The 10-track album incorporates a multitude of genres including R&B, Afrobeat, Synth Pop, Rock and Funk. The inspiration for the album came from a lack of Queer Black representation in music. «I wanted to write songs that mirrored the life I was experiencing». Waldo said. «For so long, I didn’t see myself in music. For me, this album is autobiographical».
Leon Waldo experiments with different African-based rhythms and sounds throughout the album.«I was really inspired by Soukous and Rumba music. It is full of so much life and energy. I felt really connected to this culture, so I coupled that with talking about real things, like desire, heartbreak and the afterlife». In the album’s final track, Waldo concludes with quietly drifting away on the phrase, ‘to memories, on and on’. Waldo expresses, «I knew when I wrote ‘Future Memories’ that the album was complete. I said everything I needed to say and felt everything I needed to feel. It was my final bow».
Recorded in Washington D.C., United Kingdom, and Los Angeles, CA, the album features several artists including Boston-based singer Rletto and Caribbean artist Prophete. «Queerwave» was produced by Waldo, VJay Seminiano of the duo Jakk’d, Darius Shipp, and loveaftrsex, with mixing by Anton Rasmussen, Phil Swan and Elijah Marrett-Hitch and mastering by Lucía Martinez.
Take a listen to Leon Waldo‘s «Queerwave» below.