Elizabeth Moen’s transfer from Iowa to Chicago shaped her perspective and sound massively. While her roots inform her songwriting, the city’s creative and distinctive community brought a refreshing energy. A collaboration with Spencer Tweedy, this record’s producer, allowed her to bring the songs to life, with Spencer centering her voice and adding a retro twist that never feels dated.

Having recently performed at Chicago’s Solid Sound Fest, Elizabeth released the video to her very latest single “Renaissance Man” today. Told from the perspective of a so-called “Chicago F*ckboy, “ Elizabeth explains:

“This song is dedicated to the many people who inspired it and to the people who learned the hard way by trusting them. 

I wanted to write something that I’d hope people would want to sing along to real loud in the car. It’s fun, cheeky, and a song to heed the warning of or find solace in after a bad situationship. Good luck out there this summer! It’s the Renaissance Man’s (or woman’s or person’s) prime season, I fear!

This character song is written in the perspective of the multiple individuals who inspired it. Though the epidemic of F*ckboy is not restricted to the confines of Chicago’s city limits, there seemed to be, especially in my twenties, a considerable amount of them in town. The one time they admitted the truth was when they’d say, “I’m a bad idea for you, really.” Lesson learned: if someone says that to you, RUN. 

Spencer, the drummer and producer of the recording, did an amazing job at capturing the feel of Renaissance Man by intentionally keeping the production raw. I had a great time recording this song with him in his studio and it’s been so fun to sing live. Gus, who tracked the backing vocals, and I have a blast screaming out the oh’s at the end. Tristan, my guitarist, shreds the solo and I find myself laughing off mic from pure joy when we play this one. This song was definitely one of the first songs I wrote with the clear intention of having a more upbeat live set.”

Producer Spencer Tweedy further shares his thoughts about the track:

“We all have pests in our lives. Unfortunately, they often come riding in on a high horse. In this song, Elizabeth assumes the role of a garden-variety, modern-day sadist to reveal just how absurd it is to waste your life trodding over other people. It also shows off Elizabeth’s unbelievable vocal talent, which you’ll hear more of all over her forthcoming record.”

Listeners hear echoes of Sheryl Crow, a mix of strength and tenderness, alongside Lucinda Williams, Brittany Howard, and other artists who balance grit with grace. Tweedy’s production invites occasional comparisons to Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood, but Elizabeth’s voice and vision make the record unmistakably her own: intimate yet expansive, personal yet relatable.