Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, California, Marcello Cordova has established himself as a songwriter known for blending personal spiritual reflection with universal themes of faith and resilience. His growing catalog, including the acoustic “Restore Me,” the pro-life anthem “You’re Not Alone,” the narrative-driven “Like David,” and the seasonal “A Star from Bethlehem”, highlights both his versatility and his commitment to meaningful, story-led songwriting.
Drawing influence from artists such as Baily Hager, Jessie Ware (Waring), and Marc Scibilia, Cordova continues to refine a sound that balances emotive lyricism with strong, memorable melodies.
His latest release, “You Got This,” featuring guest vocals from Evie Lizarraga, sees him expand further into a dynamic blend of electronic rock, alternative pop/rock, and contemporary Christian influences. The single delivers an uplifting message centered on perseverance, faith, and hope.
We spoke with Marcello Cordova to learn more about his music, creative process, and latest release.
How would you describe the sonic identity of “You Got This” compared to Marcello Cordova’s previous releases?
This one is definitely more edgy. Earlier on in my youth I would gravitate towards rock vibes and as I got older I seemed to have mellowed out more into contemporary folk style music. I wanted to try something fun and energetic compared to my previous releases, my producer, Enrico, calls it a banger and I agree and it has done far better than anything I’ve released in a similar time span, I’m actually surprised. My previous releases are more moody and based on personal experiences where as this is more upbeat and give the indication that ‘we got this’!
What production elements stood out to you most in this track, and why?
Synths and guitars by far. They give the vibe a modern rock vibe immediately in the likes of Stephen Stanley and Linkin Park, without the gritty textured vocals. Enrico did a fabulous job of expanding on my ideas and implementing them into a solid hit.
How do you feel the collaboration between Marcello and Evie Lizarraga influences the song’s impact?
I think it gives a cohesive balance from a soft delicate delivery from Evie in the first parts to a more energetic feel when my vocals come in.
In what ways does the song successfully blend alternative rock, electronic, and CCM influences?
I love the upbeat message that comes with it, ‘you got this’ is a reminder to persevere thru our trials in life, if you’re reading this then you’ve experienced them and you’re still here, a clear indication that the next trial ‘you got this’. We blend that message with the energy of the song intertwined with the electronics of the synths and the dirty guitars. Reminds me of the band ‘skillet’ not as hard but similar elements.
How do the melodic hooks and instrumentation contribute to the track’s stadium-rock feel?
When we asked Evie to be a part of the process it was already late in the production so she was at a disadvantage of picking a key, I initially was going to duet with another male vocalist or do it entirely on my own but I felt like it needed a woman’s touch, especially listening to skillet and their dynamics with their vocals. So with Evie we had to blend her soft vocals with some falsettos and blend the together to get the chorus where we wanted it, that and the blended dirty guitars and the synth gave the song a capturing energetic feel along with those electronic riffs, those riffs are all Enrico.
Are there particular moments in the song where the arrangement elevates the lyrical message?
We felt that the bridge really softened the dynamic and gave it a short sense of calmness so as the instruments fade out temporarily the vocals are the centerpiece.
How do you evaluate Marcello Cordova’s vocal delivery in the context of the song’s theme of perseverance?
High voltage, haha. For that message you gotta deliver like you mean it, like you believe it, fist pumped in the air. Kick those moody blues.
How does the song balance emotional intimacy with large-scale musical energy?
We found it in Evie’s soft vocals in the intro, bridge and again on the outro. Then my vocals come in with more energy along the energetic dynamic guitars and synths that gave me a sense of a security blanket to do what I wanted to do. We made sure we split it up to give it a proper balance so it doesn’t sound so redundant one way or the other.
Which aspects of the production or performance would you highlight as especially innovative or unique?
That’s a tough one, it seems that whatever is out there has pretty much been done, I would say it’s unique to me in that it’s a different genre that I am used to getting produced but I’ve gotten those elements from being influenced from being in that season of modern rock. If anything I would say I thought the intro was pretty cool, starts pretty modern and chill then we start to layer it with the synths and then the guitars then we pull it back.
Do you think “You Got This” has crossover potential for mainstream and CCM audiences? Why or why not?
I think it definitely does. If you play this for someone and don’t give away who the artist is or what they’re about then you wouldn’t know. By the end of the song you’ll know it’s just a clean, fun, energetic and encouraging message.
“‘You Got This’ is the kind of track that uplifts and inspires from the very first note. Marcello and Evie bring an incredible energy and authenticity to the song, blending heartfelt lyrics with a modern, edgy sound. It’s a message of hope, resilience, and encouragement that we all need right now, and we’re thrilled to share it with listeners everywhere,” said music publicist Danielle Holian, Decent Music PR.
