture of sounds as really helping to shape him as an artist.

Leo sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

Well I was lucky enough to have a mad range of music being played around the house as I was growing up, my mum and dad would play old soul and 90’s hip hop and my siblings would play anything from garage and r&b to reggae and Afro beats which definitely influenced my love of music and allowed me to be fluid in the music I make. At the age of 13 I started writing and performing songs with my friend Georgia king (singer and songwriter of the band, Galli) and it just kinda went on naturally from there.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

At the time that I was writing my forthcoming ep which this single is from, I’d gotten pretty obsessed with Billie holiday’s album ‘you go to my head’ and Ray Charles’ ‘the genius of Ray Charles’ so that was definitely a huge influence at the time. And in terms of who I’d like to work with (if we’re talking about “the dream” collab) then it would have to be Inflo, Little Simz and Cleo Sol.

3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the corona virus pandemic?

It’s been a proper ball ache… I don’t wanna bore you with all the issues but the thing I love most is performing live so having to go from that to singin’ into my phone for IG live was a bit of a shock to the system and so I’m so glad to be back on the real life gigs again.

4. How would you describe your sound?

I’d say it was retro-soul, but I’d like to think my sound is always adapting and so who knows what it’ll be in the next few months, it just depends on what future albums suck me in!

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

Releasing my first single ‘billie’ was a pretty proud moment for me. I’ve never been so honest in my songwriting and I was shittin bricks about it. But once it was released I had such a beautiful response from people and it’s really lit a fire under my arse to keep cracking on with it all and to stop giving a fuck what people think.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Try and have all the patience in the world…It’s loooooong… and just make music that you like!

7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?

Check out a singer called Ella knight, she’s wicked!

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Little simz - sometimes I might be introvert is a masterpiece! I’ve been rinsing it up since it came out and was lucky enough to catch her live at rough trade east which was a proper special and intimate show.. I’m still buzzin’ from it to be honest, she’s somethin’ else!

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

I’m currently a student, so when I’m not making music or working then I’m mostly geekin’ out with my head in the books… and apart from the that, jus the usual; eating good food, chewin’ my friend’s ears off and goin’ out for a boogie.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

My producer, Mikey Shaw (Dub Cavern Studio)! water and minimal lighting.