Mario isn’t a fan of handcuffs—at least not when it comes to his music.

The romantic “Just a Friend 2002,” “Let Me Love You,” and “Crying Out for Me” crooner has always understood that R&B works best when it refuses restraint.

For more than two decades, the Grammy-nominated singer has built a catalog rooted in vulnerability—songs that don’t flinch from love, loss, desire, or devotion, even when those emotions get complicated.

“In R&B, you shouldn’t contain your emotions,” he told 48 Hills ahead of his San Francisco show (Mon/8 at August Hall). “You should let them out. You should be vulnerable. You should be free to express the different characters and perspectives of love, loss, and intimacy—without any handcuffs.”

That philosophy sits at the center of Mood Swings, his newly released

See Full Page