Leo Pastel

Leo Pastel is a multidisciplinary artist from Cincinnati, Ohio. Raised in a family where music was woven into everyday life, he developed his voice in church before releasing his debut single, "Woah", in 2018, the first iteration of a sound that culminated in "Oxytocin" in 2023.

Drawing from alternative R&B, indie, gospel, funk, soul, and electronic music, Leo’s work is rooted in vulnerability, harmony, and exploration. Outside of his solo releases, he’s a founding member of the Detroit-based boyband Hard Car Kids, has performed with Ye’s Sunday Service Choir, and was tapped by fellow Cincinnati natives, The National, to perform at their Homecoming Festival.

Leo’s work is informed by an interdisciplinary approach spanning design, psychology, and creative technology. He’s deeply interested in ways humans experience, connect, and create in a sustainable fashion. He funnels the same inquiry through every medium, exploring how creativity keeps us grounded in an ever-changing world.