Michael Marcagi

In the organizer's words:

American folk meets German winter - Michael Marcagi comes on tour in 2026

Presented by kulturnews, event. and Musikblog.de

Sometimes a new beginning starts with a leap into the unknown - or with a song that describes precisely this moment. "Scared to Start", Michael Marcagi's breakthrough hit, is a hymn to hesitation, to wanting, to daring. Shared millions of times on TikTok, the track has not only conquered the algorithm, but also the hearts of listeners worldwide. What sounds like every newcomer's dream is actually the result of persistence, musical sensitivity - and a deep desire to be heard.

Marcagi, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, was originally on the path to professional sports. He played golf at Thomas More University in Kentucky, winning the Presidents' Athletic Conference twice. But instead of opting for birdies and fairways, he followed his gut instinct - and the soundtrack of his own life. After years as frontman of the indie rock band The Heavy Hours, he was drawn in a different direction: away from the band collective and towards the intimacy of acoustic songs. The musical embrace of folk, Americana and honest poetry was the compass for his new path.

His first EP "American Romance", produced by David Baron (Lana Del Rey, Shania Twain, among others), sounds like a road trip through the heart of the USA - along broken relationships, social expectations and quiet rebellion. Songs like "The Other Side" tell of the narrowness of small-town life, while "In The Light" dares to strike a liberating blow with mandolin and unvarnished directness: "Be who you need and not what you're taught" - be who you need to be, not what you've been taught.
What makes Marcagi's music so special is the balance between personal narrative and universal validity. He doesn't look down on the world he comes from. Instead, he draws characters who are allowed to fail, love, doubt - and carry on. His songs are not diary entries, but miniatures about growing up in a world that leaves little room for deviation from the expected.

The fact that Marcagi started his career on social media is an ironic break from his retro aesthetic. He appears like a storyteller from the old days, but he finds his audience in the digital present. Without image posturing, without mysterious rock band staging. "I want people to feel like they know me," he says. And Marcagi does indeed come across as approachable as his songs - vulnerable, honest, awake.

Michael Marcagi will be coming to Germany for four concerts in early 2026. Anyone who wants to experience live what modern American folk music can sound like - between melancholy and hope, twilight and new beginnings - should not miss out on this artist. Because one thing is certain: this is just the beginning of a journey that promises many more chapters.