Inspired by the actual painting that hangs in Paris’ Louvre Museum, Daulton Hopkins was not impressed by what is considered Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous piece. That moved him to pen “Mona Lisa” and from there he worked alongside fellow artist Victoria Bigelow. Together they painted their own masterpiece about idol worship and letdowns.
In a time where one doesn’t have to do much to gain a celebrity-like status, it’s interesting to hear a song such as “Mona Lisa.” It took me a few listens to grasp the nature of it, but when I did I appreciated the narrative. Too often we put people on pedestals. Hopkins’ “Mona Lisa” is about what happens when you finally get close enough to said pedestal. It’s not good. He plays the, we’ll call it fan – and Victoria Bigelow comes in as the one on the receiving end of the adoration. Their back and forth is beautifully based on reality, forgoing the poetic nature of the situation and instead delivering blunt, yet melodic moments together.
Daulton Hopkins grew up listening to an eclectic mix from Radiohead to Frank Ocean. His musical interests impacted him, but overall his sound is very much that of a classic singer-songwriter with some dreamlike pop tossed in the mix. He dropped his debut EP, ‘A Wave from Wrightstown’ in 2018 and since then has released one other EP in 2020 as well as a cascade of singles, including his 2022 cover of Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Today he’s back with an original, “Mona Lisa,” and to hear that and more from Daulton Hopkins, make sure to check him out on all major music and streaming sites today.
Written by Kendra Beltran
