Leo Xia Releases "Sliced Fruit"

On July 31st, 2020, Leo Xia released a new animated music video for the song "Sliced Fruit" as an expression of gratitude for his mother, who, like many immigrant mothers, has made immense sacrifices for her family.

Directed and animated by USC alumna Hye Lynn Park, the animated music video tells a healing intergenerational story of a Chinese family wrestling with expressing gratitude through the act of cutting fruit for one another. Xia and Park use the symbol of sliced fruit to represent the oftentimes invisible labor of these superheroes who work day in and day out to love their families unconditionally.

Xia, a Chinese American who spent his childhood in California and Beijing, remembers times he did homework or played video games: "A bowl of perfectly cut fruit would appear magically in front of me," he said. "I would look around and see my mom quickly turning the corner, leaving as silently as she came." This animated video, Xia explains, reflects the myriad of ways in which immigrant parents relay their love and care through actions rather than words. 

Leo Xia is a Los Angeles-based indie/folk singer, songwriter, and activist whose vulnerable vocals and storytelling lyricism have been compared to the likes of Ed Sheeran and Sufjan Stevens. He aims to expand his listeners’ capacities for empathy through his experience as a second generation Chinese-American immigrant. His music has been heard on Netflix (Wu Assassins) and Cinemax (Warrior) as well as national commercials (Panda Express). Leo’s first full-length album 384 is available on all streaming platforms.