Leon Bridges Interview: On His Australian Tour, Advice From His Dad and The One Piece Of Vintage Clothing He Thinks Every Man Should Own
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Readtime: 8 min
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There are few men in music, or even in the pop cultural zeitgeist, that have as sharp of style as Leon Bridges. Since he broke onto the scene just over a decade ago, he’s been wearing perfectly-tailored, but never boring and always loud, clothing, from hats all the way down to his shoes.
But it’s never without purpose. Leon Bridges’ style is an integral part of his artistry. It’s an extension of the music that’s made him beloved all across the world. With his new album Happiness Anytime, Leon chose to pull artistic influences from far points of the globe, hone in on them and see how he can use those sounds to make a genuine Leon Bridges record. The result? Optimistic, vivid, invigorating soul music that washes over you like sunlight.
Now, he’s bringing that invigoration to Australia for a run of shows here in early 2027. Happiness Anytime is perfect summer listening, so he’s timed that beautifully. As we gear up for a Leon summer, we caught up with the artist and style icon to discuss his love of vintage clothing, what fans can expect from his tour, and the best advice his Dad ever gave him.
Man of Many: I’d say Happiness Anytime is coming in its full form at a time that feels very dark globally. Even in “Tears of Joy”, you sing about how the world is changing incredibly fast. In your art and in your life, how do you get yourself to stay focused on what brings you light, and how do you ground yourself?
Leon Bridges: A big part of that is my faith in God, you know? In my 20s, I had a spiritual encounter with God, and that really shaped my songs and the way I live my life. That’s one of the things that keeps me focused. Sometimes it can be debilitating just to feel the weight of everything that’s going on, but the beautiful thing about music is that we can kind of go to another place through it. It’s so calming and peaceful.
Man of Many: There’s a lot of talk right now about the responsibility of an artist with a platform. In the most general sense, what do you think your responsibility is as an artist?
Leon Bridges: I feel all artists have a responsibility to use their platform to uplift and encourage people through music. Everyone has a role within this life, and I truly believe that you can make an impact by giving people joy through music.
Man of Many: Happiness Anytime was largely made in collaboration with members of Jungle. What about Josh and Lloyd made them the perfect collaborators for the story you wanted to tell with this record?
Leon Bridges: Normally, when I try to sit down on a guitar and write a fast song, it’s almost impossible for me. I think Josh and Lloyd make some of the best soulful dance music. Honestly, I’ve been a huge fan of theirs forever, so it was a dream come true to get into the studio with them. I really loved their approach to the songwriting process. We started every song with just drum loops and basically passed the guitar and mic around until we landed on something dope. I’m really proud of everything that transpired from those sessions.
Man of Many: As you have throughout your entire discography, you pull sonic inspirations from all over the world on this record, but it still feels very authentically Leon Bridges. How do you think you’re able to pull that off when, in less capable hands, it might come off as inauthentic or forced?
Leon Bridges: That’s actually one thing I was thinking about with this project: Would it come across as disingenuous? For me, it’s all about paying homage to those cultures. I think of Fela Kuti, who was one of the inspirations on this project. For me, it’s almost a full-circle moment. He was initially inspired by American soul music and James Brown and incorporated that into his music, and now I have a chance to incorporate Afro-rhythms into this album. I love the way that music makes me feel, so I felt like it was the best outfit for these songs.
Man of Many: I would also say that Happiness Anytime is a transportative record. It takes you places where you might never have been, or to places you cherish deeply. With your forthcoming Australian tour, what’s the world you’re going to build for your audience? Where are you going to take us?
Leon Bridges: The power of music is its ability to transcend and take you to a place where the origin of those nuances live. I’m really excited to bring this live show back to Australia. As an artist, it’s important to reinvent, but it’s all about evolving without losing the core of who you are. The sound has changed a bit, but it’s still the essence of what people love about me the most.
Man of Many: It’s been 10 years since you broke out. What’s the best change and what’s the worst change you’ve seen in music or the music industry in that time? And is there anything that you miss from 2015 that you’d like to have back?
Leon Bridges: Navigating through the industry, you kind of learn what works for you and what doesn’t. Having discipline and staying focused, and keeping the main thing the main thing, is what brings longevity to anybody. Currently, it’s really awesome to see a shift happening in music where music with integrity and meaningful music is getting championed and hitting the forefront.
As for 2015… I do miss my youthfulness! Just exploring everything for the first time. There was magic in that. We were way more green back then.
Man of Many: One thing I’ve always admired about you is your keen, sharp sense of style. It’s classic yet bold, and you’re never afraid to have fun with fashion. How does the way you like to dress correlate with your music-making process? Do your outfits help you to embody “Leon Bridges, the performer”?
Leon Bridges: That’s something I’ve been more intentional about with this album process. I really had to challenge myself to almost completely change my style in a way. The album is very colourful and vibrant, and I wanted my fashion to reflect that. I’ve actually been studying a dancehall coffee table book with a bunch of really awesome fits, it’s just cats in Jamaica living life and doing their thing. I always feel like the fashion should reflect the music, so changing it up has been a cool process.
Man of Many: We know you love vintage clothing, so I’d love it if you could give our readers tips on how to dress in vintage clothing and own it. What do you look for, what do you avoid, and what have you found has worked for you in your journey with fashion?
Leon Bridges: Once you find those staple pieces, you can mix and match. Finding what silhouette works for you is really helpful too. It makes packing way easier! For guys, I feel like every man should own a loafer. And maybe a Chelsea boot.
I definitely have a colour palette that I like to work within. I love a good leather jacket, a good pair of denim, and coming from Texas, we wear cowboy boots, though I’ve been wearing campus boots a lot more these days.
Man of Many: Man of Many is all about making our audience feel like they have the tools to become better men, and a lot of that starts with our fathers. What’s one bit of advice your father or another positive male role model has given to you that stuck with you to this day?
Leon Bridges: One thing my Dad has always said is to watch the company that you keep, because being in the wrong crowd could possibly lead to destruction. I’m grateful to have people around me who have my best interests at heart. That has been so helpful in navigating through a world where there isn’t a lot of grace if you don’t have everything together. It really comes down to the company you keep.
Leon Bridges is touring Australia in 2027. Buy tickets, find dates and learn more at Frontier Touring’s website.
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