Next Wave #1185: LeoStayTrill

It’s often asked what ingredients are needed for success in a landscape that’s constantly evolving. A playful demeanour? Unique cadence? Or head-turning flows? As far as taking the internet by storm, LeoStayTrill has done a stellar job so far. At just 16, he’s captured hearts worldwide in less than twelve months of his debut release. Putting a fresh twist on Afro-infused drill, the South East London rapper has already racked up co-signs from household names including JME and Bobby Shmurda.

Gravitating towards music as a young boy, his curiosity got the better of him. “We Sing U Sing came to our school, they taught the students songs, and we would all come together in a huge venue and perform it for our parents. I was one of a few that got chosen to do a solo. I wrote my lyrics and rapped to 1,400 people on stage,” Leo recalls. As time went on, so did his love for the craft. He taught himself how to record from his phone, how to use audio interfaces and microphones. Describing his own sound as a manifestation of freedom, LeoStayTrill’s meticulousness shines through. Encouraged by his family to amplify his talents, they started a YouTube channel as a creative outlet for Leo: “That’s significant because that same YouTube channel from 2018 is the channel I have now, which is at 60,000 subscribers.”

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Blowing up on TikTok, Leo composed a handful of sounds that began racking up millions of views. Following his breakthrough single, ‘Honeybun’, and a trip to his homeland of Zimbabwe where he uploaded choreographed videos to his music, Leo is on the precipice of the big leagues. Adjusting to his newfound fame whilst still in education, LeoStayTrill is on a mission. “I want growth in every aspect, from the music to the visuals,” he says. “The goal is to make sure you can’t escape my face.”

We’re awaiting the release of Leo’s next single ‘Bank Roll’, an infectious drop that will soundtrack the longer days. “I dreamt about the hook’s melody. It was so weird,” he says of the track’s genesis. “It’s a summer song,” he declares. Amidst the whirlwind of his career, LeoStayTrill was flown out to New York on business where he met up with Bobby Shmurda. “He walked in, ‘Honeybun’ was playing, and I dapped him up. It was crazy! He did a verse for a ‘Honeybun’ remix; it’s never going to come out but to know we have a verse from him is amazing.”

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