Leon Bridges "River" - Ethos

Leon Bridges is an American gospel, soul singer and songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas. He began his music career with song writing and eventually learned to play the guitar; ultimately leading him to become the musician he is today. In 2014 he signed by Columbia Records and is best known for the song “Coming Home” which has become a sensational pop hit. His music style is largely based on the sounds of the 60s as each song “draws on a crisply appointed, pure, decades-old sound.” His song “River” has become a major song of the artist’s platform. The purpose of Bridge’s song was to right about his personal struggle with spirituality, depression, and being an African American man in today’s society. Bridges recalls “sitting in [his] garage trying to write a song which reflected this struggle. [He] felt stuck working multiple jobs to support [himself] and [his] mother.” He talks about how the song paints the emotions he felt when he had no hope and felt as if there was no way out of his condition. Leon centers the song around the aspect of a river because they have historically been gospel music as a decan for change and redemption and “the only thing [he] could cling to in the midst of all [the struggles] was [his] faith in God and [his] only path towards baptism was by way of the river.” In his video Leon want to represent the battle that black communities are on a daily basis. He wanted to visually present the struggles African American women and men face in a which encaptivated his audience and placed them into their shoes. Constantly filling his video with clips and images of such riots as the BaltimoreUprising. Though Leon’s main message throughout that even through the injustice there is hope. He wants “this video to be a message of light. [He] believes it has the power to change and heal those that are hurting.” Leon constantly asserts his authority and expertise of the subjects he speaks upon, having firsthand experienced personal struggle as an African American. And asserts his expertis within the music field through his years of experience and his popularity and fame.

- Gabriella Boozer