Marlon Funaki

Born and active in California, Marlon Funaki develops a songwriting approach that blends alternative rock, psychedelia, R&B soul and jazz-tinged guitar, in a format where melody remains central. Of Japanese and Mexican-American descent, Marlon Funaki has forged an independent path, writing, recording, mixing and finishing much of his own material. His musical education began on drums in a middle-school jazz band before he moved to self-taught guitar, and he first circulated his songs on SoundCloud as a teenager. He initially built his presence on local stages—between house parties and warehouse shows—before expanding to venues and festivals in the United States and the United Kingdom. His evolution can be heard in a supple psychedelic pop where rock textures coexist with R&B inflections and a guitar style that is more harmonic than showy. On stage, Marlon Funaki has shared bills with Palace, opened for Billy Currington, and appeared at events such as Luck Reunion, Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival and The Great Escape.