MITCHELL LEONARD DEFINES THE ARTIST AND THEIR ROLE AS “SESSION OPERATORS” WITH HIS NEW INDIE ELECTRONIC SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO
WATCH THE “SESSION OPERATORS” MUSIC VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
LISTEN TO “SESSION OPERATORS” ON SOUNDCLOUD
BROOKLYN | JANUARY 28, 2025: On January 28th, artist and composer Mitchell Leonard drops his latest indie electronic track, SESSION_OPERATORS, accompanied by a lyric video on YouTube and available across all streaming platforms. Leonard, known for his innovative music videos, has teamed up with animator and director Jared D. Weiss for a visually striking retro-tech-themed collaboration that fuses music and animation into an emotional journey.
The track kicks off with an eerie, deep synth tone, setting a hypnotic mood as a computer-filtered voice beckons listeners: “Session operators show you what you need to see…” This isn’t just a line in a song—it’s the key to understanding the concept behind “session_operators.” In this world, the artist is the operator; by accepting the invitation, the audience steps into a shared creative space, where the session is as much theirs as it is the artist’s.
The idea of “session_operators” was born out of Leonard’s live stream performances on Twitch, during which he mused that he and the other streamers weren’t just performing—they were guiding their audience through emotional and sensory landscapes, shaping their experience in real-time. This concept extends beyond live-streaming. It’s a lens through which all art can be viewed – whether it’s painting, sculpture, film, or literature. Every artist is, at their core, a session operator: building worlds that their audience inhabits as they engage with the art.
Mitchell Leonard sheds light on the meaning behind the lyrics: “If I float, then there’s hope, then I’ll throw down the rope. If I float, will you come float with me?” It’s a call to journey together. If the artist’s vision takes flight, they’ll extend a lifeline to their audience, inviting them to float along on this shared sonic exploration.
For this project, Leonard collaborates with Jared D. Weiss, a visual artist known for his quirky and emotive animation, to create a music video that matches the track’s conceptual depth. The result is a warm and empathetic blend of sound and imagery that captures the essence of what it means to be a session operator.
ABOUT: Mitchell Leonard is a Brooklyn-based composer, conceptual artist, and producer known for pushing the boundaries of sound and visual art. His work explores the intersection of music, animation, and narrative, creating immersive experiences that blur the lines between mediums. Past collaborations include the animated project “MA1NFRAME” directed by Qieer Wang, the daring “I Went Ahead and Did It Anyway” directed by Pei Jung Wang, and the stop-motion amination video “Come Downstairs” directed by Haisi Hu. Leonard’s unique blend of electronic music and visual storytelling continues to redefine the limits of artistic expression.
