THIS MAD DESIRE is Mackenzie Kristjon’s rock and roll brand, specializing in indie rock that has been described as "like Neil Young on David Bowie drugs". Mackenzie is Icelandic-Canadian and operates in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area. He has been writing and performing practically since being a toddler when he would grab a toy electric guitar and mime Ace Frehley licks to adoring audiences around the house.
Soon his parents realized that he had a “mirroring issue” with his hands (i.e. they both do the same physical movements). After a doctor laughed, “Well, he’ll never play the piano,” his mother immediately enrolled him in piano lessons, which started him on his musical journey.
Mackenzie has toured North America, UK, Europe, and Iceland both with TMD and with chamber-pop act Barzin since winning his first national songwriting competition as a teenager.
His latest EP (released August 4, 2023) is This Mad Desire | Secret Covers Volume 1 featuring tracks by Warren Zevon, Sebadoh, Black Sabbath, Bob Wiseman, and Björk.
CREATE Mackenzie has released numerous albums including the full-length Open Hearts Open Minds and Christmas EP Holiday Classics V1 in 2022, American Dream in 2020, the Paris of Love | Paris Amoureux EP in 2018, and the dynamic single Operators Are Standing By single and video (which has garnered 235,000 views) in 2017, when he re-launched his music career.
Aside from music, Mackenzie has published The Culinary Saga of New Iceland (Winner of 2 Taste Canada Awards) and the Mermaids …For Real!! books by his mother Kristin Olafson-Jenkyns as well as his own poetry collection we are all things and all people in addition to various others.
Mackenzie also works in film as cast and crew for all sorts of projects from major Hollywood pictures to Hallmark Christmas movies.
Operators Are Standing By!
LIFE IS TOO SHORT. ENJOY IT!
