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Brooklyn-born Grammy winner Leon Thomas is not one to shy away from a challenge, as a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter whose music leans toward the mellow and smooth tones of R&B and soul. That was especially the case as he was scheduled to perform on the main stage during Lollapalooza, the three-decade-old music festival known for raucous acts and fervent fans that are anything but mellow.
But Thomas is game for anything, even successfully converting the crowd to his favor. And the 33-year-old simply rocked his day 3 set at Lollapalooza this past weekend with a high-energy performance that the audience responded to with feverish excitement.
“I do my best not to overthink the tempo,” Thomas explains to Billboard about setting the vibe for his set. “I think it’s more so about, ‘Did I get the story across? Was I present with them? Was I overthinking?,’ you know? I kind of wash away all of the thoughts and just decide to make my show feel like my own personal party. Every show has been a blast, so I’m gonna keep having fun up there, regardless of the tempo.”
To give more back to his fans, Thomas surprised guests after a hot 45-minute set at Club Magenta, T-Mobile’s exclusive VIP lounge that was open to all Magenta Status members. During his appearance, fans sang “Happy Birthday” to the singer (he was born on Aug. 1, 1993), as he got a chance to keep the party going and connect with festivalgoers in person.
“It was an amazing experience for me, right after the show,” Thomas shares. “It’s always one of those moments where you gotta come down from the high of being in front of all those people, but I think one of the most beautiful moments was going out there and really getting to connect with the fans. I was able to hand out some vinyls. You know, we played some throwback songs from my early Nickelodeon days, and everybody was jumping around. It was cool to connect with them.”
T-Mobile
T-Mobile
Club Magenta
Magenta Status
Rudie Obias
Rudie Obias
Club Magenta gives T-Mobile members exclusive VIP access with elevated and covered premium views for performances of the main stage. The lounge experience also has charging tables and booths for your smartphone, a private bar with fun specialty cocktails (like the “T-Mobile Magenta Spritz”), photo ops, free swag and a few surprises, as well as other gifts and benefits.
In addition, Club Magenta heads to Austin City Limits Music Festival in October and F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in November later this year.
Learn more about T-Mobile, Club Magenta and the Magenta Pass here.
