Photo: Getty Images
R&B singer Mario is going to be a dad for the first time.
On Wednesday, August 27, the "Crying Out For Me" crooner announced that he and his girlfriend, Esmerelda Rios, are expecting their first child together. Rios took to Instagram and posted photos of herself with Mario behind her, gently grasping her baby bump. She also included a photo of the artist kissing her pregnant belly. On his Instagram Stories, Mario uploaded a photo of his hand on Rios' stomach.
"It's a whole universe in there," he wrote on the photo with a happy eyes emoji. "I can't wait."
It's not clear how long Mario and Esmerelda have been dating. During his recent conversation with Angela Yee, Mario called his girl "a safe place" and said, "She's a good person. I trust her." Prior to the couple's announcement, Mario also spoke about not rushing into fatherhood during a radio interview in 2023.
“I don’t take having kids lightly,” he said, per People. “Everybody I know [has] kids. Some of my friends [that are] younger have kids, some of my friends [that are] older have kids, and it comes with a lot of pros and cons. 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.”
Congratulations to Mario and Esmerelda! Watch Angela Yee's interview with Mario below.