Marshall Hamburger is an Australian retro pop-groove artist, pianist, and vocalist known for his vintage flair and magnetic stage presence.
Winner of 'Australian Idol' in 2025, Marshall rose to national prominence performing alongside Australia's top session musicians, cementing his place as one of the country's freshest musical voices.
After releasing two original singles last year, alongside performing a stack of live shows, Marshall's newest release is the single 'Brand New Man'; another piece of a forthcoming album he'll tease throughout 2026 ("expect to hear the words 'new release' often from me all throughout 2026!").
A song about the endless hope and unfiltered passion that accompanies freshly sprouted romance, 'Brand New Man' is the first ballad Marshall has ever written.
With the echoes of blissful laughter in the background, a powerfully cinematic piano pierces the soundscape, brimming with stirring, poignant tones, Marshall's velvety-husky voice preening: "Hold my hand for a minute / Let me stay in your eye's light / Lay your head on my shoulder."
Shimmering hi-hats level up the layers of epic as Marshall lets loose his vocal pipes, his unbridled vulnerability intoxicating as his words of worship and adoration flicker like candlelight.
A searing guitar lick only adds to the '80s yacht-rock flavour, and you just know somewhere Christopher Cross is feeling all warm and fuzzy.
It's as if Hamburger has captured the essence of love in its sonic form. "'Brand New Man' is a pop-rock ballad written about the grandeur of love found in the smallest, most intimate moments. A soundtrack to the beginning of forever."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (1 May), today scenestr is delighted to premiere the 'Brand New Man' music video. Enjoy.
"Inspired by the musical sensibilities of Benson Boone, Bruno Mars and Bruce Hornsby, I wanted the song to have an explosive chorus while maintaining a sense of vulnerability throughout the verse and pre-chorus," adds Marshall.
"To achieve this I kept the arrangement to piano, guitar, and vocals, only bringing in the kick and hi-hats during the pre-chorus.
"From there it was easy to make the chorus explode: just add some distorted guitars, a bass, and a snare, and you achieve that satisfying jump from pre-chorus to chorus!"
No doubt swaying to the rhythm and mouthing the lyrics will be impossible not to do once you hear 'Brand New Man'; and you have Marshall's Mum to thank for that!
"The first demo of this song actually was more of a guitar track, featuring a guitar solo with full drums to open it. It wasn't until I showed it to Mum that I decided to change it.
"I remember she said 'I don't think you have the verse yet'. That was definitely a hard thing to hear, considering I thought I had the whole song finished and ready to go.
"However, I listened, scrapped the entire production, and started from scratch, building the song up again, one layer at a time, and I think it turned out for the better! It definitely made the build much more impactful."
For those in Queensland, Marshall has a number of upcoming performances, with southern states promised some live Hamburger action later in the year. "I have a VIP live acoustic event at Miss Moneypenny's Noosa [3 May].
"Me and the band will be at Eat Street markets [Brisbane] on 9 May on the main stage at 8pm. I am doing a few shows up in North Queensland and I am finally planning Sydney and Melbourne shows – they will be announced very soon. Keep an eye on my website for all upcoming gigs."
