MACEY has returned with his first single of the year, “Mona Lisa Money”.
The rousing song is a lush folk-rock fable serving a critical social commentary on modern society’s obsession with wealth and external validation.
Written in London’s Limehouse with collaborators Demi Louise and Kiah Gossner, “Mona Lisa Money” holds a magnifying glass to the true cost of chasing riches in a climate of overconsumption. The single’s production, finished with Ben Malone in New Zealand, features a striking violin section that pulls the sound from Americana into a British folk vibe.
In the song, the New Zealand singer-songwriter tells the tale of an individual who sacrificed personal connection for material success, only to lose it all. MACEY’s poetic lyricism contrasts confronting themes with tender melodies, emphasising the importance of defining success on one’s own terms.
MACEY based the song on someone he knew that had hungered his whole life for success, got to the top, and then had to leave that world behind as he got ill.
“He definitely hurt a lot of people and burnt a lot of bridges along the way,” MACEY reflects.
“It felt like a little warning to myself – don’t get caught up in comparison, envy, having everything all at once… it’s all surface level and leaves you when you die anyway. I hope the song reminds us all to remain present and count every blessing. This is my anti-capitalism anthem, a folk fable wrapped in a blanket of rock and roll, something to make your heart ache and your feet tap.”
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The new single arrives with a cinematic music video directed by Mason Bennett, which follows a businessman caught in the superficial facade of success until his life passes him by. Watch above.
MACEY’s last album, The Lovers (2023), earned a place in our Best New Zealand Albums of the 2020s So Far list.
The Lovers showcases the multi-instrumentalist’s impeccable ear for production, silky alt-pop rhythms being enhanced by his sincere lyrics about love and loss,” we praised.
MACEY’s “Mona Lisa Money” is out now.
