Leon D'Souza (born 10 November 1985) is an Indian playback singer and songwriter. He has sung in Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada film industries and has also recorded advertising jingles. He gained widespread recognition for singing "Hosanna" in the 2012 Hindi film Ekk Deewana Tha, composed by A. R. Rahman.
D'Souza was born into a Goan Catholic family in Panaji, Goa, India. His maternal grandfather Menino Dias was a violinist who regularly performed at church services and local religious gatherings, and was a known figure in Taleigão, Goa. D'Souza grew up surrounded by music and learned to play the recorder and piano.
He also trained in the church choir at Gloria Church in Byculla, Mumbai, under the guidance and mentorship of Margarate Fernandes, who directed the Glorian Choir for over 40 years. This experience shaped his vocal technique and strongly influenced his musical style, which was heavily inspired by gospel music.
D'Souza began his career performing in gospel competitions and church choirs. He was introduced to Bollywood by A. R. Rahman, who selected him to record the Hindi version of the song "Hosanna" for Ekk Deewana Tha (2012). Originally, the song's rap section was not intended for him, but Rahman encouraged D'Souza to perform it, resulting in a signature vocal style combining soft and bold tones reminiscent of R&B artist Usher.
Following this breakthrough, D'Souza featured in the remix version of "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" from Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu in the same year, composed by Amit Trivedi. In 2013, he sang "Dhuaan" for the film D-Day, composed by ShankarâÂÂEhsaanâÂÂLoy, collaborating with multiple vocalists.
D'Souza also recorded songs in Tamil and Kannada, collaborating with composers such as Ghibran and Sachin Warrier. He regularly tours internationally as a guest vocalist with Arijit Singh.
In 2019, D'Souza released his first single, "Summer 45", an electronic pop track composed by DJ Tanishq, in collaboration with Johnnie Ernest and Stich. The song reflects tropical summer themes and nostalgic imagery of beaches from his youth in Goa.
In 2022, D'Souza experienced renewed popularity when an Instagram reel featuring his performance of "Hosanna" went viral, garnering over 28 million views within 24 hours. The viral moment introduced his voice to a new generation of listeners, many of whom were unaware of the singer behind the original track.
D'Souza's music is influenced by gospel and contemporary pop, with a focus on embellishing vocal lines and exploring multiple tones within a single performance. He has expressed interest in blending independent music projects with traditional film playback singing.
Outside of music, D'Souza founded a communications company, Storytellers101, in 2013, where he manages brand storytelling and creative projects.