Leon Thomas says SZA's 'Lana' inspired him to release deluxe version of 'Mutt'

Monday, May 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM

Leon Thomas is releasing a deluxe version of Mutt, and it's partially thanks to SZA. He explains how the idea came about in a recent interview with Billboard.

"I started talking to my manager about everything that’s going on with the Grammys [eligibility cycle], not being able to be nominated [last year] because of the timeline," he recalls. "We were trying to figure out healthy ways to breathe life back into [the record]. We ended up discussing different features, and by the end of that conversation, we were like, 'Well, it sounds like it’s deluxe season.'"

"I was really inspired by [SZA’s] Lana and how she gave us a whole new energy," he notes. "I even saw a resurgence of 'Snooze' right after that drop, on the production and songwriting side, which was really good. It all made sense."

The Mutt deluxe is named Heel and will see Leon "looking back at a lot of things and seeing where I was in my life during the Mutt era," a time he describes as "pretty chaotic."

"The title of the deluxe has multiple meanings," he explains. "From the 'heel' command of learning to follow to healing in real life. ... Right now, I’m in a space of healing and learning ... how to be a good boy."

Leon also discussed the success of "Mutt," which he always knew would be a hit.

"I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but like when I made the record, it was the first time I’ve ever been like, 'I’m making a single today.' I didn’t let anyone talk me out of rolling with it as the first single," he says. "There was this feeling I had about it. Did I think we would still be seeing it on the charts right now? N****, to be real, no."