Music and sports are two worlds that don’t often collide. But when they do, you know it’s for a good reason. Arizona-based Marquette King is making his way through the crowds and rising not only as a big name in the American football scene but also as a powerful voice exploring pop, EDM, and hip-hop grounds.

After leading the Arlington Renegades to victory in 2023, securing an XFL Championship title, he’s ready to masterfully showcase his artistry with his newest offering, the single “Sweet Tea” — a topic in which he happens to excel as a Southerner himself. Here, we connect with King to discuss all aspects of his career, the common ground between sports and music, being inspired by Calvin Harris’ tunes, and what 2024 holds for him. Keep scrolling…

Watch the music video for “Sweet Tea”…

Read the full interview…

Hey, how are you? How has life been treating you recently?
Life is good. Living life to the max. Traveling a lot. I’m doing what I love – music and working out.

You’ve had an incredible journey from the NFL and XFL to pursuing a career in music. Can you tell us how you got to where you are today?
Honestly, I just want to be the best version of myself. I feel like a lot of people make the mistake of sticking to one thing and just doing it for the rest of their lives without really paying attention or understanding the fact that the world is so much bigger than a little world experience. There’s so many people in this world that you can make an impact on. You probably would have never known that you could have been successful without never giving it a chance because you’ve been so focused on one thing your whole life, so I don’t ever want to do that.

How have your experiences in sports have influenced your music?
I just had the mindset that I had of wanting to be the best at what I did on the field to music. It’s interesting when you work on music because you just gotta find what works for you. You got to find a way to make your voice work. Know how high and how low you can go with a track when it comes to singing. So I just took that mindset I had in football and put it toward music, and it’s working out.

Could you share with us the inspiration behind the song “Sweet Tea” and what fans can expect from the video directed by Nick Carroll?
It was during COVID my cousin came up with the chorus . It was funny and everything. I was going through these beats from my producer, and I felt like the chorus fit that beat. I decided I was gonna use that song, and I was going to write verses for it. The song has got a very country-pop vibe, so I thought we should record in the middle of nowhere. So we ended up going to Austin, Texas in this house to record it. My guy Nick did really good with coming up with ideas for a video, so that’s what we did.

You’ve mentioned being inspired by Calvin Harris and the world of electronic dance music. How has EDM shaped your music style, and how do you incorporate it into your tracks?
Well, this has taught me to be more diverse with what I create. I’ve always been diverse because I’m always listening to different styles of music minus EDM until I got older. I’ve always listened to pop and I actually really enjoy listening to different kinds of music. So that’s why I kind of bounced between pop, hip hop, EDM, and country music.

How does your Southern background influence your music, particularly in a genre like Pop/EDM/Hip Hop?
The diversity made it so I understand different types of music. I was kind of forced to listen to songs that didn’t curse, like Sunday church music. I used to sneak away and listen to a little bit of pop, and then even when I got into college I listened to pop.

“One or Two Shots” is one of your recent releases. Can you dive into the message and story behind this track and what it means to you personally?
It feels good to be sober too! But sometimes, we have a good time and enjoy spending time with your friends. Sometimes you want to just like stay in this world of just like having fun. Those days where you want the night to never end. The more fun you have, the more you see that the day is starting to be over but you just wish that it would keep going. You just want to enjoy that moment with your friends.

How do you balance all of your creative outlets, including your jewelry making, how does it connect to your overall artistic expression?
I just felt, especially during COVID, was when I really started tapping into that. I like this jewelry that I was making because it’s cool. I can choose my own colors, I can make them match whatever outfit I want to make them match. They just look really cool. I’ve always thought the properties are pretty cool too. I’m not somebody that’s super deep into the properties of the beads and stuff. I feel like us as individuals set our own tone and your mindset, your mentality. But it’s just cool to have, cool to wear, and people asked me to sell the stuff that I made. I just decided to go for it. I feel like it’s a part of me and the world that I create.

You’re involved in charitable work, particularly with feeding the homeless. Can you share more about your philanthropic endeavors and how they tie into your identity as an artist and athlete?
I keep it real simple. There are some days, I decide to get meals for homeless people and bring food and water. I find a way to make their day a little bit better. It just feels good to help people. I like helping people see something a little bit different or put a smile on their face.

What does the rest of 2023 look like for you? Can you share any other upcoming exciting projects?
Biggest goal: I want to be seen by just as many people and more as a musician, a legit musician. I also have a song that I’m supposed to be dropping called “I Can Kick A Ball,” but I also have an album coming out at the end of January, February called KS 107 which is going to be similar to a radio station. Where people can play it all the way through. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I make a bunch of different styles of music, which is super cool because I feel that if you’re going to be an artist you should be able to diversify your music and make different styles of music to where you can make your voice fit on different styles. You can’t make your voice fit on every style, but that was the goal. And I was like, if I’m gonna have a certain genre that I need to fit in, I’m gonna make it sound like a radio station.