LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� From Broadway stages to Grammy winner, is adding another milestone to his rising career.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers announced Tuesday that the three-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer will receive the ASCAP , which recognizes members whose work is helping shape the future of music.
Thomas will be honored June 25 at ASCAP鈥檚 private, invitation-only celebration of top hip-hop, R&B and gospel songwriters in Los Angeles. Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include , and .
鈥淟eon Thomas is one of R&B鈥檚 most creative forces today and is reshaping its sound with his boundary-breaking artistry,鈥� Nicole George-Middleton, ASCAP executive vice president and head of creative membership, said in a statement. 鈥淗is passion, creativity and undeniable talent have established him as a defining voice of this generation.鈥�
Thomas first emerged as a child performer on Broadway in 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� before becoming widely known for his role on Nickelodeon鈥檚 鈥淰ictorious.鈥� After the show鈥檚 end, he built a successful career behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer for artists such as Ariana Grande, Drake, Chris Brown and .
In 2024, Thomas earned ASCAP鈥檚 R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Song of the Year award for co-writing SZA’s 鈥淪nooze,鈥� which won a Grammy in 2022.
Thomas later stepped further into the spotlight with his sophomore album 鈥淢utt,鈥� released in 2024. The project featured the breakout title track, which climbed to No. 1 on Billboard鈥檚 Radio Songs chart and earned double-platinum certification. The album also included the single 鈥淵es It Is,鈥� which recently achieved gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
鈥淢utt鈥� helped solidify Thomas as one of contemporary R&B鈥檚 rising stars, earning Grammy wins for best R&B album and best traditional R&B performance for 鈥淰ibes Don’t Lie.鈥�
Thomas recently released his EP 鈥淧HOLKS鈥� and is touring select markets with Bruno Mars on 鈥淭he Romantic Tour.鈥�
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