He worked at Cold Stone Creamery making music on the side, performed music at high school parties, and eventually went on to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100 as of this year. So who is the face behind this impressive trajectory? Meet Malcolm Todd.
Growing up in LA, Todd was brought up in creativity by his TV scriptwriting father and musical theater mother. His sister, singer Audrey Hobert, is friends with singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams and has co-written several of the songs on Abrams’ The Secret of Us album; one could say that he was genetically destined to fall into the music industry.
His first EP, Demos Before Prom, was released in 2022 and consisted of songs he had created during high school and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Todd made it into the spotlight after his song “Art House” went viral and gathered over a million views on TikTok in 2023, simultaneously catapulting his monthly listener count into the millions. He soon after signed with Columbia Records and made his first live debut. 2025 introduced Todd’s second album, Malcolm Todd, and brought with it his first entries onto both the Billboard Hot 100 and 200 charts.
Todd is known for his iconic “bedroom pop” style (a genre of music that has skyrocketed in popularity these past couple of years), use of funky chords, and groovy bass notes. His lyrics aren’t overly complicated or poetic, but stay rather simple while still getting the point across. However, the cool thing is that his work still feels personal and draws listeners in. By combining aspects of R&B and bedroom pop, Todd is able to keep beats chill, groovy, and interesting. Many of his songs feature obscure chords on both piano and guitar, presenting a unique sound and structuring it in a way that creates a subtle groove to keep listeners wanting more. He also slips in bits of other instruments, giving each song depth and complimenting his unique voice.
My Top Ten:
- “Rockstar Boyfriend” (Sweet Boy)
- “On My Shoulder” (Sweet Boy)
- “Who’s the Fool” (Malcolm Todd)
- “Ladygirl” (Sweet Boy)
- “Rodrick Rules” (Sweet Boy)
- “Mr. Incorrect”
- “Sore Throat” (Sweet Boy)
- “Lying” (Malcolm Todd)
- “Lovebird”
- “Florence” (Malcolm Todd)
For fans of Dominic Fike, Omar Apollo, and Steve Lacy.
