Leon Bridges talks about his new album, and the reasons why he stayed in Fort Worth

Grammy-winning hometown hero Leon Bridges is back with his third album.

He took music and fashion cues from 1950s soul singers for his 2015 debut album, “Coming Home”, but “Gold-Diggers Sound” finds Bridges honing a modern R&B sound drawing influences from the 1970s. We spoke with the 32-year-old international star by phone just a few days before the new record’s July 23 release date (the conversation has been edited for clarity.)

How do you feel about going back on tour? Any worries about being around crowds again or shows being cancelled due to potential lockdowns?

There is uncertainty about it all even being able to go down. But honestly, I’m excited about getting back on the road. Playing shows for me is like a drug, that collective experience of giving out energy and them giving it back. I miss all of that.

Have you ever felt pressured to repeat the sound of your first album?

Not necessarily. I knew that if I made five versions of “Coming Home” that I would have a good career but essentially stay stagnant. I honestly wanted more, and I think that’s my journey in music, finding ways of integrating my sound in soul music with a modern R&B context.

There was talk of the second album going in a big band direction. You seem to toy with that idea a little bit in some of the new songs, but do you think that is something you would ever do with an album or some shows?

It could be cool to incorporate that in some select cities, but I really don’t see it living on any future albums.

On the new album you incorporate sounds from a few different eras of jazz. What brought that on?

Shout out to Ricky Reed, who produced this album. I initially wanted to do a modern R&B album but rooted in some more organic elements. I wanted there to be this jazz thing interwoven throughout it all. But Ricky Reed is a genius at writing those jazz horn parts and curating the right players.

I know you mainly recorded these news songs in Los Angeles at the studio the album is named after, but how much of it did you do at Niles City Sound in Fort Worth?

I did do vocal work for “Born Again” and “Why Don’t You Touch Me” at Niles. Those were songs that transpired during the pandemic.

What made Gold-Diggers Sound such a good fit for recording this album?

We had been working on a lot of music for this album over the course of two years and we weren’t quite sure of the direction we wanted to go. We were creating with no aesthetic in mind and hit a wall. We felt that the only way to cultivate this unique R&B sound was to fully immerse ourselves in one place that was aesthetically inspiring and had what we needed to make this album.

You wrote most of these new songs before the pandemic. So what did you do during lockdown after touring and staying so busy for years?

I didn’t do much. I would go workout at the park, play guitar, watch movies and cartoons. I had so much stimulation from the lifestyle of touring, so it was actually really nice to be disconnected from that and have a simple life.

“Sweeter” is a song about police brutality. It seems like you’ve been hesitant to address controversial issues before. Can you tell me about your decision to change that with this song?

I wrote that song before the George Floyd incident, which is totally a reflection of the perpetual narrative of unarmed Black men dying at the hands of police. It’s something that I’ve always thought about. I didn’t like the way of being pressured into writing a political song because those are things that need to happen organically. But I always wanted to write one over the years. I just couldn’t find the right words. “Sweeter” was that moment for me.

Why have you decided to stay in Fort Worth?

Fort Worth helps with my peace of mind and staying grounded. My family lives here and I have community here. Those are things I can cling on to in the midst of things being crazy.

You still walk around like anyone else in Dallas-Fort Worth and somehow manage to avoid getting swarmed. Is there an art to that or is it something about the people in North Texas?

I’m surprised as well, that I can still live somewhat of a normal life. But that’s my thing. I like to go out and still socialize. I guess the more my profile grows it does get a little harder to navigate throughout the city. But I have to have someone with me. Not security, but at least friends who can look out for me just in case. Luckily, I haven’t ran into that.

Where do you shop for clothes in Fort Worth?

There’s a shortage of vintage shops out here, but I’ve been going to Doc’s Records. I was actually just over there today. They have a really nice collection of vintage clothes and vinyl. I love that their focus is mostly ’70s fashion because that’s the style I’ve been rocking with lately.

Can you tell me about the painting you commissioned from Fort Worth artist Jay Wilkinson?

I’ve always been a fan of Jay’s art and I had this idea of commissioning him to do a piece that depicted the pantheon of artists that inspire me. There are people from Bobby Womack to Van Morrison to Ginuwine and Hank Hill was the last addition. “King of the Hill” is one of my favorite cartoon shows, and Hank Hill plays guitar as well, so he fits within the musical family.

This story was originally published July 22, 2021 at 10:30 AM.