MkX Brings Early 2000s Pop Into 2025 With the New Single “UP”
Some songs capture the spirit of an era and transform it into something completely new. That’s exactly the case with MkX’s “UP.” Some tracks manage to bottle the essence of a past era while reshaping it into something fresh, and this single does exactly that. In this release, the artist and producer strikes a balance between nostalgia and innovation, paying tribute to early 2000s pop while bringing it into a fresh, modern, and futuristic space.
Self-produced and co-written with Myah Marie (Britney Spears, Selena Gomez) and Brandon Colbein (Zayn, Kehlani), “UP” is packed with infectious hooks, bright sonic textures, and small musical details that turn the track into a sensory experience. MkX likens it to a ride inside a spaceship, with sounds ranging from lasers and bubbles to effects that recall video games and the technology of his childhood.
The visuals follow the same concept: the cover art by Chris Lee features a nod to Janet Jackson’s iconic robot dog, shot inside a futuristic hotel room that captures the Y2K aesthetic through a 2025 lens.
On this track, MkX showcases his ability to revive the Y2K musical aesthetic while blending it with the influence of pop icons such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Janet Jackson.
His fascination with producers like Max Martin and SOPHIE also comes through in the hyper-detailed sound design. “A lot of the sounds I imagine you’d hear inside a rocketship. When we wrote the song, we wanted to draw from that very golden era of pop where everything was super hooky and punchy, but do it in a 2025 way,” he says.
This release builds on the momentum MkX has created with songs like “Man On A Mission” and “Want U Bad,” the former premiering on MTV across multiple regions and the latter accompanied by a remix from Grammy-winning producer Dave Audé. These tracks helped propel him to Pride stages across cities like Las Vegas, West Hollywood, and Palm Springs, culminating in his most defining performance yet at World Pride 2025 in Washington, DC.
With “UP,” MkX reaffirms his mission: to take the pop culture that shaped him, reinterpret it, and deliver it amplified for a new generation. From performing alongside his sister to studying at Berklee College of Music and later charting as a solo artist on Billboard and MTV, every step has sharpened his vision. And he delivers it all with the energy that defines him: loud, proud, and unapologetically himself.
Connect with MkX: Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
Photo by Chris Lee