Production was handled by Leray herself, Dr. Luke, Rocco Did It Again!, Ryan Ogren, Needlz, Maaly Raw, Chief Keef, Mustard, and Nic Nac, among others.

[1][2] In June 2021, Leray was interviewed by the Two Bees TV at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards, in which she said that Trendsetter would be released in September of the same year and revealed some of the artists who would contribute to the album, including H.E.R., A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Nav.

On April 8, 2022, the same day that Trendsetter was released, Leray was interviewed by Nick and Eddie of Apple Music, in which she expressed her gratitude for artists appearing on the album by describing it as "a dream come true" and furtherly explaining: I would feel very, very weird if nobody wanted to work with me.

[1] Pitchfork music critic Dylan Green "as a whole, Trendsetter is too wide-ranging and unfocused to scan as the proper debut she aspires for it to be", "but when she does lock in, her mission couldn’t be clearer".

[13] Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone felt that "despite being a splashy, major label-backed coming-out party for Leray, Trendsetter can sound provocatively weird" and "her lyrics can come off awkward and forced".