6 hours ago
Singer-Songwriter Mike Maimone Announces 'Guess What? I Love You' Album and Memoir Honoring Late Husband Howard Bragman
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Los Angeles singer-songwriter Mike Maimone has announced the February 10, 2026, release of his album and companion memoir "Guess What? I Love You", a deeply personal project dedicated to his late husband, Howard Bragman.
The album, available for pre-order in limited edition vinyl, CD, and digital formats, features 18 tracks that trace Maimone's journey from falling in love with Bragman to coping with his death from cancer in 2023. Side A captures the "sexy and exciting adventures" from their first meeting on the dating app Scruff through their engagement, while Side B explores grief, helplessness, and hopeful messages of healing.
Maimone, a gay musician with a catalog of over 200 original songs and tours supporting acts like Plain White T’s, Blues Traveler, and Imagine Dragons, previously released the tribute album "Borrowed Tunes, Vol. 2: Songs for You" in August 2023 following Bragman's passing. That project featured covers of meaningful songs, with sold-out release shows in Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago, all proceeds benefiting The Trevor Project, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
The fifth single, "Forever Again," released on August 15, 2025, is a romantic ballad written for Bragman during their engagement to ease fears of starting over after both had experienced divorce. "I wrote ‘Forever Again’ for my partner Howard Bragman when we got engaged. After his passing, recording it without him there was gut-wrenching. But it’s a vital part of our story, and it had to be on the album," Maimone shared. The track, concluding Side A, resonates as a beacon for LGBTQ+ individuals who have lost partners, offering solace and encouragement to heal while honoring past love.
Earlier singles include "On My Way" b/w "Big Kiss," which charted on college radio for eight weeks, and "Forever Again" b/w "Butterfly," now climbing charts, introducing the album's themes of love's highs and loss's depths. Maimone describes the creative process as a way to process profound loss, documenting resilience and the enduring power of connection through music.
Bragman, a famed publicist and prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, was a key figure in Hollywood and community visibility efforts before his death. Maimone's work builds on his prior releases, including "Mookie’s Big Gay Mixtape" in 2023 and "Broke, Not Broken" in 2021, the latter recorded pre-pandemic but released amid personal health challenges like hospitalization for pericarditis.
In the "Bay Area Reporter", an outlet focused on LGBTQ+ news, Maimone discussed aligning the album and book release for February 2026, noting he secured a literary agent and publisher to amplify the project's reach. "Creating became a way for Maimone to process profound loss... Through this deeply personal project, he shares a story many understand: the enduring power of connection and the role creativity plays in navigating life’s toughest moments," the publication highlighted.
This release holds significance for the LGBTQ+ community, where grief from loss—whether by death or separation—intersects with broader resilience narratives. Maimone's emphasis on healing offers a model for transgender people, gay men, and others processing personal tragedies through art. The limited vinyl pressing of 273 purple-and-white "butterfly" records underscores the project's intimate scale.
Maimone continues to build anticipation via his website and platforms like Apple Music, positioning "Guess What? I Love You" as his most moving work yet.
