She is, of course, referring to TikTok’s song of the summer, an anthem for women seeking rich men. “I’m looking for a man in finance / With a trust fund / 6’5 / Blue eyes,” the lyrics go.
Turns out, the song doesn’t exactly capture the prevailing mood in 2024.
NBC News reported from what’s arguably the nation’s prime hunting ground for the very man the song describes — Lower Manhattan’s financial district, the home of Goldman Sachs, the setting of HBO’s Industry, and of course, literal Wall Street.
At the watering holes around these mega banks, we spoke to about a dozen women who gave us the bottom line: they’re not necessarily looking for the finance guy. Though they wouldn’t mind someone who picks up the bill, and then some.
The catchy “Man in finance” tune fits the internet’s current relationship discourse like a tailored jacket.
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.
‘Finance bros’ are boring, women say
“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.
But TikTok’s obsession with “Man in finance” has transcended the original video. Other creators have weighed in with tips on how to find this elusive finance, trust fund, 6’5, blue-eyed man. One graduate of Harvard Business School even made a video ranking the various finance jobs according to income, free time and likability.
(Venture capital and private equity workers fall at the top of the list, she said, though they will likely mansplain constantly.)
In some major cities, fringe single women have been seen taking to the streets, holding up cardboard signs with the song’s lyrics and beckoning men who match its description.
But despite the phenomenon that she created, Boni said that she, herself, isn’t actually looking for a man in finance.
“I’m looking for someone with a dad-bod who understands my humor, lets me shine a little and balances me out,” she said.
Financial District women concur. Surrounded every day by Wall Street bros, they say they can be summed up by a tailored suit, a backpack, an ego, and an air of hurriedness.
But their ultimate sin: men in finance are boring, young women said.
“They’re like a warm glass of water, and I’d rather have something with a little more sparkle in it,” said Stella Mannell, 22. “They dress the same, you can always spot one… I’d rather have someone who’s fun and vibrant and exciting than someone who has a lot of money. I’d rather go on a date to McDonald’s than go to The Polo Bar with a super lame guy.”
Dothan Bar, 21, who works as an intern at an investment bank, said his co-workers are aware of social media’s collective stereotypes and the fascination with them — and they sometimes lean into the aesthetic to get girls.
“They take care of themselves very well,” he said. “It’s a job that shows a lot about your character and your ambition. … I know people who work 100-hour weeks in finance.”
He’s not a fan, he said, and he’s switching to tech after college.
