Malcolm Todd and Omar Apollo Make For a Perfectly-Executed Tag Team in "Bleed"
Photo: Aidan Cullen
The career arc of Malcolm Todd, in the span of just two very short years, has been nothing short of miraculous. From the nascent, shameless self-promotion era where he magnetized his own DIY fanbase from the mythological algorithms of TikTok and IG Reels—solely supported by easygoing melodies and grooves—to finishing up a tour directly supporting Omar Apollo and Brockhampton head honcho Kevin Abstract, it’s very evident that Todd is not just here to stay. He’s merely just beginning, as baffling as that concept is. His latest release “Bleed,” is further evidence of this, supported by none other than the iconoclastic Apollo.
The single is a remarkable continuation. “Gather round, talk about me,” Todd belts out to open up the single. The singer’s confidence has definitely exponentially increased since nascent cuts such as “Out of Bounds.” Tens of sold-out shows and several late-evening festival sets will do that to you! Apollo and Todd’s innate bond on this record is tantamount to the chemistry of Kane and The Undertaker in a WWE Tag Team fight—pure, unmitigated, sonic-energy. The visual for this is really the cherry on top.
Pulling several motifs from classic films and emanating a 70’s vibe, Todd endures a Tyler Durden-esque shellacking, of which similar to the protagonist, he psychotically smiles and laughs at the nom de guerre, all while his signature DIY indie musings pair perfectly in the background of the visual. Accordingly, Apollo enters in the second half as smooth as a morning cold brew. Two masters melodically jousting about emotional pain and baggage, what more could you ask for?
“Bleed” follows the raucous success of his first single off the upcoming EP, aptly-dubbed “Chest Pain,” which has racked up close to 50 Million streams on Spotify alone in less than three months, charted on Billboard, and received unsolicited co-signs from luminaries such as Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, and Khloe Jenner. If you haven’t heard it yet, I highly recommend it. It shamelessly soundtracked my adventures in South America during the holidays. I digress.
Todd truly manifested this moment. Everything he has done is the Merriam-Webster’s definition of manifestation. From humble beginnings recording infectious bedroom-pop and indie bangers whilst simultaneously enduring the tediums of working a 9-5 at Coldstone Creamery, Todd is poised to forever be another example of the sentiment that anything is indeed possible. If you need a blueprint of how to go 0 to 60 as an artist the right way, look no further, Todd is your personal monolith.
Watch the "Bleed" video below:
