Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Today, multiplatinum duo MKTO – Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller – return with their addictive new single “How Can I Forget” via Crooked Paintings/BMG. The instant earworm kicks off the newest chapter for MKTO, fusing a bright guitar melody and finger-snaps with their signature pop and R&B charisma.
“We’re still the same two best friends who dreamed of getting on stage together,” Tony says. ” We’re both just so humbled and thankful to the people who have supported our music. It’s only that sort of support that allows us to get back out there. There’s an energy between us that we never found anywhere else. We’re so excited to be back.”
“The timing was just right,” says Malcolm. “This was the moment. We had the records ready. We wanted to deliver for the fans who had been waiting.”
After a two-year hiatus and much anticipation from their loyal fans, MKTO – who took the pop world by storm with their double-platinum worldwide smash “Classic” – are picking up right where they left off with “How Can I Forget,” a track that is sure to leave fans wanting more as the duo ushers in the next phase of their artistry. When it came time to hit the studio, they once again joined forces with longtime collaborators Emanuel “Eman” Kiriakou [Selena Gomez, Ne-Yo] and Evan “Kidd” Bogart [Beyonce, Rihanna], who co-wrote and produced all of the previous MKTO releases. The new music is being released on Evan and Eman’s label Crooked Paintings, distributed through BMG.
“Classic” reached #8 on the Billboard Top 40 chart , amassed more than 353 million streams on Spotify and more than 102 million views on YouTube, and transformed into a worldwide sensation with platinum and gold certifications in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, and Denmark. Meanwhile, MKTO’s self-titled full-length debut yielded other breakout hits such as “Thank You,” “God Only Knows,” and “American Dream.” Between selling out headline dates on three continents and supporting Demi Lovato in arenas, the next few years were a whirlwind for MKTO, with national TV performances on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Good Morning America, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a performance for the First Family at the White House, and performing “Classic” on stage with Taylor Swift. In addition to their music career, Malcom and Tony have also had numerous acting roles. After becoming best friends on the set of Gigantic , Tony went on to appear in shows like CSI: NY, The Thundermans and more while Malcolm joined the cast of the critically acclaimed film Detroit from Academy® Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, and appeared in shows like Blindspot and Insecure.
