Leon Bridges has collaborated with Terrace Martin on “Sweeter,” a new single written from the perspective of a black man taking his last breath and feeling his spirit leave his body. The song was written and recorded for an upcoming album, but he’s decided to release it now in light of current events.
“Growing up in Texas I have personally experienced racism, my friends have experienced racism,” Leon says. “From adolescence we are taught how to conduct ourselves when we encounter police to avoid the consequences of being racially profiled. I have been numb for too long, calloused when it came to the issues of police brutality. The death of George Floyd was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. It was the first time I wept for a man I never met. I am George Floyd, my brothers are George Floyd, and my sisters are George Floyd. I cannot and will not be silent any longer. Just as Abel’s blood was crying out to God, George Floyd is crying out to me.”