Paloma León recently released her new single ‘Sunfish’, out now as the lead track from her forthcoming album Piano Music for Movies. The Los Angeles-born, London-based pianist and composer has been honing this project at Porcupine Studios in London, using a Steinway baby grand for what stands as her most expansive work yet. Starting compositions at age 13 and wrapping them up at 23, León draws from her classical training to craft pieces that trace her growth into a unique voice in contemporary music. Her approach involves committing these intricate works entirely to memory, performing them repeatedly without notation, resulting in an album over 40 minutes long that mixes classical roots with broader emotional reach.
‘Sunfish’ echoes bits of Ravel’s Miroirs and some Gershwin influences, though it really finds its own groove through tight, spot-on playing. Those running melodies twist around without warning, holding onto a playful sense of wonder and brightness while dipping into tougher spots of hurt and sadness, setting love and grief shoulder to shoulder. As a nod to her late father—a skilled musician, close friend of Dennis Wilson, and rigorous piano teacher—the piece draws on a childhood memory of flipping a small sailboat on Lake Huron, where he grew up spending summers.
This single highlights León‘s knack for classical structures infused with modern intensity, seen also in her film and TV scoring, plus collaborations like the soundtrack for Saul Nash‘s Embrace show in Milan with Gaika Tavares. With Piano Music for Movies, she steps up as a fresh talent in today’s classical scene, blending concert-hall poise with score-like breadth. Catch her live at the Royal Albert Hall on November 11th—fans of Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ravel, and John Adams should take note.
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