BET Awards 2025: Leon Thomas Finally Has His Moment: From Child Star to BET’s Best New Artist
Leon Thomas’ journey to the 2025 BET Awards stage wasn’t overnight—it was overdue. When he was named Best New Artist, the win marked more than just a career milestone. It was a recognition of quiet persistence, musical mastery, and a voice that’s been ready for this spotlight all along.
Many fans first met Leon as a teen actor on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, where he played the guitar-slinging André Harris. But what looked like a breakout moment was only one layer of his artistry. Behind the camera and beyond the character, Thomas was already a seasoned songwriter and multi-instrumentalist—crafting melodies, learning production, and slowly building a lane that no one else could drive in.
Over the years, he helped shape the sound of modern R&B and pop from the shadows. He co-wrote and produced tracks for the likes of Ariana Grande, SZA, and Toni Braxton. If you’ve danced, cried, or vibed to a chart-topping hook in the past decade, chances are Leon Thomas had something to do with it.
But MUTT, his debut solo album, made it official: Leon Thomas is no one’s background player.
Released earlier this year, MUTT is a cinematic, genre-blending body of work that sounds like late nights, heartbreak, jazz clubs, and soul-searching. Tracks like “I USED TO,” “ANSWER YOUR PHONE,” and “FEELINGS ON SILENT” offer a raw, emotionally intelligent take on modern relationships and identity. It’s grown-man music, but with the experimentation of someone who’s not afraid to take risks.
The album doesn’t beg for streams—it demands a deep listen. Thomas weaves storytelling, live instrumentation, and poetic lyrics into a cohesive narrative that reflects the complexity of being a Black man navigating love, loss, and legacy. There’s no gimmick here. Just grown energy, beautiful arrangements, and a confident understanding of who he is.
When his name was called at the BET Awards, Thomas walked onstage not as a surprise winner, but as a long-deserving one. His win comes at a time when the music industry is finally making room for the artists who’ve been building quietly, waiting for the noise to fade. He didn’t arrive with a viral moment—he arrived with a catalog.
MUTT might be the first time some listeners are tuning in. But for Leon Thomas, this moment has been years in the making.