Five Minutes With: Montréal Pop Artist Léolo

Léolo is the moniker of Léo Hamel, a promising queer musician hailing from Montréal. Passionate about defying categorization, his music is a thoughtfully crafted blend of pop euphoria and ethereal novelty.

Carried by strong vocal performances and compelling melodies, Léolo’s songs are modern anthems addressing themes such as craving for unifying adventures or the quest for identity.

Throughout his career as a solo artist and back up singer, he graced the stages of the city’s most notable festivals such as Osheaga, Montreal Jazz Fest, Fierté Montréal and Santa Teresa, as well as singing for various acts including Cirque du Soleil.

His ambitious debut album, Mainland, was released on October 22, 2024. Featuring many collaborators, such as JUNO-award winners Austin Tufts and Raphaelle Standell-Preston, the album is a kaleidoscopic odyssey celebrating the transformative power of pop music.

Don’t miss out on their Mainland album, now available!

Léolo

Name:

Léolo

Genre:

Alternative / Indie / Pop / Electronica

Founded:

2019

# of Albums:

1

Latest Album:

Mainland

Latest Single:

“Mainland”

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

The Beatles

Favourite musician now:

Björk

Guilty pleasure song:

Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Live show ritual:

Ginger tea and hot yoga

Favourite local musician:

Ouri

EP or LP?

LP!

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird (gets the worm)

Road or studio?

Studio

Any shows or albums coming up?

Recently launched Mainland album last October 22, 2024.

Where can we follow you?

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

***

Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Nouveau Palais

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Castelnau Street, it’s just so cozy and lively

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

Jeanne-Mance, because the sky feels so big there

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

Bar le Ritz

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Phonopolis

 

About Emilea Semancik 115 Articles
Emilea Semancik was born in North Vancouver. Emilea has always always wanted to work as a freelance writer and currently writes for the Vancouver Guardian. Taking influence from journalism culture surrounding the great and late Anthony Bourdain, she is a recipe author working towards publishing her own series of books. You can find her food blog on Instagram: