(photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine)
Over the past two years, folk-rock singer/songwriter Michael Marcagi has enjoyed double platinum success with his hit single “Scared to Start,” and he’s released two acclaimed EPs: American Romance (in 2024) and Midwest Kid (2025). Now in 2026, he has just released his debut album, Under the Streetlights (on Warner Records).
Marcagi has become known for his strong, expressive lead vocals, that has a soulful edge to it. He is also known for his thoughtful, heartfelt songs about growing up in the Midwest (in Cincinnati, Ohio) and his experiences and perspective as an American artist.
Under the Streetlights is an impressive debut album for Marcagi, that adds 10 distinctive new songs to his body of work. Now that he has the songs from his new album along with songs from his EPs, Marcagi can now perform a wide range of songs for his concerts and tours.
The new album contains several highlights. The single “Don’t Include Me (American Dream)” explores the heartbreaking end of a relationship, and how not every American dream will be fulfilled. The album also includes some happier, upbeat songs such as “Unlocks Me” (written about a new love), and “Rocksteady,” which is a hooky song that features a duet with popular singer/songwriter, Jade Bird.
Anotther unique song is “Thanksgiving Eve,” an intimate ballad where Marcagi recalls a holiday visit to his Midwestern hometown, and all the things that have changed in the town. Other key songs are the opening cut “Move On,” and “Anna Lee,” an uptempo, rollicking tune that brings energy and a joyful feeling.
It was just two years ago that Marcagi was an unknown artist in Ohio, who had left a band to pursue a solo career. Soon after going solo, he posted his song “Scared to Start’ on TikTok, and it went viral. Before long, Marcagi was attracting the attention of record label execs and many pros in the music industry.
It was in 2024 that Marcagi signed with Warner Records, and he has since released his two EPs: American Romance and Midwest Kid. Impressively, he has not only built a large fanbase in the U.S., but also in Europe. Notably, Marcagi recently completed a major tour in Europe, headlining shows in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic. And this spring in the U.S., he will be playing the Stagecoach Festival and opening shows for Sam Barber and The Head and The Heart.
Here’s the video of Michael Marcagi’s song, “Don’t Include
Me (American Dream).”
We are pleased to do this new Q&A interview with Michael Marcagi. He discusses his hit “Scared to Start,” his two EPs, and the making of his new album, Under the Streetlights.
DK: Two years ago you had a breakthrough hit with your song ”Scared to Start.” Can you talk about writing that song, and what it’s meant to your career?
Michael Marcagi: I think it’s one of those things where I kind of owe everything in my career to that song. It was a song that I had for a while. I was in a band before I decided to go solo, and it was a song idea I had on my phone for years. I always liked it, but it never felt right for the band.
When I went solo, it was the first song that I recorded. It was one of those things where everything felt super serendipitous…it spoke to me at the time. The lyrics meant a lot to me. And it was a song that I always loved and connected with. Then I started teasing it on TikTok, and it was one of those things where it magically caught on fire, and opened up an insane amount of doors for me. So it’s something I’m grateful for.
DK: Over the past two years, you’ve released two EPs: American Romance in 2024 and Midwest Kid last year. Can you talk about making those EPs?
Marcagi: Things were moving so fast after “Scared to Start,” and I released a couple other songs. And I wanted to get more music out and I slowly started compiling more music. I made made those two EPs and it was fun. It was a whirlwind time in my life, where I was trying to write a lot and tour a lot and things were happening so fast. I’m proud of those two EPs, especially Midwest Kid. I got to do a song with the lead singer of the Lumineers, Wesley Schultz, who’s become a friend and mentor to me. It’s fun to look back on those on those two EPs and remember how hectic life was and what was going on at the time. It was a fun time that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
DK: With your song “Midwest Kid,” you wrote about your Ohio and Midwestern roots. How has being from the Midwest affected how you write your songs, and your perspective as an artist?
Here’s the audio of Michael Marcagi’s song, “Unlocks Me.”
Marcagi: I’m proud of where I’m from, and I think I’ve always tried to write in specificity. I’ve always liked artists that talk in very specific and unique terms, about them growing up and them as people and things that they’ve experienced. Because I feel the more specific you can be in your lyrics, the more people can actually relate to it, rather than being super broad. And I’ve enjoyed writing about where I’m from and the things that have affected me growing up. I always liked being from a place like the Midwest. And I’ve always thought that I didn’t belong in a lot of these (co-writing) rooms, or I didn’t belong in the music industry because it’s very dominated by New York and L.A. and the big cities and big labels. I felt like I didn’t have a voice or whatever. But you know, it’s been cool to see people relate to the things that I’ve experienced, growing up in a part of the country that maybe doesn’t feel important.
DK: You’ve just released your debut album, Under the Streetlights. Can you talk about the past year for you, leading up to creating this album?
Marcagi: It means so much to me because it’s my first full-length album that I’ve gotten to make. I’ve been wanting to do it so bad…it’s something that’s been grabbing at me. I’ve wanted to make a full-length album and have a full album to tour on and have a full body of work. So I’ve been writing songs for the past two years that meant a lot to me and I tried to make them cohesive…to talk about what was going on in my life, the ups and the downs, the happy parts and the sad parts. It came together, and it was the right time to finally release a full body of work. I’m proud of everything on it, and it’s been super fun to tour on. We just came back from six weeks of touring in Europe, and to be able to tour on a full album and play most of the album all the way through live, has been really fulfilling.
DK: On your album, one of my favorite songs is “Unlocks Me,” which is a positive, happy song about a relatioship. What the story behind writing this song?
Marcagi: It’s funny, because most of my songs have been on the sadder end. But I met someone in the past year that changed my outlook on a lot of things, and it’s been an unexpected but beautiful thing that has entered my life. So I wanted to try something different—write a happy, positive love song. It was fun to go through the memories of that and see how it’s changed my perspective on a lot of things over the past year.
Here’s the audio of Michael Marcagi’s song, “Rocksteady”
(feat. Jade Bird)
DK: On your album, another key song is “Don’t Include Me (American Dream),” which seems to be about the heartbreak in a relationship. How did you decide to write this song, and merge it with the theme of the American Dream?
Marcagi: Growing up in the Midwest, a lot of the songs that I’ve written touch upon this theme (of being in the Midwest and living in America). And over the past couple years, I’ve seen a lot of my friends and even my own parents, have their relationships come to an end. It’s something that has affected me throughout my teenage and adult years and seeing stuff like that. So I wrote a really sad song about that, and you know, maybe some of the lies of the American Dream kind of dying, and coming to terms with maybe that some of those things aren’t real.
DK: I also like your song “Rocksteady,” which you sing with Jade Bird. It’s got a hooky, upbeat feeling to it. How did you connect with Jade and write this song with her?
Marcagi: I’ve been a big fan of Jade’s for a long time. I got introduced to her music when I recorded in Woodstock, New York, and she recorded one of her albums at the same place. I have always been a huge fan of that album, and she’s someone that I’ve wanted to work with. And my producer, David Baron in upstate New York, said that she and I would be a good fit to work together. So I was up there in Woodstock for a few months finishing the album, and Jade was gonna be around, and David set it up.
We didn’t go in the studio with any expectations. We would maybe have her sing on a different song, or just see how we fit together. Then we hung out for a couple days in Woodstock, and ended up getting our guitars out and writing “Rocksteady” in a couple days. We both loved it and we enjoyed working together. She’s an incredible person and amazing songwriter. But even cooler than that, she’s a really down-to-earth, fun human to be around.
DK: On your new album, besides the songs we’ve already discussed, what are your other favorite songs?
Marcagi: “Move On” is the first song on the record, and it’sa song that’s really fun to play live. It was one that felt good and had a lot of emotion to it, and it’s something the crowd seemed to enjoy. “Anna Lee” is another fun song I wrote with Dan Wilson in L.A. Anytime I write with him, I have a good time. And I love being in LA….it’s always a creative space for me. So those two songs stick out as fun ones that we’ve been playing live.
Here’s the audio of Michael Marcagi’s song, “Anna Lee.”
DK: You recently finished a six-week tour of Europe and you played a lot of countries there. How did the tour go, and would you say that your following in Europe is as large or larger than it is in the U.S.?
Marcagi: The tour overall was amazing—I loved being over there. I think those crowds are so welcoming and passionate about music. I think music means more to them on a different level. So it’s really fulfilling to go over there. And I genuinely never thought I’d be playing music outside of my hometown, and it’s crazy to walk onstage in a country you’ve never been before that English isn’t even their first language, and people are singing the songs. It’s always kind of a wild moment, like a pinch me moment.
Going on tour in Europe, especially in the U.K., I feel that’s probably the biggest shows that I’ll play. Our strongest market is probably London and Ireland. Dublin is always a fun show. So yeah, I love being over there…it was a great tour.
DK: This spring, you’ll be playing shows in the U.S. Can you talk about your U.S. tour?
Marcagi: Yeah, we have some good shows coming up. We’ll be going to Stagecoach, which will be fun. I’ve never been there or played a festival like that. Then I’ll playing some shows with Sam Barber, who’s a really talented singer songwriter. I’ve met him a few times and he’s a sweet dude. Then we’ll be playing some more festivals and we’ll be hopping on a tour with The Head and The Heart. So we have a lot of fun stuff coming up. It’s going to be a bit more spread out this summer, which I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to being back playing shows in the States.
