It looks like Mario is stepping into a new chapter: fatherhood.

This week, the R&B singer’s girlfriend, reportedly named Esmeralda Rios, shared a carousel of photos on Instagram that had fans buzzing. In the shots, Mario is seen tenderly holding her baby bump while dressed in an off-white button-up and pants. She coordinated in a gold sequin skirt and white top, with the pair giving subtle “soon-to-be parents” energy.

Another picture showed Mario leaning down to kiss her stomach. She added some playful humor to the announcement, captioning it: “ Whoopsss… I ate too many brownies” with a string of emojis, which included the pregnant emoji.

Mario’s thoughts on fatherhood

The Turning Point artist has been candid in the past about his approach to parenthood. In a 2023 interview with V-103 Atlanta, he explained why he wasn’t rushing to start a family.

“I don’t take having kids lightly,” he said. “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.”

With the latest photos, it looks like that time may have finally come.

Earlier this year, Mario also made headlines for a different kind of message. As previously reported by REVOLT, he posted an emotional note on Instagram about violence, division, and mental health in the Black community.

“Can we stop praising the killing of our own people, please?” the Baltimore native wrote. “Our ignorance and self-hate in 2025 while the world is shifting by the second is what scares me for brown men, women, and children.”

He went on to share personal stories of loss and trauma, while also encouraging resilience. “I believe that we can be winners in life with all we go through. It’s in us… Our pain is also our power. We have to use it as a force when making a shift into the light gets hard.”