Every Single Album Marcus Mumford on the Making of 'Prizefighter'
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Feb 26, 2026 Marcus Mumford, lead singer and primary songwriter of Mumford & Sons, talks about making Prizefighter and his songwriting rebirth. He discusses working closely with Aaron Dessner, bringing in top collaborators, sequencing the record, and writing with new lyrical specificity. He also recounts contributing to Taylor Swift’s “Cowboy Like Me” and the joy of reclaiming live performance.
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When Process And Output Perfectly Align
- Marcus calls Prizefighter his favorite because the creative process and the output aligned perfectly.
- He rarely re-listens and picks apart records, but after a recent listening he wouldn't change a single note on Prizefighter.
Use Side Projects To Rediscover Your Voice
- Use solo projects to rediscover creative muscles and then re-enter your band with clearer identity.
- Marcus found his solo record freed his imagination and let him return to Mumford & Sons with more artistic agency.
Prizefighter Born From A First Listen Moment
- Aaron Dessner played a sketch of Prizefighter at Electric Lady and Marcus wrote most of the lyrics on the first listen.
- That first-day spark grew into full co-writing and Aaron became effectively a band member on the record.