The most compelling singer-songwriters can tell a story with not only their lyrics, but the way they unleash the emotions of the song with their voice, and the perfect example is rising superstar Leroy Sanchez. He’s stolen hearts worldwide with his latest viral hit, ‘NUCLEAR,’ and we know this is just the beginning of a whole new chapter for his career! As the culmination of over a decade of experience in music, the song sets the bar high for his upcoming debut album while Leroy effortlessly describes the thrill and threat of a passionate relationship in a perfectly immersive way.
We got to ask Leroy all about ‘NUCLEAR,’ his creative process, posting covers online, and more! Watch the ‘NUCLEAR’ music video below and keep reading to check out our exclusive Q&A. Side note: we wish real-life trips to the grocery store could be this interesting.
Hi Leroy, congrats on the release of ‘NUCLEAR!’ How did it feel to finally let the song out into the world and into your fans’ lives?
Thank you so much!! It was always so exciting to release new music for the fans and for the world to listen! It was also a bit nerve-racking because you never know how people will react, but I was super proud of ‘NUCLEAR.’ I thought fans would get to see a side of me they hadn’t seen before, and I hoped they were excited too.
What does ‘NUCLEAR’ mean to you, and is there a certain lyric you’re especially proud of?
‘NUCLEAR’ means the beginning of an amazing new journey for me. It’s my first single leading up to my debut album! It’s the result of years of hard work and everything I’ve learned as an artist, producer, and songwriter. I’m super proud of it! One lyric that really stands out for me is, “slow down every inch of time before our love goes nuclear.” I love how it captures the contrast between something as tiny as an inch of a second and the vastness of going nuclear. It really shows how the little things can have a really big impact.
‘NUCLEAR’ has been popping off on TikTok, which must be so exciting to see! Do you have any favorite videos or trends you’ve seen fans make using the song?
I’m absolutely obsessed with all the content people are making to ‘NUCLEAR’ on TikTok! I’ve seen so many cool and different trends, but my absolute favorite has to be when fans dance to the original choreography from the music video. First of all, it’s not an easy dance, but everyone is giving it their all, and the best part is seeing how much FUN everyone is having while doing it. To see the joy in their faces as they recreate those fun dance moves makes me SO HAPPY. It’s very refreshing and healing to have a trend like this right now, especially with all the negativity and division around us.
If you could have any artist cover ‘NUCLEAR’ or hop on for a remix, who would you choose and why?
Oh wow, what an exciting question! What about Khalid? His smooth vocals would sound so sick with this song and also give it a whole new vibe. A lot of people have also been wanting to hear Sia or Chris Brown singing it, and I think that’d be so fun to listen to as well!
Congrats on the success of ‘NUCLEAR!’ What has it been like for you to see how much fans love the song?
Thank you! Honestly, it’s been quite surreal to see how much love people have shown NUCLEAR and I’m so grateful. Just last week, I was at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, watching all these amazing artists, and I had this thought; “how wild would it be to hear this crowd sing ‘NUCLEAR?’” Out of curiosity, I checked my TikTok to see how the post with ‘NUCLEAR’ was doing, and just a few hours before, the video had about 17k views. At that moment, it had jumped to 150k! I turned to my friend Ryan, who was totally immersed in watching Gwen Stefani, and I said to him, “Something’s happening…” By the next morning, it was close to a million views! Just imagine a fraction of those people singing ‘NUCLEAR’ together!
You recently told The Knockturnal that part of what made ’Nuclear’ so special to you is that it reminded you of the songs you’d hear on the radio while growing up in Spain. How has your upbringing shaped how you approach making music? Have any Spanish artists particularly inspired you for this new chapter?
Growing up in Spain has completely shaped how I approach music. I’m from a very small town in the Basque Country, with barely 3,300 people. I was a very emotional kid and music became my escape and eventually my passion. I was obsessed with how the songs on the radio made me feel, and I wanted to recreate that. So, when I write music, I always try to capture that sense of escape and make sure the songs hit me emotionally.
One artist who’s inspired me a lot, not so much in style but in spirit, is Rosalía. I find it amazing how she’s stayed true to herself no matter what’s trending in the industry and still managed to succeed. It’s a reminder that I have my own story to tell and that trusting my instincts is key to doing the music that feels real to me.
Something that stands out about each song you’ve released so far is how emotive your voice is! Do you have a certain ritual or tradition to get into the right headspace for a song before you record?
It really depends on the situation when I’m recording. For instance, with ‘NUCLEAR,’ the vocals you hear are the original demo vocals, the very first ones I recorded when writing the songs. A lot of times, the purest emotion comes through right in that moment, and it’s hard to recreate that later. When I do have to re-record, I try to go into the booth without listening to the track beforehand, so I can approach it fresh and be as raw as possible. As soon as I start overthinking it, the emotion gets lost, even if the technical side gets better. To me, it doesn’t matter if a song is technically perfect… If it doesn’t make you feel something, it’s not worth it.
You got your start in music when you started posting covers on YouTube in 2015 – what’s something you learned during that time that you’ve carried with you while working on your original music?
The biggest thing I learned is to always keep pushing yourself to improve your craft. When I started, all I had was a crappy little digital camera and a low-lit room to film in. But I’d always try to make each video better with what little I had, which forced me to get creative. That really stuck with me, whether it’s with singing, writing, or just being a better artist, I’m always looking for ways to grow and get more creative.
In addition to your own music, you notably co-wrote Chanel’s ‘SloMo,’ which became a global hit on Eurovision and went to #1 on Billboard’s Spanish Songs chart! Do you approach working on songs for other artists differently than you approach working on your own songs?
Yeah, the approach is definitely different. When writing for other artists, you have to step into their shoes and imagine you’re living their life for a moment. It’s kind of like writing a song for someone while looking at them through a tiny peephole—you only see a small part of who they are compared to everything they know about themselves. So you take the little bit you know and shape it into what you think their “artist” persona should sound like. If the artist is in the room, you basically become their therapist for the session, trying to pull out what they’re going through, process it, and then turn it into a song.
But when I write for myself, I have access to everything in my own mind! Which can be both freeing but also overwhelming because there’s so much to pull from. It’s a much deeper, more personal process.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2024?
2024 is just a warm-up for what’s coming in 2025, but before the year’s over, fans can expect to hear some more new stuff, and maybe even get into the holiday spirit with me!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
I hope you all enjoyed ‘NUCLEAR’ and that you sang your hearts out to it! Oh! And don’t forget to share those covers! I can’t wait to hear your beautiful voices!
You already know we’ll be singing our hearts out to ‘NUCLEAR’ until the end of time. Thank you so much to Leroy for answering our questions and giving us such great music to jam out to!
Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you! What do you think of ‘NUCLEAR?’ Which part of the song is your favorite to sing along with? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Check out more sweet interviews!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEROY SANCHEZ:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
