The OG indie rock legend Mac DeMarco embraces simple, hands-on living, fueling creativity through real-world experiences.
Would you recognise the same Mac DeMarco who once ruled indie rock playlists if you saw him now? In an interview published by Dazed, he opened up about his hobbies and lifestyle.
Trading city chaos for the quiet stretches of Canada, cigarettes in hand, immersing himself in projects that demand patience and care.
Whether installing multi-stage water filters, tending to cisterns, or tinkering with motorcycles, he finds a meditative rhythm in fixing, building, and exploring.
Canoeing through lakes and forests, he reflects on his roots, letting the natural world shape his perspective while soft smoke curls through sunlit afternoons, far from the profit-driven pressures of the industry.
Mac has always spoken like private journal entries—poetic, unpolished, entirely his own. On Guitar (2025), that intimacy is clear.
Each track is a conversation with himself, not meant to impress or be decoded. Stripped to essentials: guitar, voice, and personal production, he removes anything artificial or performative.
Rejecting AI shortcuts, Mac celebrates the “human element” in art: imperfection, presence, and lived experience.
Lead single Home echoes Chamber of Reflection, channelling warm nostalgia and reflective afternoons where sunlight drifts through quiet spaces.
These songs are more than melodies; they spark connection, kindred memories, and gentle reminiscence.
The album balances simplicity and depth, pairing slacker-charm guitar work with rich emotional textures to create a soundscape that is both familiar and profoundly personal, cradling listeners in a sun-drenched, reflective haze.
Away from the stage and studio lights, Mac’s life quietly mirrors the values he celebrates in his music.
Motorcycling through winding country roads, canoeing across calm Canadian lakes, and tending to wells and bikes, he moves deliberately, showing by example the balance between craft, curiosity, and presence.
These hands-on pursuits aren’t just hobbies; they’re lived lessons in patience, self-reliance, and authenticity.
Every choice, from building a cistern to slowing down on the road, reflects the life he wants to embody, and in doing so, he creates a seamless connection between life and art.
His songs, stripped back and honest, cradle listeners softly, guiding them through reflections of nostalgia, warmth, and quiet introspection.
His latest album, Guitar, is out now.
