Mac DeMarco on his changing musical direction: “Maybe finally I’m growing up”

Mac DeMarco has opened up about his changing musical direction as well as touring and past antics, sharing that “maybe finally I’m growing up”.

While chatting with NME in the latest instalment of the In Conversation series, DeMarco explained the mellow route he is on in terms of the current music he’s been creating.

“With these last couple of releases, I’ve probably freed myself in most regards. I almost feel like there was a long time where I was pretending to be something that I wasn’t and trying to do things musically that maybe… I feel like all the records I’ve put out are very much me, but in regards to the more ambient or of video gamey-sounding stuff, I love it,” he said.

He continued: “There are stipulations I have now for making my music where it needs to feel natural. I don’t want to force anything. I like leaving things the way they are. Something comes out, that’s the way it came out. That’s the way it is.”

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When asked if he was protecting the purity of what he’s doing, the singer explained: “Maybe finally I’m growing up. I look at the world and the music industry and maybe I just want to be more of an artist, or pretend to be. I think there’s another side of the music industry where it is like sport. But I like seeing all the crap. The human part is the most important part to me in any kind of art. I guess I’m just trying to remain human.”

Elsewhere in the chat, DeMarco revealed that he has been sober for a while now and reflected on past antics while explaining that, though the booze and cigarettes are out of his life, he still tries to operate in the same way. He went on to share how touring feels now that he is clean.

“It’s interesting to me, especially doing shows like this, because it’s a challenge. Back in the day, it was like, ‘Oh, shit, we’re losing the crowd, where’s the Jameson? Ba-boom, and everyone’s like, ‘Fuck yeah!’” he said.

In other news, the musician recently clarified that he will not be retiring from music.

“I think I said some stuff on stage during the August run, which has made a lot of kids online think that I have retired,” he said. “Which is like – no, I haven’t. But, perhaps – and I thought of this only this morning – perhaps I’ve retired from the way things used to be. Perhaps.”