Mario is going to be a dad! The 39-year-old R&B artiste, best known for his hit song “Just a Friend 2002,” is expecting his first child with his girlfriend, Esmeralda Rios, per people.com. The exciting news was announced by Mario himself on his Instagram Stories on Wednesday, August 27.
In the post, Mario shared a touching photo of his hand gently placed over Rios’s bare baby bump. “It’s a whole universe in there! I can’t wait,” he wrote in the caption, clearly expressing his excitement about becoming a father.
While this will be his first child, the singer and songwriter has spoken about his thoughtful approach to fatherhood in the past. In a 2023 interview with V-103 Atlanta, he said he doesn’t “take having kids lightly.”
“Everybody I know [has] kids…and it comes with a lot of pros and cons,” he stated. “And I also grew up without a father. So, I want to do it right when I do do it. You know, I got time. So, I’m not rushing into that.”
His recent announcement shows that the star now feels ready to embrace the responsibilities of parenthood. The singer, whose full name is Mario Dewar Barrett, is known for his chart-topping music, and fans are now eagerly awaiting details about his upcoming album as well as his new baby.
•Featured image: Mario/Prince Williams/FilmMagic
