Yung Lean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yung Lean
|
|
---|---|
![]() Yung Lean in 2024
|
|
Background information | |
Birth name | Jonatan Aron Leandoer Håstad |
Also known as | jonatan leandoer96, jonatan leandoer127 |
Born | Stockholm, Sweden |
18 July 1996
Genres |
|
Occupation(s) |
|
Years active | 2012–present |
Labels |
|
Signature | |
![]() |
Jonatan Aron Leandoer Håstad (born 18 July 1996), known professionally as Yung Lean, is a Swedish rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is known for being an important artist in the early cloud rap music style. Yung Lean became famous in 2013 with his song "Ginseng Strip 2002", which became very popular online.
Later in 2013, he released his first mixtape, Unknown Death 2002. The next year, he released his first studio album, Unknown Memory. Since then, Yung Lean has released several mixtapes like Frost God (2016) and Stardust (2022). He has also released studio albums such as Warlord (2016), Stranger (2017), and Starz (2020). His album Psykos (2024) was a collaboration with Bladee. His latest album, Jonatan, was released in May 2025.
Jonatan also creates music under the name Jonatan Leandoer96. This project is different from his hip-hop music. It includes styles like indie rock and neofolk. Some albums released under this name are Nectar (2019) and Sugar World (2023).
Contents
Early life and background
Jonatan Håstad was born on 18 July 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden. His father, Kristoffer Leandoer, is a Swedish poet and author. His mother, Elsa Håstad, worked as a human rights activist. She also served as the Swedish ambassador to Albania from 2019 to 2023.
Håstad spent his early childhood in Minsk, Belarus. His family moved there so he could have a similar childhood experience to his mother. The family returned to Sweden and settled in Stockholm when Jonatan was young. He grew up in the Södermalm area of the city. During his high school years, Håstad faced challenges. He also worked at a local McDonald's. He became interested in hip hop music early on. He was influenced by artists like 50 Cent and Nas.
Music career
2012–2013: Getting started and early releases
In 2012, Håstad met Yung Sherman and Gud in a park in Stockholm. They became friends because they liked similar music. They formed a group called Hasch Boys. Later, Håstad, Sherman, and Gud formed their own group called "Sad Boys".
By 2012, Yung Gud and Yung Sherman were making music beats. Håstad started writing lyrics and recording songs in his basement. They shared their music on SoundCloud and Tumblr. This helped Yung Lean gain many followers. Sad Boys performed their first show in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 5 May 2013.
Yung Lean became widely known when the music video for his song "Ginseng Strip 2002" went viral. In 2013, he released his first official music. This included the single Marble Phone and his first mixtape, Unknown Death 2002. He also released an EP called Lavender. This EP featured "Ginseng Strip 2002" and other songs.
Music critics noticed his work. Vibe magazine included Unknown Death 2002 in a list of overlooked rap mixtapes. They described his rhymes as creative and melodic. In 2013, Yung Lean and Sad Boys went on a tour across Europe.
2014–2016: First albums and tours
In 2014, Yung Lean and Sad Boys toured Europe on the White Marble Tour. After that, they announced the Black Marble Tour, which included shows in North America. Their first show in North America was in July at Webster Hall in New York City. This show was very popular.
Yung Lean released his first full-length album, Unknown Memory, on 23 September 2014. He then toured North America and Europe to support the album. The tour started on 1 December in New York.
His second full-length album, Warlord, was released on 25 February 2016. He also launched a clothing line called "Sad Boys Entertainment". During his Warlord American tour, his tour bus faced a challenging incident. Håstad also contributed backup vocals to Frank Ocean's album Blonde.
On 14 December 2016, he released the mixtape Frost God. This mixtape had eight songs, including "Hennessy & Sailor Moon" and "Crystal City", which featured A$AP Ferg.
2017–2019: New music and collaborations
Håstad released his third studio album, Stranger, on 10 November 2017. It included singles like "Red Bottom Sky" and "Hunting My Own Skin".
In February 2018, Yung Lean released the song "King Cobra" with Thaiboy Digital. He also worked with Converse on a shoe and clothing collection called "One Star Toxic".
On 2 November 2018, Håstad released his third mixtape, Poison Ivy. The album was a collaboration with Whitearmor, a producer he often works with. It appeared on the Sweden Albums Charts.
On 25 January 2019, Yung Lean released his first full-length album as Jonatan Leandoer96, titled Nectar. This album showed a different side of his music, mixing indie rock and neofolk styles.
2020–2024: Recent projects and film debut
On 26 February 2020, Yung Lean released the song "Boylife in EU". Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, his planned tour was cancelled. On 2 April 2020, Yung Lean performed a 45-minute concert online from a truck. His fourth studio album, Starz, was released on 15 May 2020.
On 9 November 2020, Yung Lean announced his second Jonatan Leandoer96 album, "Blodhundar & Lullabies". This 16-track album was released on 21 December.
A documentary called Yung Lean: In My Head premiered in cinemas on 27 November 2020. The film follows Leandoer's early career. It includes thoughts from Leandoer and other artists like Bladee.
On 8 April 2022, Yung Lean released a 12-track mixtape called "Stardust". It featured artists like FKA twigs and Skrillex.
On 14 December 2022, the song "Blue Light" was released under the Jonatan Leandoer96 name. This announced his album Sugar World, which came out on 3 February 2023.
Yung Lean was featured on the song "Parasail" from Travis Scott's album Utopia, released on 28 July 2023. He released Psykos, a collaborative album with Bladee, on 13 March 2024. Yung Lean also appeared on a remix of Charli XCX's song "360" in May 2024.
In November 2024, it was announced that Yung Lean would appear in the film Sacrifice. This marked his first role in a feature film. He also shared that he would release future music through his own label, World Affairs.
2025–present: Jonatan and other activities
Yung Lean's fifth studio album, Jonatan, was released on 2 May 2025.
He performed for a large audience of over 10,000 people on 1 March 2025, at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. The concert was highly praised by Swedish news. His long-time friend Yung Sherman opened the show. Other artists like Yung Gud and Bladee also joined him on stage.
In June 2025, Håstad published a book titled 256 GB. The book contains many images taken on his personal phones between 2014 and 2024.
Artistic style
XXL magazine included Yung Lean in their 2014 list of "15 European Rappers You Should Know". Fact magazine described his mixtape Unknown Death 2002 as having "thick, melancholy numbers". They also called it "the epitome of sad rap".
Yung Lean is often linked to the cloud rap music movement. His sound is known for the production by Yung Gud and Yung Sherman. They mix cloud rap with electronic music elements.
Yung Lean is also the singer for the post-punk band Död Mark. He is in this band with fellow Sad Boys member Gud. Their first album, Drabbad av Sjukdom, was released in 2016.
Personal interests
Outside of music, Håstad enjoys writing. He is working on a screenplay about a "strange gangster drama". He also has an interest in acting.
Håstad has several hobbies. These include reading, ceramics, painting, writing, and playing piano. He started painting as a way to relax.
Recovery and well-being
While recording his second studio album Warlord, Håstad lived in Miami Beach, Florida, US. During this time, he faced personal challenges. On 7 April 2015, Håstad was hospitalized. This happened around the same time as the passing of his manager and close friend, Barron Machat. After this period, Håstad moved back to Sweden to be with his family.
His father visited him in the hospital and they returned to Sweden together. For about two months, Håstad recovered in the countryside. He then moved back to his parents' home in Stockholm.
Achievements and recognition
Håstad is recognized as a pioneer in the emo rap, cloud rap, and SoundCloud rap music styles.
In 2019, Yung Lean received the Bram Stoker Medal of Cultural Achievement. This award was given by the University Philosophical Society at Trinity College, Dublin.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Unknown Memory (2014)
- Warlord (2016)
- Stranger (2017)
- Starz (2020)
- Psykos (2024) (with Bladee)
- Jonatan (2025)
- Mixtapes
- Unknown Death 2002 (2013)
- Frost God (2016)
- Poison Ivy (2018)
- Stardust (2022)