At a late-June happy hour in the shadow of One World Trade Center in New York, a group of single women gathered to toast the end of a multiday heat wave. Margarita-fueled convos began to drift into the lamentable state of modern dating — stories about ghosting, being stuck with a bill and the overall bad behavior of men.
The song dredges up tensions about money and dating at a time when gender roles are constantly in flux, dating is expensive, women say they’re tired of compromising, and app fatigue is standing in the way of personal connection. “Man in finance” was first posted as a 19-second TikTok video in April by creator Megan Boni, a 27-year-old from New York. It’s since gotten over 50 million views, been remixed by DJ and producer David Guetta, and earned Boni a record deal.
“I’m looking for someone with a dad-bod who understands my humor, lets me shine a little and balances me out,” she said. Though its lyrics have been beaten to death across social media platforms, experts say the “man in finance” message captures a rising sentiment among single women online: Life is expensive and exhausting, and they want a man that can alleviate some of that burden, not add to it.
“The whole idea of a softer life comes into play; having that slower pace of doing hobbies and things that you enjoy,” dating coach and “City of Dating” columnist Stevie Bowen said.