"I Wasn't Ever Aiming For Sexy" - MTV Meets Leo Kalyan
Plus listen to his debut EP 'Silver Linings' in full right here...
If you've ever trusted your Spotify enough to leave it on shuffle, chances are you've drifted across the smooth grooves of Leo Kalyan's 'Fingertips'.
Topping its viral chart earlier this year, the tune is lifted from the UK singer-songwriter-producer's debut EP Silver Linings, and his previous tracks 'Over You' and 'Stranger' have been given Annie Mac and Mistajam's approval.
BUT WHO IS HE?
We caught up with Leo to find out his story, becoming a sex symbol, how his first headline gig went the other week and what guilty pleasures he has locked away. Plus you can check out his lush vocals in our full Silver Linings EP stream below too...
Who/what pushed you to make music?
"It's the only thing I feel like I'm good at. So if it doesn't work, I'm in trouble..."
For people that haven’t discovered you yet, how would you describe your music?
"Oceanic."
How would your parents describe it?
"'Noisy.'"
You’ve had the most viral track on Spotify with ‘Fingertips’ – is it weird for you how it’s gotten so big, so fast?
"Yeah! Very weird. It still doesn't feel "real" because to me it's just numbers on a screen. But obviously it's a great feeling to think that people connect with what I'm doing."
You called the debut EP ‘Silver Linings’, is there an overarching story behind the songs on the EP?
"The EP is sort of like, the different stages of a relationship. The chase, the honeymoon period, the end, and then a reflective look-back at what happened. I didn't plan for it to be that way, but that's how it turned out."
https://soundcloud.com/leokalyan/sets/silver-linings-ep/s-K40vD
How was it hearing your music on the radio for the first time? What were you doing when it aired?
"The very first time it happened? it was in the morning, and I was, erm... asleep. (Clearly I'm not a morning person) but the second time it happened, my mate came round with a bottle of champagne."
You recently played your first live show – how did it go? Any horror stories or nerves?
"No horror stories, thankfully. I had rehearsed it to death... I was pretty nervous though. It's a strange thing when you've produced and written music in a studio, on a computer - and then you have to take it all apart and give different instrumental parts to a band to play. It took some getting used to, but now I love it."
What’s the weirdest/strangest description you’ve heard of you/your music so far?
"It's always weird when people tweet me saying I sound "sexy". I'm just like "lol". I wasn't ever aiming for sexy."
Who's footsteps (career) would you like to follow in?
"Leonard Cohen. He's the coolest."
What's on your iPod that people wouldn't expect?
"Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space' and the Spice Girls', 'Say You'll Be There'. Is that embarrassing? Nah I don't care, they're both big f**king tunes."
I could show you incredible things
Magic, madness, heaven, sin
Saw you there and I thought
"Oh, my God, look at that face
You look like my next mistake
Love's a game, wanna play?" Ay
New money, suit and tie
I can read you like a magazine
Ain't it funny? Rumors fly
And I know you heard about me
So hey, let's be friends
I'm dying to see how this one ends
Grab your passport and my hand
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
So it's gonna be forever
Or it's gonna go down in flames
You can tell me when it's over, hmm
If the high was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
'Cause you know I love the players
And you love the game
'Cause we're young, and we're reckless
We'll take this way too far
It'll leave you breathless, hmm
Or with a nasty scar
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
But I've got a blank space, baby
And I'll write your name
Cherry lips, crystal skies
I could show you incredible things
Stolen kisses, pretty lies
You're the King, baby, I'm your Queen
Find out what you want
Be that girl for a month
Wait, the worst is yet to come, oh, no
Screaming, crying, perfect storms
I can make all the tables turn
Rose garden filled with thorns
Keep you second guessing like
"Oh, my God, who is she?"
I get drunk on jealousy
But you'll come back each time you leave
'Cause, darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream
So it's gonna be forever
Or it's gonna go down in flames
You can tell me when it's over, hmm
If the high was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
'Cause you know I love the players
And you love the game
'Cause we're young, and we're reckless (oh)
We'll take this way too far
It'll leave you breathless, hmm (oh)
Or with a nasty scar
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane (insane)
But I've got a blank space, baby
And I'll write your name
Boys only want love if it's torture
Don't say I didn't, say I didn't warn ya
Boys only want love if it's torture
Don't say I didn't, say I didn't warn ya
So it's gonna be forever
Or it's gonna go down in flames
You can tell me when it's over (over)
If the high was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane (I'm insane)
'Cause you know I love the players
And you love the game
'Cause we're young, and we're reckless
We'll take this way too far (ooh)
It'll leave you breathless, hmm
Or with a nasty scar (leave a nasty scar)
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
But I've got a blank space, baby
And I'll write your name
What do the next six months have in store?
"I have a single coming out in September called 'Get Your Love'. There will be a video for it too, and then there's another live show to follow. Other than that, I'm just tryin to write an album.... so it's all systems go!"
What’s your ultimate career goal?
"Making music makes me feel alive. iIjust want to feel alive."
Leo's Silver Linings EP is out now.