
Think Leon Thomas looks familiar? Here's where you know the BET Awards performer from
Hear this story
Following his appearance at the BET Awards, fans online are collectively making the connection to where they've seen – and heard – singer Leon Thomas before.
Social media users who watched the BET Awards on Monday, June 9, watched as the R&B star performed his track "Mutt," from Thomas' sophomore album of the same name, and accepted the award for best new artist at the award show. Though sporting his trademark shades, fans still got a rush of déjà vu.
"Wait Leon Thomas is actually the actor from Victorious? I thought they just looked alike," one user wrote.
"so im just now seeing who Leon Thomas is…..THE BOY FROM VICTORIOUS?!?! lol thays (sic) wild. I love those transitions !!! You have no choice but to take some artist serious…" another wrote.
Who is Leon Thomas? Social media users recognize singer from Nickelodeon's 'Victorious'
Though some people were a bit late to the party for Thomas' transformation from child star to R&B hitmaker, his rise has been a long time coming.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Thomas, 31, first gained notoriety on Nickelodeon's musical ensemble series "Victorious," in which he plays Andre Harris. The series is also known for launching the careers of Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Victoria Justice and Elizabeth Gillies.
Thomas also served as the voice of Tyrone in Nick Jr.'s "The Backyardigans." Musically, he is known for contributing to SZA's Grammy-winning single "Snooze," several of Grande's early records from her debut album "Yours Truly" and two tracks from her 2020 album "Positions."
His work with Drake and Ty Dolla Sign is among his numerous production and writing credits. His debut album "Electric Dusk" was released in 2023, followed by "Mutt" in September, both to critical acclaim.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' eerie favorite TV show revealed at trial
An alleged victim of Sean "Diddy" Combs is revealing the embattled mogul's favorite TV show is a true-crime franchise. Combs' ex-girlfriend "Jane," testifying under a pseudonym in Combs' federal sex-crimes trial, shared in court Tuesday, June 10, the eerie TV show Combs allegedly counts as his favorite. Under cross-examination, Jane said that she "endured" nights in hotels with escorts because she wanted to spend time with Combs – bathing him, rubbing his feet, cuddling with him and watching his favorite TV show, "Dateline," until he fell asleep. "I felt loved by him because we experienced these things together," Jane said on the stand. Diddy trial live updates: Jane was jealous over Yung Miami relationship, said 'I'm not Cassie' USA TODAY reached out to reps for "Dateline" for comment. When questioned by Combs' lawyer Teny Geragos, Jane also testified that she still loves Combs to this day. Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty."Dateline" features main host Lester Holt, the former host of "NBC Nightly News," and correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Blayne Alexander, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. The show also features Kate Snow, Craig Melvin and Meredith Vieira. The popular show also streams on Peacock. A centerpiece of "Dateline" programming is highlighting injustices and crimes perpetrated by men against women, which Morris discussed during a 2021 USA TODAY interview. Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more "Dateline" mainstay Morrison believes more women tune in to "Dateline" so they can "know the lay of the land when it comes to interpersonal crime." Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé in these 10 bingeable memoirs "That lays open what I think 'Dateline' has exposed over the years, which is one of the worst epidemics we have: the epidemic of spousal abuse, of women being harmed by men. And I hate to say it, but that's really the basis of so much of the crime that occurs," Morrison said. Holt also told USA TODAY that the show's stories are "relatable" because "you realize that people that do bad things could be across the street from you, their kids could go to school with yours." "A lot of the people in these stories were good people, up until the moment they weren't, or they were living normal lives like ours and then one day they became a victim of something really horrible," Holt said. Contributing: Anika Reed This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy trial: 'Dateline' is Sean Combs' favorite, Jane claims


New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Atlanta rapper Silentó gets 30 years after pleading guilty to killing his cousin
Silentó, the Atlanta rapper known for his hit song 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),' pleaded guilty but mentally ill Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter and other charges in the 2021 shooting death of his 34-year-old cousin. The 27-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston said in a statement. Hawk also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possessing a gun while committing a crime and concealing the death of another. A murder charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. 3 Rapper Silento, legal name Richard Lamar 'Ricky' Hawk, is seen in a police booking photo after his arrest on murder charges February 1, 2021 in DeKalb County, Georgia. DeKalb County Sheriff's Office via Getty Images DeKalb County police found Frederick Rooks III shot in the leg and face in the early morning hours of Jan. 21, 2021 outside a home in a suburban area near Decatur. Police said the found 10 bullet casings near Rooks' body, and security video from a nearby home showed a white BMW SUV speeding away shortly after the gunshots. A family member of Rooks told police that Silentó had picked up Rooks in a white BMW SUV, and GPS data and other cameras put the vehicle at the site of the shooting. Silentó confessed about 10 days later after he was arrested, police said. Ballistics testing matched the bullet casings to a gun that Silentó had when he was arrested, authorities said. Rooks' brothers and sisters told DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson before sentencing that Silentó should have gotten a longer sentence, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The rapper was a high school junior in suburban Atlanta in 2015 when he released 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)' and watched it skyrocket into a dance craze. Silentó made multiple other albums, but said in an interview with the medical talk show 'The Doctors' in 2019 that he struggled with depression and had grown up in a family where he witnessed mental illness and violence. 3 Silento arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, June 26, 2016. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 'I've been fighting demons my whole life, my whole life,' he said in 2019. 'Depression doesn't leave you when you become famous, it just adds more pressure,' Silentó said then, urging others to get help. 'And while everybody's looking at you, they're also judging you.' 'I don't know if I can truly be happy, I don't know if these demons will ever go away.' Silentó had been struggling in the months before the arrest. His publicist, Chanel Hudson, has said he had tried to kill himself in 2020. 3 Rapper Silento poses for a portrait in New York, July 21, 2015. Drew Gurian/Invision/AP In August 2020, Silentó was arrested in Santa Ana, California, on a domestic violence charge. The next day, the Los Angeles Police Department charged him with assault with a deadly weapon after witnesses said he entered a home where he didn't know anyone looking for his girlfriend and swung a hatchet at two people before he was disarmed. In October 2020, Silentó was arrested after police said they clocked him driving 143 miles per hour (230 kilometers per hour) on Interstate 85 in DeKalb County. Hudson said at the time of Silentó's arrest in the killing of Rooks that he had been 'suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Frontman Records With Classic '70s Rock Band For First Time in 45 Years
Frontman Records With Classic '70s Rock Band For First Time in 45 Years originally appeared on Parade. An iconic 1970s rock band announced this week that they reunited in the studio with their former frontman, 45 years since the last time they all recorded an album together. The Doobie Brothers dropped a new album called Walk This Road on Friday, June 6, and they brought back the iconic Michael McDonald, who was last with the band full-time for the 1980 album One Step Closer. McDonald was a lead vocalist for the Doobie Brothers from 1975 to 1982, then appeared with the band sporadically over the years, but has not been on one of their albums since One Step Closer. The 73-year-old Hall of Fame vocalist also famously performed with Steely Dan, Toto, Christopher Cross and Kenny Loggins. RELATED: Iconic '60s Rocker Talks Wild Times With Elton John, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and More McDonald reunites with Doobie Brothers founding members Patrick Simmons (guitar, lead/backing vocals), Tom Johnston (guitar, piano, lead/backing vocals) and John McFee (guitar, steel guitar, backing vocals) to go on tour starting August 4 in order to promote Walk This Road, their 16th studio album. The album also features Mavis Staples and Mick Fleetwood. You can pre-order the 10-track album here. In an interview, McDonald told USA Today that times sure have changed in the recording studio due to all of the technological advances. "The technology has changed, for better or worse… The new procedure is interesting. As you're writing the song, you're recording it into a file, and that is the basis you use for the track, even if it's just a feeling," said McDonald. "So it's kind of fun to feel like the song hasn't had to morph into something else. Some of my fondest memories of being in the studio are the first time I heard the band play 'Takin' It To the Streets.' I was like, wow! When the band started playing it, it took on a whole new life. RELATED: Rock Icon, 78, Being Honored by Trisha Yearwood and James Taylor in Concert About the upcoming tour, Simmons told USA Today that they do realize they are in the 70s now and that makes performing live and the grind of a tour a bit harder, but they've been preparing for it. "I've got a hill I live on and walk it several times a day, and am always working on a project. Not that that counts as calisthenics. But I try to always stay in motion and on the road try to get out and walk every day. We're all in our 70s now. I used to think that was old. I do feel it, but it's hard to believe we're out here doing it at this age, and in my head, I'm still 16. You have to think beyond your age. It's a life adventure," said Simmons. The Doobie Brothers released a string of hits starting in 1972. They are best known for "Listen to the Music," "Jesus Is Just Alright," "Long Train Running'", "China Grove," "Black Water," "Takin' It to the Streets" and "What a Fool Believes." 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Later this summer, McDonald, Johnston and Simmons will all be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in the Performing Songwriters category. Frontman Records With Classic '70s Rock Band For First Time in 45 Years first appeared on Parade on Jun 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.