Meet the ACL artist: Malcolm Todd

By Arman Saxena     10/22/24 11:32pm

“It’s gonna be fun. If you don’t wanna jump, just leave.” 

That’s how Malcolm Todd described the tone at his shows, where energy reigns supreme and connection with the crowd is everything.

 “Playing concerts is amazing,” Todd said. “It’s something I am falling more and more in love with.” 

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After cutting his teeth with nearly 60 shows this year, the 21-year-old artist has discovered that the stage is where his music feels most alive. 

At Austin City Limits, Todd played the T-Mobile stage in hot 2 p.m. Zilker Park weather. While his shows draw spirited crowds, with fans singing the words of his tracks while moving to the melodies, Todd likes to end his shows with a bang of energy: 20 seconds of jumping to his most popular song “Roommates.”

“‘Roommates’ is my most popular song, a fan favorite for sure,” Todd said. “As time went on I kinda realized everyone’s so stoked on the song, and I just told everyone to jump … and everyone did.”

Todd said he engages his fans throughout his shows, fulfilling one lucky fan’s request to sign their face at his ACL set.  However, he said he tries to stray away from letting his live performances influence his writing process.

“I never really played shows before … since I’ve done my tour and done like 60-something shows this year, I have now gone back in the studio and been like, ‘How is this going to work live?’” Todd said. “So I try not to think about it because to me it’s the song first … When it comes to the show, they’ll love it if they love the song.”

Todd said his family gave him an early head start to becoming a professional musician.

“My whole family’s musical, my mom’s super musical, [my] dad loves music,” Todd said. “So there was a lot of music around my house … and I just picked [the guitar] up in the pandemic, and it came naturally to me.”

While his mother came from a musical theater family, Todd’s brand of indie pop blended with R&B melodies was heavily influenced by the playful yet melancholic rhythms of the bedroom pop and alternative R&B titans of the 2010s.

Because of how formative fellow singer Omar Apollo’s music was for him, Todd said that his recent opportunity to open for Apollo felt like a surreal, full-circle moment. 

“It was so cool, he’s amazing, he’s such a great guy, and he was so cool to me, his whole team was amazing,” Todd said. “As I was on tour, I’d think back to moments in high school when he was doing what I’m doing now and how excited I was about it. And now here I am, doing it too — damn, that’s crazy.”

Houston holds a special place in Todd’s heart, he said. His recent show there on Apollo’s tour not only cemented his bond with fans, but also fueled his excitement for future performances in the city. 

“I love Houston, bro,” Todd said. “Houston’s a great crowd, they were fun for Omar too … I can’t wait to go back.”

Despite the buzz around his growing success, Todd says he tries to stay focused on developing his artistry without getting caught up in trends or comparisons — and advises aspiring artists to do the same.

“You just cannot look around too much,” Todd said. “It’s great to be inspired by people, but the more you look at what other people are doing and let it influence what you’re about, the less you’re gonna get done. If you’re gonna do something great, it’s gotta be your way, because the power you have is what’s gonna take you where you need to be.”

With his signature blend of vulnerability, energy, humor and a drive to connect with his fans, Todd’s journey is just beginning. 

“I want to get better,” Todd said. “I don’t wanna do the same thing over and over again. I want to be great, you know?

“So I’m taking my time to figure out what’s next. I’m not trying to switch eras or commercialize it — I just want to evolve musically. Whatever that looks like, it’ll be what it’s gonna be. It’s just a journey.”

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