Marco Luka to Release Debut Album F_UNK, Shares New Single DON'T CRY
The Durham-native, LA-based artist co-produced the track with Nicci Gomez and plays every instrument on it.
LA-based, Durham-native singer-songwriter and producer Marco Luka has announced his debut album, f_unk, due out October 23rd on Arista Records. As a preview of what is to come, Marco has also shared new single 'DON'T CRY.' The breezy, funk-kissed alt-pop bop is an invitation to let go of whatever's holding you back and enjoy what's in front of you. The accompanying music video brings that theme to life.
Mixing New Wave flare with dark synth-pop and Prince-ly fusion, 'DON'T CRY' is an undeniable body-mover. Marco co-produces with Nicci Gomez (siiickbrain, Noah Guy) and plays every instrument, deploying a searing falsetto across the entire track. He addresses a lover whose flame seems to be fading, but he can still see the spark: 'Don't cry 'cause you think it's all over, we got all night / Girl tomorrow we'll be older than this, it's true / But it won't get old with you.'
''DON'T CRY' is all about living in the moment,' says Marco. 'There's no sense in wasting tears on the past or on our fleeting youth when we could just be dancing.'
The single is a fitting introduction to f_unk, which for Marco, is rooted in the ethos of psychedelic music; not necessarily in the traditional, drug-induced sense, but in the idea of stripping away distraction and surrendering completely to an experience. It's music designed to be felt as much as heard: immersive, instinctive, and all-consuming. And while he's quick to acknowledge that X isn't a funk record in the conventional sense, it channels that same spirit of freedom, movement, and visceral connection. It's his interpretation of what funk can sound and feel like in 2026.
'DON'T CRY' comes with an accompanying music video that opens on Marco waking up in a bedroom full of vintage audio equipment. He pops in a cassette tape labeled 'F_UNK,' picks his fit, and hits the kitchen to whip up a smoothie while grooving to the infectious song. In the next scene, he's poolside in the burbs, but one sip of the tropical concoction and he's transported to a beach. Much like the rest of the album, adventure awaits.
Marco's exciting new chapter follows last year's more intimate and minimal INSOMNIA EP — a gorgeous blur of acoustic R&B, blistering rock, bedroom pop, and DIY electronics steeped in strong emotion and self-reflection. Highlights included the utterly explosive 'rush,' lovelorn yearner 'need you now,' and the shimmering 'aire,' his first song in Spanish.
In between, however Marco introduced a significant vibe shift with a series of singles that he described at the time as 'entropic, glittery, and made to be played way too loud.' Most recent was the racing, hyperpop-addled 'SAY MY NAME,' capping off a triptych that also included gothic dance-punk cut 'THE PARTY' and the high-energy, disco-drenched 'TALK TO ME.'
Across his young career, Marco has demonstrated an uncanny ability to make different styles feel cohesive. It's a quality he shares with his former bandmates in Weston Estate, the group he cut his teeth in before amicably stepping away to focus on his solo work. 'DON'T CRY' isn't just an argument to keep summer going well past the equinox — it's the opening salvo of an era.
f_unk Track List
1. WAS IT AN ILLUSION?
2. LOVE ME AGAIN
3. DON'T CRY
4. INTO THE BLUE
5. SOULJA
6. GOTTA LET YOU GO
7. BEEN HERE BEFORE
8. TALK TO ME
About Marco Luka
The LA-based, Durham-native singer-songwriter served the lead vocalist of lo-fi alt-pop band Weston Estate for 8 years. After embarking on several tours and selling out venues such as Brooklyn Steel and the Fonda with the band, Marco puts his next steps forward in pursuing his solo career. Marco Luka is a buzzing artist to watch. The L.A.-based, Durham-native singer-songwriter may have made a name as the lead vocalist of lo-fi alt-pop band Weston Estate, but his first solo release, 2019's 'paradise' garnered over 42 million streams. The momentum hasn't stopped there as he's piled up 100 million global streams on his solo catalog. In 2025, Marco released his second EP, INSOMNIA, including highlights like 'forevermore,' 'need you now,' 'rush,' and 'aire.'
