Marlon | Interview
Interview by Brooke Gibbs
Fresh off the release of his powerful debut solo single Blood in the Water, Darwin-born singer-songwriter MARLON steps into his own spotlight. After years collaborating with some of Australia’s most respected hip hop names including Hilltop Hoods, A.B. Original and 3%, MARLON now carves out a deeply personal lane that blends soulful vocals, thought-provoking lyricism and reflections on identity, disadvantage and community.
Inspired by his upbringing in Darwin and shaped by experiences travelling across Australia and beyond, Blood in the Water explores the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality surrounding homelessness and the ongoing struggles faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In this Creative Conversation with Futuremag Music, MARLON opens up about the meaning behind the track, the transition from AFL to music, and the stories set to unfold across his upcoming debut album.
Futuremag Music: Congratulations on releasing your new single Blood in the Water. What’s the reaction been like so far?
Marlon: It’s been amazing. We’ve had some really good wins from publications and from a PR point of view, but for me the biggest thing has just been getting love from family and friends right across Australia. It feels like the song is resonating with people, particularly people from back home in Darwin. The family are loving it, friends are loving it — it’s been really special.
Futuremag Music: I’m actually based in Darwin, so it’s great to see a Darwin artist getting that recognition.
Marlon: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been based in Adelaide for about 12 years now, but representing Darwin has always been a huge part of me. Blood in the Water is really a representation of my life and my experiences growing up in Darwin — experiences that a lot of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can resonate with as well.
Futuremag Music: In Blood in the Water, you speak about “out of sight, out of mind.” When did you first become aware of that disconnect, and how has it shaped the way you move through the world as both an artist and a person?
Marlon: I think it really came to my attention once I moved to bigger cities and started travelling a lot for work and music. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around Australia and around the world, and I realised that in these huge multi-million-dollar cities, we can walk past homelessness and disadvantage every single day.
I’m guilty of it too — this isn’t targeted at anyone specifically. It’s about us as human beings collectively. We go to work, grab coffees, catch up with friends, and meanwhile there are people struggling right in front of us. Unfortunately, a lot of the people facing sustained disadvantage are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — my people.
Even when I come back home to Darwin, I’ll be walking through the city and sometimes pass people I grew up with, or people I’m related to somewhere along the line. The song was really about reflecting on my own habits and behaviours, and trying to pay more attention to that reality instead of looking away from it.
Futuremag Music: I think that self-reflection is really powerful — being able to look at your own role within the community.
Marlon: Yeah, definitely. It was a reflection point for me, and hopefully it encourages other people listening to Blood in the Water to reflect as well.
Futuremag Music: You’ve said before that some songs feel like they’re “handed down from somewhere.” What does that moment feel like, and how do you know when to trust it?
Marlon: It’s an amazing experience creatively. Usually you can identify it when the writing process suddenly becomes really easy. I wrote Blood in the Water in about 10 or 15 minutes.
It becomes this moment where you realise you need to get out of the way and just follow the music — follow where your heart and your thoughts are taking you. Those are always the best moments creatively.
I actually wrote Blood in the Water back in Darwin, in my childhood home, in my tiny bedroom. It honestly felt like a lightning-strike moment where I just had to let the music take the floor.
Futuremag Music: Speaking of following the music, you previously had a career in AFL. That’s a huge transition into music. When did you realise music was becoming more than just a passion?
Marlon: Probably when I played my first paid gig. I started by going to an open mic night just to test the waters and see what it felt like to perform in front of people.
After that first show, one opportunity led to another. Every time I played, another opportunity would come from it. I think the second show I played I got paid around $350, and that’s when I realised maybe I could actually make something out of this.
The next show after that, the crowd doubled and the money doubled. So I just kept saying yes to gigs and kept building from there.
What I discovered was how much I loved performing. In football, you’re one of 18 players on the field, so there are moments where responsibility can be shared. But when you’re standing there with a guitar or fronting a band, a lot of the responsibility and risk sits on you as the artist. I realised I really enjoyed that challenge.
A lot of it comes down to preparation too, which is something football taught me.
Futuremag Music: It sounds like even though you moved from football into music, you’ve still carried that idea of having a supportive team around you.
Marlon: Absolutely. My support network has evolved over the last five or six years, and I’m really lucky to be surrounded by incredible people in the music industry.
The biggest thing for me has been understanding when to listen. I know I’m surrounded by really experienced music minds, so I spend a lot of time absorbing their advice and applying it to my career. So far, it’s been paying dividends.
Futuremag Music: I also loved the music video for Blood in the Water. Can you tell us a bit about the visual side of the project and what you hoped people would take away from it?
Marlon: I worked with an amazing videographer and director, Richie Coburn, who also worked on Gift with the Hilltop Hoods, plus projects with AB Original and Briggs.
I wanted the video to visually capture that “out of sight, out of mind” idea we spoke about earlier — showing homelessness and disadvantage against the backdrop of these big cities, while also including a performance element.
We filmed across three different shoots around Adelaide, and there’s also a fire scene in there that we shot on a family friend’s farm. That turned out amazing.
It was the first time I’d been so involved in producing a music video creatively, so it was a really valuable experience being able to bring my vision to life alongside Richie and his team.
Futuremag Music: Lastly, if Blood in the Water is the entry point into your debut album, what broader story will the rest of the record tell?
Marlon: The album continues down a similar path, exploring the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but it also becomes much more personal and reflective.
There’s a lot of deep thinking throughout the record — reflections on myself, on growing up, on navigating those challenges as a young Aboriginal man, and how those experiences shaped the way I think and move through the world.
At the same time, there are also tracks celebrating the strong women in my life. One thing I’ve realised is that in sport and entertainment, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, when success starts happening, your family often rallies around to support your career.
But sometimes we forget just how important the women in our lives are — the women we’d be nothing without. So parts of the album really pay homage to the Black women in my life who made me who I am.
I’m really excited to share that journey with the world.
Futuremag Music: I’m definitely looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like people to know?
Marlon: I’d really love to highlight the amazing work of Trials — my producer Daniel Rankine — who’s been a mentor of mine for the last five or six years.
There was actually a point where I was going to release Blood in the Water about two years ago, and I only had a few songs ready. But through Daniel’s guidance and mentorship, we got to a place where now I’ve got a full record ready to follow it up.
Working with him has been incredible, and I’m really grateful for his support. So yeah, definitely stay tuned — there’s a lot more music coming.