Leon Jean Marie releases debut album ‘Bent Out Of Shape’

East London boy Leon Jean Marie follows his Mark Ronson-produced Radio 2 A-listed single, the 7” release 'Bed Of Nails', with his brand new single 'Bring It On', ahead of his debut album ‘Bent Out Of Shape’.

The single, released on June 23rd through Island Records, is lifted from Leon’s eagerly anticipated debut album, “Bent Out Of Shape” which will be released a week later.

The thirteen songs on “Bent Out Of Shape” combine to create an amazingly diverse debut, brimming with top drawer pop gems, marking Leon out as a proper star in the making. Leon is no stranger to the world of transit vans and draughty dressing rooms having opened for the likes of Amy Winehouse, The Roots and Mika in the last year. In addition to the Wonky Pop Tour Leon has been confirmed to appear at The Lovebox Weekender. In the Dance Village on Saturday at this year’s Glastonbury festival, and been added to the Friday bill at the Wireless O2 festival, alongside Morrissey and beck, on July 4th in Hyde Park.

“Bent Out Of Shape” was recorded in the last 18 months in London and New York and features production from among others Bloodshy (Britney/Kylie), The Rural (Gorillaz) and Mark Ronson,  while mixing duties have been handled by Jason Cox who has mixed all the Gorillaz music as well as Jamie T’s debut.

Following an unsuccessful stint in an R&B group Leon, inspired by among others, Beck, Badly Drawn Boy, and Radiohead, decided to rip it up and start again. It was while working as a runner in a recording studio, that Leon learnt his way round a mixing desk, experimenting with his own tunes. Leon’s church-going Christian parents thought their son was wasting his time and encouraged him to go to college, get a degree and a proper job. His response was to jack in university, move back home, move out again, stay at mate’s houses, sleep in his car before finally sleeping rough on the streets. It was a period of, he admits, drugs, sex and depression.

The ideas however were fizzing up inside him and he was desperate to get them out. After his father had a major health scare, Leon knuckled down and began to write and record at a prodigious rate. Word of his talent spread. The call came from Ronson, this was some months before his work with Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen would make him one of 2006’s most in-demand producers. They recorded “Bed Of Nails” and Leon was up and running. The remainder of the record, a collection of songs as rhythmically, lyrically and emotionally diverse as you’re likely to find, recorded and mixed over the last year and with the live work already undertaken and further live dates to be slotted in, 2008 looks like it could be a very interesting and rewarding year for this wonderful talent.