MarcLo Stopped by the Bleu Office to Preview His New Album — and Left His Mark on Our Wall

MarcLo Stopped by the Bleu Office to Preview His New Album — and Left His Mark on Our Wall

By Aubrey Wang
Feb. 9, 2026, Published 5:03 P.M. ET

The South Florida songwriter-turned-solo-artist gave us an exclusive listen to his upcoming project Interest before it drops in May.

When MarcLo walked into the Bleu office, he brought more than just Grammy-nominee vibes — he brought energy, stories from the making of 11 Days, and a hard drive of unreleased tracks. By the time he left, he'd given us an exclusive preview of his upcoming album Interest, signed the legendary Bleu wall alongside names like Ocho, Didiami, Q Parker, and La'Kia, and reminded us why intimate listening sessions remain one of the best parts of this job.

From Church Pews to Center Stage

MarcLo's musical foundation runs deep into South Florida soil. Raised in a household where his father served as a pastor, live band music was the backdrop to everyday life. That church upbringing, combined with performing arts-focused schooling, gave him early training in acting, theatre, and band performance before music claimed him entirely.

As a teenager, he was already hustling — making and selling his own CDs, performing anywhere that would have him. The idea that songwriting could be a legitimate career hadn't yet crystallized. That changed when he discovered the professional songwriting world and began collaborating with producers and writers across South Florida. Alongside a tight-knit collective of creatives, he built a reputation writing and producing for other artists, eventually making the move to Los Angeles, where years of consistent work transformed into a stable industry career.

“This is my purpose. I have the intention of making music for people. Music gives me life, and I just want to pass that on. That's why I'm here.”

The Return to His Own Voice

Despite success behind the scenes, MarcLo eventually circled back to his own artistry — a role he views as fundamentally different from writing for others. While he continues to move between both worlds, 2025 marked a decisive moment: committing fully to releasing his own music and ensuring it reached a wider audience.

That commitment materialized in dramatic fashion. The 11-track album was born in January 2025, created during an unexpected period of isolation.

“The project was written in this 11-day span that I had just at the crib by myself, right after the L.A. fires. As the fires were calming down, the air quality was terrible in L.A., so I was just in my house for 11 days — me, my upright piano, my bass guitar, my laptop, microphone — and my daughter's xylophone.”

The desire to support community trumped any environmental setbacks: “That's kind of why I made the album anyway, because the L.A. fires were happening. I just wanted to make something to uplift people.”

First Listen: “Interest”

Built on a simple boom-clap groove, MarcLo's new single strips R&B down to its most conversational elements: rhythm, and voice. The production is bedroom-scale and intentionally unflashy, letting wah-wah keys and lightly brushed percussion do the work of atmosphere rather than spectacle.

The song feels relaxed to the point of mischief, comfortable being a little unserious. It's sensual without strain, flirty without trying to sell seduction.

What gives the track its charge is the writing. The lyricism is kaleidoscopic but grounded, darting between vulnerability and flex with a wit that never feels self-congratulatory. Financial metaphors — owing someone “interest,” trying to “put something on it,” knowing you'll “never pay it back” — become stand-ins for emotional debt. It's wickedly tongue-in-cheek.

The verses unfold like a Lonely Island skit: a song written for Chris Brown, a neighbor banging on the wall, a friend coming home from prison, a near-miss with sharks in Hawaii. The witticisms speak for themselves. Orchestral elements surface briefly, then recede, instruments weaving around one another without crowding the vocal. The groove doesn't build; it persists. The song never rushes toward catharsis, content to stay suspended in that soft, late-night pocket where listening feels less like consumption and more like eavesdropping.

In a moment where R&B often leans toward maximal hooks or algorithm-friendly payoff, this track refuses the temptations of the microwave generation. It trusts rhythm over climax, wordplay over declaration, and presence over performance.

The Songs That Matter Most

When we asked MarcLo about the most meaningful track on the album, his answer sent a hush through the room.

“That's the one song I didn't make in the 11 days. It's the one song I already had. I wrote it in 2020 during the pandemic. I sampled my brother playing guitar, and his daughters were in the background complaining because they didn't want to go to bed. I made a lullaby for them to go to bed. Later, when my wife and I had complications and had to deliver our baby early, I was able to play that same song for him as he transitioned into the spiritual world. That's the most meaningful song on the album.”

And the most fun?

“Sopranos Ending,” he said with a grin. “It's a little diabolical. It's like a mean joke.”

What's Next

With the album rollout underway, MarcLo is entering a period of renewed momentum. “Interest” holds particular significance as the first track written for the album after returning to Los Angeles. Like much of his recent work, it was composed on piano and paired with an ambitious visual rollout.

Beyond recorded music, MarcLo is preparing to return fully to the stage. Having performed since early childhood, live shows remain central to his identity as an artist.

“There have been beautiful moments where I've gone to an arena and seen thousands of people singing lyrics I wrote. But for me, being on stage and having that live interaction with the crowd, there's nothing better than that. I'm a performer first. That's what I connect to the most — being on stage and connecting to the audience.”

His upcoming performances promise live instruments, theatricality, and immersive world-building. MarcLo has big plans to bring the album's emotional and visual language into physical spaces across Los Angeles and New York.

The work, the visuals, and the performances will soon be converging into a singular expression of purpose. And having him in our office, sharing unreleased music and adding his signature to our wall, felt like witnessing the start of something we'll be talking about for a long time.

Album: Interest — out May 2026
Next Single: “Interest”
Upcoming Shows: Los Angeles, New York (dates TBA)