20 Best Summer Songs of 2016, Ranked

13 – Autumn Leaves – Leslie Odom Jr.

Hamilton fans, did you know that Leslie Odom Jr. does things that are not musical theatre? He does! You do not have to rely on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrics and sound to hear Odom Jr.’s silky voice. He wrote this and many other pieces, too, proving that he is a wonderful lyricist, too.

Yes, he is singing a song called “Autumn Leaves” and I am placing it in a list of summer songs, but listen! It’s about the seasons changing, and perfect for August. The instrumentation is perfect too: there’s a wistfulness to the sound of his voice with the gentle percussion in the background that feels like the end of something.

Guess who that awesome lady is in the video dancing with him? That’s Nicolette Robinson, Leslie Odom Jr.’s wife, showing us all how adorable they are together and giving the song another level of sweetness, because it’s for her.

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