Leon Tilbrook

Formed in 2020, Beautiful Landing are the genre defying band led by singer-songwriter Leon Tilbrook. The group met through freeform jam sessions hosted in Hilly Fields park, where musicians across South East London reunited in the wake of the 2020 lockdowns. Tilbrook channels the complex songwriting and masterful musicianship of his father Glenn Tilbrook, resulting in signature dissonant vocals and layered, melodic instrumentation flowing through jazz and hip-hop; rock and indie; progressive and electronic; all the while sounding contemporary yet evocative of the past.

Tilbrook, whose formative years spent at BRIT School saw him come of age on a musical diet of artists such as Grizzly Bear, Tame Impala, Squeeze and The Lemon Twigs, is part of a new wave of Post – Millennial artists who understand that to forge the future of music, one can still pay their respects to the past without being completely beholden to it. Tilbrook’s dynamic songwriting leans into Rock and Chamber pop, as is evident in the debut EP release, ‘Beautiful Landing’. Taking the songs into the studio to flesh out infused a completely new atmosphere, as producer Owen Biddle’s past work as a member of The Roots reflects heavily in the music’s pulse and drive. Finishing off the recordings, arrangements contributed by the remaining band members round off this multifaceted sound, melding and merging genres, instrumentation and production elements into something wholly unique in today’s musical landscape.

Themes of immersing oneself in (and eventually overcoming) struggles frame the lyrics, as Tilbrook draws upon a collection of highly relatable stories from his past and shares tales of drifting friendships, toxic relationships, and loss of loved ones, “I definitely take inspiration from the more challenging periods of my life, as opposed to celebrating the positive. I can be an emotional person and very sensitive, feeling like the world’s about to end when really I just need a slap in the face. The best way I’ve found to cope with that is to get it in a song and off my chest; even if it’s not a literal interpretation it can really help when I’m feeling heavy. The most inspired I’ve ever felt often comes after therapy sessions!”

As regular faces in London’s Grassroots Live Music scene, the band’s steady upward trajectory has seen them grow a dedicated following at shows. Enraptured audiences can be found singing along at all their charismatic and highly affecting performances, led by Tilbrook, whose flamboyant performance sees him at home on stage; alongside tight musicianship and a musical chemistry synthesised by like minded, well rehearsed players.

The future of Beautiful Landing is a compelling prospect. With such a high calibre of music being recorded and released, it’s not a matter of wondering ‘if their ascendance will happen, but ‘when?’…