Mackenzie is an alt-pop artist from Reading, taking inspiration from the likes of Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus While she was growing up listening to Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift, her rock influences are courtesy of her dad, who made her headbang to AC/DC in the car as a child. These early influences are evident in her pop-rock tracks - from the sarcastic and honest lyrics to the powerful vocals and big choruses she has made her trademark. She has had regular support from both BBC Introducing Solent and Berkshire who named her recent release 'After The Haze’ Track Of The Week.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Mackenzie, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hi! Thank you for having me! I was always into music from an early age, which is probably courtesy of my parents. But I always loved to sing. First, it was barney songs, then Disney princess songs and slowly I found my way to Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift who all inspired me to start making my own songs.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I love reading (I actually get loads of song ideas from reading) and specifically Sarah J Maas's books. I drink so much coffee I guess you could call it a hobby now! And I like the gym/running/walking, not the thought of it but when Im there I really enjoy it and it keeps me thinking positively!
Your latest song is 'I Hate July'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
So something not many people know is 'I Hate July' is quite obviously a breakup song, and I have never had a romantic breakup. I have had best friend break ups but not romantic ones. So when I started writing the song it just felt to me like a heartache song and so I wrote it by imagining how I would feel if my boyfriend and I had broken up. I think it worked very well until he asked me what it was about and I had to explain that it was in fact about our own breakup!
Can you reveal the recipe for a musical hit?
Annoyingly I don't think there is one. But I think that's a good thing as otherwise, all music would sound the same. However, all my favourite music has a couple of things in common such as big choruses and honest and relatable lyrics that make you feel like the artist understands your feelings even though you've never met. I think if you write honest music that people can relate to you're onto a winner!
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
Keep writing music I love and sharing it with people that support me is the main thing. All any artist wants is for people to love their music as much as they do so I want to focus on creating a lovely corner of the internet where everyone supports each other. The artist/fan relationship should be more a friendship than anything else in my opinion. Other than that my motto is 'be bold'. Talk to people who you think are too 'big' to talk to you, message people on the off chance they will reply and just make your name known as much as you can! Throw enough mud at the wall and something has to stick right? ;)
What inspires you as an artist? Could it be the sea, the weather or something else?
I find people and our relationships with each other so interesting so I draw a lot of inspiration from my own relationships and my friend's relationships too. If everyone's lives are going smoothly at the time, I turn to books or films and write about situations in them too. Songwriting is so fun though because sometimes you never know what you're actually feeling until you sit down to write and it just comes out! I have also struggled with my mental health in the past and find the way my brain works endlessly fascinating so that is always something I circle back to when creating new songs.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Thank you for listening! Life is confusing and weird and feelings are so confusing and weird so for people to listen to my music and feel like they can relate or that it helps them understand their own feelings is so special and cool. I am really grateful to have such supportive people around me. We all just want the best for each other! I am honoured to be part of the soundtrack of their lives!
Do you have a mentor or coach?
No I don't. I'm going it alone! I obviously look at other people who are doing well and take inspiration for myself from what they're doing but overall we're doing it on a wing a prayer and that 'Be Bold' mentality.
Do you think it's easy to become established in the music world, or is it difficult?
A bit of both. Some people get really lucky and that's amazing for them! For others it takes time. Ultimately I believe good music will speak for itself and if you focus on the music, what you're trying to say, and finding people who like what you say and want to be part of your journey then you're going in the right direction.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
This is a dangerous question because my imagination has no limits! Serious Answer: I want to be touring the world playing my songs, living solely off of my music so I can quit my waitressing job (if this one could hurry up that would be great), be a signed artist so I can concentrate on making the best music possible and honestly I want a Number 1. No point in hiding it.
Unserious but still kinda serious: I want a BRIT, No.1 album/single, headline world tour, and I want to see Avril Lavigne in the flesh. Oh and also the title of Queen of the World would be great because at this point why not? ;) Got to dream big!