Pan Amsterdam – Day Out

Pan Amsterdam, the artistic alias of New York’s Leron Thomas, returns with “Day Out,” a track that pirouettes between social commentary and freewheeling experimentation. Released through Heavenly Recordings, the single showcases Thomas’ knack for turning cultural observation into music.

“Day Out” opens with a critique of interracial dynamics, inspired by a social media post that struck a deeply personal chord for Thomas. The track’s first line, “living more vicariously than a white girl through her mixed baby,” reflects his frustration with performative parenting and the commodification of identity. As Thomas explains, his experience as a father of an interracial child drove him to question these societal behaviours.

Thomas’ musical wanderlust traces back to his Houston roots, where he absorbed everything from Beethoven to Isaac Hayes through his father’s record collection. His time at Houston’s High School for Performing and Visual Arts (where he crossed paths with a pre-fame Beyoncé) only amplified this creative restlessness. His father, who sang tenor in a Motown-inspired quartet, passed down both musical knowledge and life lessons that continue to shape Thomas’ artistic approach.