SPOTLIGHT: MARS HENDRIK

Photo By Chantel Malin

Meet Mars Hendrik and tune into his newest single “The Jump.”

“The Jump” is such a powerful title. What does taking ‘the jump’ mean to you personally, and how does that meaning unfold in the lyrics?

To me, “The Jump” is the moment before you surrender, when fear is loud but intuition is louder. It’s about leaping without knowing where you’ll land, trusting that the net will appear. In the lyrics, that jump represents both a spiritual surrender and the risk we take when we let love in.

This single touches on the unconscious mind, divine timing, and intuition in love. Was there a personal moment that triggered this exploration?

Absolutely. I was in a relationship where I could feel things shifting beneath the surface before either of us had words for it. I started noticing patterns in my own choices, signs from the universe, and moments that seemed orchestrated by something bigger. The song came from trying to decode all of that.

You blend punk energy with Latin rhythms on “The Jump.” How did you approach fusing those distinct styles, and what do they represent emotionally in this song?

Punk brings the fire—the raw emotion, the intensity. The Latin brings the romance, the sensuality, and a touch of spice. Emotionally, the back and forth between them represents the anticipation and release. It’s me intuiting dancing anticipating “Latin” then choosing to let go ”punk” and take “The Jump.”

There’s a real sense of fearlessness in “The Jump.” How do you think music can help people let go of fear and trust themselves more?

Music bypasses logic and speaks directly to the nervous system. When we hear something that resonates, it reminds us that we’re not alone—that someone else felt the same thing and made it through. That alone can unlock courage. It’s sonic permission to trust ourselves.

If someone heard “The Jump” and had no idea who Mars Hendrik was, what do you hope that first impression tells them about your identity as an artist?

That I’m sincere and willing to feel deeply, that there is deep love and passion in what I create. I hope they see me as someone not afraid to mix genres, challenge emotions, and dance at the edge of the unknown.

You’ve shared that Karma will blend genres like rock, jazz, R&B, and rap with Latin influence. What was the vision behind such a broad sonic palette?

I listen to everything from salsa to rap to progressive rock or jazz in one ride to the grocery store. For me, genre is a tool, not a boundary. The vision was to let each song choose its own skin—to let the emotion dictate the sound rather than the other way around.

How does “The Jump” represent the rest of Karma? Does it set the tone, or is it just one color in a more expansive emotional and musical spectrum?

It’s definitely one of the boldest colors, vibrant, high-stakes, and intense. But Karma moves through a wide emotional landscape. There are softer, more reflective moments, darker moods, even moments of humor. “The Jump” is the ignition spark, so it felt perfect for a first release

Photo By Chantel Malin

Thematically, the album explores love, heartbreak, fear, and karma. How do those ideas tie together in your mind, and how do you express them differently through sound?

They’re all part of the same journey. Love opens us. Heartbreak humbles us. Fear tests us. And karma teaches us. Sonically, I use contrast—a sultry R&B groove to express a soft surrender, a punk breakdown to embody fear and excitement, a string quartet for a ballroom ballad. Different rhythms, chord progressions, instrumentations, styles and genres evoke different feelings, and so each feeling gets its own rhythm.

You’ve described your work as awakening the spirit. In what ways does Karma aim to spiritually engage or challenge your listeners?

I hope for some it mirrors their inner world—that someone hears a lyric and says, “Damn, that’s exactly where I’m at.” The album invites people to be vulnerable with themselves and others, to feel through their emotions, and celebrate their own healing.

What’s one track on Karma aside from “The Jump” that you’re most excited to share, and why?

Let’s talk about the song “Bésame.” That track is pure fire. It’s got a full salsa band, a horn section that explodes out of the gate, and it fuses salsa, samba, reggaeton, hip-hop, and even a little punk rock energy. It’s sensual, romantic, and fun to dance to at the same time — it’s the most ambitious arrangement I’ve done to date. The whole song to me just feels like a celebration.

You’ve got deep roots in Costa Rica and now work out of CT. How has your multicultural identity influenced the stories and rhythms in your music?

Growing up in Costa Rica, surrounded by the jungle gave me a deep sense of Earth and instinct. Being in the U.S. showed me grit and ambition. My music lives in that intersection, wild and intentional, spiritual and modern. Multiculturalism definitely plays a part in my multi-genre music. I am the fusion of these 2 worlds, as a person and as my art.

You grew up on artists like BØRNS, Bob Marley, Santana, and Sublime. How do those influences manifest in “The Jump” or in Karma?

Those artists taught me how to blend melody with meaning. Marley gave me wisdom, Santana gave me fire, Sublime gave me fusion, and BØRNS gave me emotional vulnerability. You can hear pieces of all of them in Karma. 

As a bilingual artist, do you approach language in songwriting differently depending on the message or mood you want to communicate?

Definitely. Spanish hits the heart differently; it’s poetic, emotional, and intimate. English gives me more bite, more rhythmic play. Some feelings demand Spanish. Some truths need English. Sometimes the song tells me which one it needs.

Your music often feels like it lives at the intersection of sound, healing, and transformation. How do you see your role as both a performer and a guide?

I see myself as a translator of emotions, of spirit, of energy. As a performer, I channel as a guide and as a performer. Both roles are about holding space for transformation, whether it’s in a mosh pit or a meditative moment.

With your live shows known for their immersive energy and diverse instrumentation, how do you translate deeply internal themes like trusting your intuition into shared, external experiences on stage?

I create moments that let the crowd feel the intimacy of those moments — the drop of a beat, the silence before a lyric lands, the shared energy in a room between strangers. When I trust myself fully on stage, it gives others permission to do the same. That’s where the magic lives.

Listen to “The Jump” here.