Rising queer artist LÉA THE LEOX is turning up the heat before summer. Today, the Brockton-native and Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter released her sensual new single and music video, “OpenYourEyes,” via AWAL, while also collaborating with Pandora to unveil queeRnB, an inclusive hub and listening experience highlighting and elevating queer R&B artists on Pandora’s PLATINUM: R&B Hits station.
With seductive, confident vocals and undeniably poetic lyricism, “OpenYourEyes” embraces queer love in its boldest form. Serenading a shy female love interest, LÉA offers both an invitation and a promise, singing: “Tonight’s the night, let me change your life lil baby. Promise you I can help you see life more clearly… Now baby, open your eyes.” In the music video, LÉA brings new meaning to the term femme fatale as she gazes into the mirror and delivers her verses with smooth, seductive precision.
The release also marks the official launch of queeRnB, a curated R&B experience hosted on Pandora’s flagship PLATINUM: R&B Hits station, which streams the biggest and best R&B hits out today. Conceived by LÉA to amplify queer R&B artists, queeRnB was created in collaboration with Pandora as a year-round destination to spotlight the intersection of R&B, LGBTQ+ identity, and BIPOC culture, and to ensure these artists and their stories are heard, celebrated, and connected with a wider audience.
“I created queeRnB because I’ve seen how often queer voices in R&B are overlooked compared to the visibility queer artists receive in pop,” says LÉA THE LEOX. “There’s so much depth and storytelling in R&B that deserves more space and amplification, especially from queer artists. Pandora has supported my career from the beginning, and it felt like the perfect
opportunity to collaborate and build a platform where R&B artists from our community can feel seen, share our truth, and celebrate how much we belong.”
queeRnB will feature a range of emerging and established queer R&B voices including Kehlani, Durand Bernarr, Kyle Dion, and Destin Conrad, with LÉA serving as both the creative curator and the voice of the platform’s debut mode experience. In addition to bringing more awareness and amplifying queer artists, queerRnb will provide additional experiences both on-platform and in-person to connect audiences with their favorite artists.
“For the longest, I’ve been waiting for mainstream audiences to embrace queer content just as readily as they embrace all other content. The time has arrived and I’m very proud to be in a position to empower artists like LÉA and so many others.” – Akim Bryant, Director of Music Programming (SiriusXM/Pandora)
“OpenYourEyes” and the launch of queeRnB comes on the heels of LÉA’s recent music video for her previous single “IFY (I Found You),” which was highlighted across platforms including VIBE, Joe Budden Podcast, Yams, RnBass, Welcome to the Culture, Soul Era, Stereofox, and more. Now, with “OpenYourEyes,” LÉA is ready to further establish herself as a bold voice in R&B while simultaneously amplifying space for other queer artists. Stay tuned for more from LÉA and her plans to collaborate with Pandora on queerRnB!
Check out PLATINUM: queeRnB takeover: https://pandora.app.link/71Q5S5W8QSb
