From Cold Stone Creamery to the Billboard charts
In short: Before becoming a viral sensation, Malcolm Todd was working at an ice cream parlor. The Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter transitioned from self-taught bass player to a global sleeper hit maker, blending indie pop with alternative R&B to capture the attention of the modern music industry.
Born on September 15, 2003, in Los Angeles, Malcolm Todd Hobert's musical journey began with a bass guitar received at age 16. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he taught himself to play before moving on to the acoustic guitar. His early years were spent in the Palisades neighborhood, where he balanced high school life with writing sketch comedies and playing in pit ensembles for musical theatre productions.
Todd's rise to prominence was fueled by social media; his 2023 singles "Art House" and "Roommates" went viral on TikTok. This momentum led to a deal with Columbia Records and a successful live debut in July 2023 at Winston House in Venice. His discography reflects a sophisticated blend of indie pop and alternative R&B, heavily influenced by artists like Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo. He is known for incorporating obscure chords to distinguish his sound.
His professional trajectory saw rapid growth. After releasing the mixtape Sweet Boy in 2024, he released his self-titled debut album on April 4, 2025. The album reached number 49 on the Billboard 200 following a deluxe release in August 2025. By 2026, his 2024 track "Earrings" became a massive sleeper hit, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and reaching the top 40 in the UK and Canada. His second studio album, Do That Again, was released on June 5, 2026, peaking at number five on the Billboard 200.
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