Unmasking the Smile: Caitlin Quisenberry Gets Raw on Heartbreak, Healing, and Her Most Honest Song Yet

With her haunting new single "Mona Lisa Smile," Nashville-based singer-songwriter Caitlin Quisenberry trades polished perfection for raw vulnerability.

What starts as a cinematic ballad quickly reveals itself as a quiet act of rebellion against people-pleasing, emotional suppression, and the pressure to perform even in private. In this candid interview, Caitlin opens up about the moment she realized she was living behind a smile, how that realization shaped her breakup and her music, and why choosing yourself is the bravest thing you can do.

"Mona Lisa Smile" feels like a deeply personal and emotional release. What was going through your mind the moment you heard the final mix for the first time?

When I received the final mix, I was still in my relationship, but something shifted the moment I heard it. As the lyrics played, especially "Paint on that face and stand in that spotlight with your stoic grace," I felt like I was hearing my own truth for the first time. That's when I realized I had been performing, not just on stage, but in my relationship too, smiling through the cracks, trying to keep the peace, trying to be okay when I wasn't. That moment of clarity led to the breakup. The song said what I hadn't been able to admit yet: it was time to choose myself.

You've described realizing you were 'performing' in your relationship. How did that realization shape the way you approach your music now?

It made me braver. I don't want to write anything that isn't honest anymore. That moment showed me how easy it is to lose yourself trying to be what someone else wants. Now, I write from the mess, not just the polished parts. That's where the real connection happens.

The lyrics in this song are so cinematic. Do you tend to write visually when you're creating, almost like scoring a moment in your life?

Totally. I think in scenes. When I wrote this song, I saw a spotlight, a woman frozen in it, smiling while quietly falling apart. Music has always felt like my way of scoring life's hardest moments, like putting them on screen so I can step back and say, Okay, that's what that was.

After taking such a raw emotional risk on this track, what does healing or empowerment look like for you now?

It looks like choosing myself. It's not about being fearless; it's about being real. Letting go of needing to please everyone and owning what I feel, even when it's messy. That's where the healing starts.

What do you hope fans walk away feeling after listening to "Mona Lisa Smile"—especially those who are also putting on brave faces right now?

I hope they feel seen. Like they don't have to fake it all the time. There's strength in vulnerability, even when you're barely holding it together. This song is for anyone who's smiled through pain and still showed up anyway. That's real courage.

Instagram