Leondis is a DJ you might have spotted at local clubs like the Knight’s Pub. But now, he has even more acclaim to add to his resume as an up-and-coming artist. Just one month ago, he officially collaborated with The Chainsmokers, one of the largest EDM acts in the country.
Alex Leondis, age 19 from Boca Raton, has been quietly working on his musical abilities for years. He began on the guitar and piano at a young age and went on to develop a knack for music production. Trap beats, which he initially sold to other young artists to rap over, was how he got his start in the music scene.
In 2020, at just 17 years old, everything changed. Leondis got a call from Two Friends, a DJ/producer duo and they wanted him to make an official remix for a song off their new album.
“This was the first time that I got that reassurance outside of my friends and family that I was doing something good. It gave me a lot of confidence in my music production,” Leondis said about his collaboration with Two Friends.
Once the ball was rolling, it seemed that the next logical step was to secure a remix for an even larger group. So Leondis set his sights on The Chainsmokers, a group he had taken inspiration from for years.
When The Chainsmokers returned from a two-year hiatus in January 2022 with their single “High”, Leondis got to work on a remix. With the help from a great fanbase and lots of engagement on TikTok, he was able to catch the attention of The Chainsmokers.
“These were the artists that inspired me to start creating music back when I was 16, so it’s a crazy full circle moment being able to work on a record with them.”
When The Chainsmokers heard his remix, they were blown away. After a couple of revisions, the song was ready to be published. It was released on March 18th.
In a way, it seems like they prefer the Leondis version over their original track. They’ve gone on to play the remix as a staple of their live shows, at the Super Bowl Kickoff performance, and at EDC Mexico.
With the power of online media, Leondis was able to go from a UCF student to having a collaboration with one of the biggest musical acts in the US. And he attributes it all to his fans.
“I’m beyond thankful because it really couldn’t have gotten to [The Chainsmokers] if people hadn’t tagged them and supported me like that, without even knowing me. Literally, it’s crazy.”
One of his most impressive traits is his skillful self-marketing. So far, Leondis has been successful in every goal he’s set his mind to, and it will be interesting to see what he does next.
For now, Leondis is still just a sophomore at UCF. He plans on finishing his education and simultaneously working on his career as a producer.
You can catch him as the supporting act for Two Friends at the Vanguard in Orlando on April 22nd.
