“Crumbs” by Shay Leonia

Among Shay Leonia’s career highlights so far are singing with Janelle Monae on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and performing on the Vh1 commercial for Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race – not bad. The Englewood-based artist, hailing from a family of musicians, is certainly on an upwards trajectory.

Drawing on her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors, Leonia has released an intensely personal new single, “Crumbs”. Mixing both gritty, unnerving, and uplifting electronics, an urgent pulsing beat the track’s backbone, the singer opens up about gaslighting, mental health, and toxic relationships.

Leonia reveals the inspiration behind the track: “My boyfriend and I had just gotten into a horrible fight, and when he left, I resented the fact that I was still having to be in that apartment with the air still feeling so tense. I tried to distract myself by washing dishes, and that’s when I noticed there were crumbs on the stove from the meal I’d just cooked him minutes before our fight.”

With her heartrendingly honest vocals reminiscent of Desire, Shay Leonia proves that she is a landmark on the alt-pop scene.