The lead track from his Silver Linings EP, ‘Fingertips’, shot to the top of Spotify’s Global Viral Chart before being added to the BBC 1Xtra playlist. The buzz lead to sold-out London gigs, a performance on BBC Introducing’s SXSW stage & headline slot at BBC Asian Network’s 2016 Future Sounds festival.
On his follow-up Outside In EP, Leo grappled with his identity for the first time, with lead single ‘Fucked Up’ exploring how being gay & closeted strained his personal relationships. This new direction saw the Guardian name Leo one of “pop’s real rebels.”
In 2018 came ‘The Edge’, Leo’s most accomplished EP. On its release, Paper Magazine described Leo as an artist “on the edge of glory” who “makes the kind of emotionally resonant pop music that can incite positive change.” Telling personal & politically taboo stories with ferocity, the EP was BBC 1Xtra’s no.1 EP for the month, and reached new famous fans including Elton John, Diplo, Ayushmann Khuranna, Maxwell & RuPaul.