Leslie Odom Jr.: My ‘Central Park’ Playlist
To celebrate the release of Central Park, the new animated musical Apple TV+ Original Series, Tony-winning star Leslie Odom, Jr., handpicked an exclusive mix that features Frank Ocean, Jorja Smith, and “Go Crazy,” a highlight from Odom’s own 2019 LP, Mr. “As quarantine goes longer and longer, I’m able to feel a little more permanence and explore the artistry in some of my favorite songs,” he tells Apple Music. “This playlist, what I’m listening to right now, has some new tracks from my favorite artists, as well as some more experimental sounds for my taste. I hope you enjoy.” Below, Odom shares his thoughts on every song he selected. Moses Sumney, “Me in 20 Years” “Moses is one of my favorites. I’m fascinated by his use of silence and space in his music, and I think he has such a gift for making his audience feel exactly what he’s feeling. This is my favorite song off the most recent installment of his new album.” Jorja Smith, “Be Honest” (feat. Burna Boy) “There’s a spectacular wave of young black female artists coming up right now, and Jorja’s one of the best of that bunch. This song reminds me of a Rihanna dancehall track with more contemporary production. It’s bouncy and fun.” Leslie Odom, Jr., “Go Crazy” “I love this guy’s sound. Kidding, but this is the lead single off my most recent album, Mr. I’m very blessed that it’s taken hold like I have, and I hope you’ve been enjoying this ride as much as I have.” Lance Skiiiwalker, “In the World” (feat. Nick Hakim) “Given my background, I love a good soft male tenor, and Nick Hakim is as smooth as smooth gets. There’s a subtle sax throughout this song that I think rounds out the sound so nicely. It’s a great lesson in production and wholeness.” H.E.R., “Wrong Places” “H.E.R. is another one of the next wave of women leading R&B, and I’ve been looking out for her since she was featured on the Daniel Caesar joint ‘Best Part.’ This song slides into the chorus early, and it’s impossible not to rock side to side. She obviously riffs so smoothly, but her voice tells more of a story than a lot of pop artists right now.” Frank Ocean, “Godspeed” “This song sort of came back into my mind because James Blake has been covering it. The best covers bring you back to the original, and as I’ve gone back into Frank’s catalog, the organs in this track and others remind me of singing in church when I was growing up. They swell in and out like a wave, and he fills the points where the ‘tide’ is out with so much emotion.” Lianne La Havas, “Bittersweet” “I love the contrast of her vocal power with the generally pretty chill production of this song. The chorus shows off her voice, and provides an almost compressed sound on the rest of the instruments. It leaves you wanting more and makes the end of the song—when she really lets it fly—so satisfying.” FKJ, “Ylang Ylang” “Starts off like a piano sonata, and slowly adds in some elements of modern music production. My assistant sent me an IG post FKJ made at the start of this quarantine that said, ‘I wouldn’t be a musician without boredom.’ It was a good lesson to embrace the space that’s forced upon us, and it was a great opportunity to dive into a great artist.” Jacob Banks, “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” “The emotion that pours out of this dude’s voice is insane. He’s able to convey so much with that gruffness. This is a newish track, but I highly recommend checking out all his stuff. He’s also killin’ live.” Anthony Ramos, “Mind Over Matter” “Full disclosure: Anthony Ramos is one of my buddies, but WOW his album is so great. This track is about how much more meaningful love is than lust, and he’s able to deliver that message in such an upbeat way. You already know he’s next, but just wait.”