Mario Interview

It’s been said that we’re in the midst of a musical Renaissance—whether you agree or disagree, it’s hard to deny that many of the industry’s foremost movers and shakers fit the ‘Renaissance man’ (or woman) archetype to a tee.  With a résumé that includes acting, modeling, songwriting, and dance (to name a few), Mario is a shining example of this ideal, but the many music-lovers who have followed the 22-year-old overachiever since he dropped his self-titled debut back in 2002 will always know him best as one of new-school R&B’s top-tier talents. Now, the Baltimore singer is preparing for the release of And Then There Was Me, a fourth LP that will prove once and for all that a ‘jack of all trades’ can nonetheless be a master of his craft.

With the release of Bangladesh-produced, Gucci Mane & Sean Garrett-assisted lead single “Break Up,” Mario surprised fans by forgoing traditional balladry in favor of a less conventional sound, but, as demonstrated by the cut’s current posi