M∆CKEN and MACKINLEY Redefine Heartbreak with “UGLY”

When two powerhouse voices collide in a moment of emotional honesty, something unforgettable happens. “UGLY” by M∆CKEN featuring MACKINLEY is a deep and haunting look at the complicated nature of toxic love. It captures that dangerous mix of passion and pain that keeps people tethered even when they know it’s unhealthy.

Written by M∆CKEN and co-produced with Juno Award-winning producer Neo Tempus (known for Aqyila’s “Bloom”), “UGLY” came to life during a two-week session in Vancouver while Neo was in town for the Junos. The song feels cinematic, intimate, and brutally honest, turning emotional chaos into something strangely beautiful.

M∆CKEN, the voice behind global hits with Afrojack, Dyro, and Swedish House Mafia, trades the adrenaline of festival anthems for something quieter and far more personal. His performance is filled with restraint and heartbreak, as he grapples with the reality that sometimes love is not enough to save you. His tone carries both pain and peace, making every lyric feel like a confession whispered at 3 a.m.

Then comes MACKINLEY, a 21-year-old Berklee-trained artist whose Miley Cyrus-like rasp cuts through the production with strength and vulnerability. Her vocals bring balance to M∆CKEN’s emotion, responding with the honesty of someone who knows she’s flawed but still wants to hold on. Their chemistry feels authentic and lived-in, like two people trying to make sense of something that used to be perfect.

Neo Tempus maintains a subtle and atmospheric production, allowing the vocals to breathe. The beat moves like a pulse, steady and emotional, surrounded by warm synths and minimal percussion. The soundscape mirrors the story: quiet, tense, and heartbreakingly human.

What makes “UGLY” stand out is its refusal to clean up the mess. It does not offer closure or a happy ending. It simply exists in the truth of love that hurts and heals at the same time. “We just want listeners to know they’re not alone,” M∆CKEN explains. “We’ve been there too.”

With “UGLY,” M∆CKEN shows growth as an artist and storyteller. After years of dominating dance stages like Tomorrowland, EDC, and Coachella, he proves he can move just as many hearts as he can move crowds. This track isn’t about perfection. It is about honesty, and in that honesty, M∆CKEN and MACKINLEY find something real.

“UGLY” explores the painful balance between love and toxicity. What inspired you to tell this story?

I think seeing these kinds of relationships and talking by to my best friends over the last few years about how certain relationships had gotten so destructive, & yet they couldn’t give it up because of how amazing the good times were, I just wanted to give them a song they could listen to when they’re going through it. So much media nowadays is you’re either one side or the other, but real life’s more nuanced. 

How did working with Neo Tempus shape the production and emotional depth of the record?

Neo and I have really just crafted this amazing partnership these last years, so much of creating records with a producing partner is understanding each other’s vision. We are able to get there quicker and quicker it seems & we produced ‘UGLY’ in about 48 hours in Vancouver while Neo was there for the Juno Awards this year. It was getting it to the finish line that took so much longer.

You’ve gone from massive festival stages to deeply emotional pop music. How does this transition feel?

I think I feel comfortable on either stage, whether that’s a main stage at EDC or Rotterdam’s biggest stadium, or a smaller stage in a more intimate setting. The energy you bring is the same, but the way you channel it is different. This more emotional, intimate soundtrack feels like a truer me.

MACKINLEY’s vocals bring a unique dynamic to the track. How did you know she was the right collaborator?

Working with Mack has been a true joy, she’s always ready for whatever you've got to throw at her & it made the collaboration pretty seamless. She was recording at a studio I knew the owner of, and I heard just a soulfulness in her voice that I immediately imagined utilizing in a genre she’d never really sang in before. When it finally came time for her to sing it, the product was as good as I could’ve imagined. She’s a mini Noah Cyrus in the making.

What message do you hope listeners take away from “UGLY,” and how does it set the tone for your next chapter?

I hope that the fans of ‘UGLY’ just find that they can totally relate to it & maybe it lets them know they aren’t alone in what they’re going through. We’re all human sometimes we stay in certain relationships longer than we should because we’re hoping it gets better, maybe we won’t know til far after that it was a mistake or maybe we’ll happily be proven right & get the ending we were hoping for.