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\n\tEarlier this year at Coachella, funk forefather George Clinton<\/a> gifted<\/a> Leon Thomas<\/a> a custom hat, lauding him as one of the contemporary torchbearers of the genre. A few months later, not only is Thomas still riding high on the success of \u201cMutt,\u201d but he\u2019s also doubling down on his funk inclinations with a new seven-song EP titled Pholks<\/em>.<\/p>\n \n\tFeaturing just one collaboration in the 4Batz<\/a>-assisted \u201cLone Wolf,\u201d Pholks<\/em> deepens and expands the now-signature blend of funk, soul and classic rock that Thomas honed across Mutt<\/em>. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter teamed up with frequent collaborators D. Phelps and Freaky Rob for the new project, resulting in standouts like the brooding \u201cBaccarat,\u201d new single \u201cMy Muse\u201d and \u201cJust How You Are,\u201d<\/a> which arrived earlier this month alongside a gritty, cinematic Lovie Simone-starring music<\/a> video.<\/p>\n \n\tOn Monday (Oct. 20), Thomas shared an official PHOLKS<\/em> trailer<\/a> narrated by Issa Rae, with whom he co-starred on HBO\u2019s Insecure<\/em>. \u201cThis man will make your liver quiver,\u201d Rae declared in front of red stage curtains before introducing Thomas as \u201cSoul Brother No. 1.\u201d \u201cThis man will make your bladder splatter. This man will set your knees free.\u201d Rae\u2019s shimmering trailer also serves as smart transition into the next PHOLKS<\/em> music video, an Arrad-helmed clip for \u201cMy Muse\u201d featuring retro homes and sunlit pools.<\/p>\n \n\tArriving a few months after he turned his viral NPR Tiny Desk set into an EP<\/a>, PHOLKS<\/em> is the latest in a year of career-shifting moves for Thomas. Over the summer he won<\/a> best new artist at the BET Awards, \u201cMutt\u201d became the highest-charting Hot 100<\/a> song of his career (No. 11) and he earned his first two<\/a> MTV Video Music Awards nominations. Just last week (Oct. 17), Thomas joined Rene\u00e9 Rapp\u2019s Bite Me Tour<\/a> for a surprise duet performance of \u201cMutt\u201d at the Kia Fourm in Inglewood, Calif. Now, thanks to Mutt<\/em> and its singles, Thomas is a frontrunner<\/a> across the R&B<\/a> and general fields at the 2026 Grammys.<\/p>\n \n\tNext week (Oct. 30), Thomas will head to Dallas\u2019 House of Blues to kick off his headlining Mutts Don\u2019t Heel Tour. The Billboard<\/em> cover star<\/a> will play venues across the U.S., Europe and Australia, before concluding on April 19 at Perth\u2019s Metro City.<\/p>\n \n\tStream PHOLKS<\/em> now.<\/p>\n \n