Malcolm Todd arrived at Washington Square Park in the middle of NYU graduation traffic, but the setting only sharpened the contrast around him. The Los Angeles native has built his name by posting music online, working shifts at Cold Stone Creamery, and turning that early momentum into a sophomore album called Do That Again.
The record has already positioned him as one of the more closely watched young pop acts in circulation. In conversation, Todd came across as restless but measured, with a clear sense that his rise is still moving and that he expects the same cycle of work, release, and return to continue.
From online uploads to a larger stage
Todd’s path fits the modern pop blueprint, but he describes it with the confidence of someone who always expected to end up performing. He said he watched the Grammys as a child and imagined himself on stage, adding that he was never afraid of the spotlight.
That instinct started early, according to Todd, who said he grew up around family singing and also saw himself as an athlete. He joked that around age eight he already thought of himself as “a pop star,” even while imagining other lives as a baseball player or astronaut.
What drives his output
Todd has released some kind of project every year since 2022, and he does not appear interested in slowing down. He said the pace comes from hunger, obsession, and a refusal to overthink his work before putting it out.
He also tied that speed to his view of timing in music careers, saying that artists have to earn the right to step away. “People jump the gun on wanting to take a big break and go away,” he said, framing consistency as part of the job rather than a burden.
Pressure, studios, and creative risk
The move from bedroom recording to professional studios has changed the scale of Todd’s process, but not his priorities. He said the studio can still be useful even on unproductive days, because the time inside the room still counts as progress.
Todd also said he is comfortable with pressure, especially when labels and expectations start to shape the work. He described that tension as “a beautiful battle,” adding the line, “Pressure is a privilege and pressure makes diamonds.”
Ghost stories and Electric Lady
Some of Do That Again was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, and Todd said the space carried a strange energy. He claimed that he once spoke with a ghost there, and that a radio turned on by itself around 2:00 AM while he was stuck on a song.
He did not treat the moment as frightening. Instead, he said he “love[s] ghosts,” and even suggested there is one in his house that he is getting to know.
A record shaped by longing and heartbreak
Todd has been open about the emotional range on the album, which includes tracks like “Breathe” and “I Saw Your Face.” He said heartbreak comes more naturally to him as a subject because it is more familiar and easier for listeners to recognize.
That honesty sits alongside the more sensual side of the project, which Todd does not see as incompatible with vulnerability. He said some of the record’s sexier material is meant to live beside songs built around loss, confusion, and emotional drift.
Why the title matters
For Todd, Do That Again is less about repetition as a slogan and more about the impulse to relive something good. He connected it to a first kiss, to the desire to repeat a moment of joy, and to the way success can also turn into a demand for more.
He also said the title reflects music itself, where audiences often want another strong song, another strong era, and another strong performance. In his view, that pressure is part of the appeal, especially when the work is still growing in public view.
How he sees fame, fans, and attention
Todd said the increased attention from fans has started to build over recent months, but it still feels manageable. When fans stop him in public, he tries to stay present and take their support seriously rather than treating it like background noise.
Online, his relationship with attention is more complicated. He said his For You Page is full of cooking clips, sports videos, and edits of TV shows, while also admitting that he notices well-made edits of himself and appreciates the effort behind them.
On love, ego, and groupie energy
Todd’s songs often circle around romance, but he said fame changes how love works in practice. He noted that rising visibility brings too many new sparks and too much outside praise to keep anything simple.
He also said he is “fully off” groupie energy, which he said can be interesting for only a moment before becoming tiring. On the other hand, he said he takes separation seriously when a relationship is not working, even if that choice feels difficult in the moment.
The family influence behind the confidence
Todd credited his sister Audrey Hobert with teaching him confidence, individuality, and the value of not taking things too seriously. He described her as unapologetically herself, which he called one of the strongest qualities anyone can have.
That family influence also seems to show up in the way Todd talks about his own image. Whether he is joking about being shirtless for most of his life or describing himself as a person who wants to keep living, the tone stays casual while the ambition stays clear.
A familiar comparison, taken on his own terms
Todd has often been compared to Steve Lacy, a label he said he accepts. He called Lacy his hero and said the comparison makes sense because of the influence Lacy had on his own decision to make music.
That connection became more personal on Do That Again, where Lacy produced the title track and played guitar and bass. Todd said hearing the finished song felt like watching his high school self’s life flash before his eyes, especially with Lacy contributing a harmony on the final moment of the track.
Todd’s current momentum suggests that he is not treating this album as a peak so much as a step in a much longer run. He said he wants to keep creating, keep learning in real time, and keep finding new reasons to do it again.
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