Macy Kate Talks Touring and Dreaming Big!
Macy Kate is an up-and-coming recording artist best known for her viral cover videos and her work with artists like Kurt Schneider and Alex G.
Sweety High spoke with Macy Kate in a recent interview about musical inspiration, her stint on The X Factor, and never giving up on dreams!
Macy Kate started singing when she just was 5 years old.
"I was just singing the National Anthem in my kindergarten class and my teacher noticed and told my mom," Macy said.
Her teacher urged Macy's mother to put her in singing classes. When she was 8 or 9, she started taking serious singing lessons. From there, she really began to develop as a singer.
When she got a little older, she started auditioning for reality shows.
"I got a call back from The X Factor during season 2 and I got to do boot camp," she said. "I made all three pre-recording rounds and got four yeses and a standing ovation from the judges."
Macy received compliments on her singing from judges L.A. Reid and Brittney Spears. She also got great feedback from Demi, who related to Macy and spoke with her about what it's like to be young and chase your dreams.
"Simon, unfortunately, was sick and had to have one of his friends cover for him during the week," she said.
Instead of Simon, Macy auditioned in front of X Factor U.K. judge Louis Walsh.
"He was really nice," she said. "Not as harsh as Simon, and a really good guy."
While she was involved with The X Factor, Macy had an awesome experience constantly moving between interviews and photo shoots.
"They pull you everywhere to do all kinds of press, and it was amazing and really high-adrenaline!"
Though Macy went home after bootcamp, the experience led her to pursue her musical career and travel to L.A., Nashville, and New York for songwriting.
Now, Macy is working on her original music as well as covers, many of which utilize her talents on the piano. Macy has been playing piano for about seven years.
"I starting out playing classically and I trained for a number of years," she said. "I stopped when I started getting more involved in my singing."
She took up the piano again when she realized it would be an asset. She started playing pop covers on the instrument and learned to write songs of her own.
Her songwriting process is often very collaborative.
"I really love that kind of writing," she explained. "Sometimes it's awkward telling my ideas to people, but everyone understands where I'm coming from."
Macy told us that Christina Aguilera is the biggest inspiration to her musical career.
"I have always looked up to her a lot and vocally she's got an amazing range," Macy explained. "I've learned a lot of my techniques and styles from her."
The Macy Kate Band consists of musicians Cade Larson, Nick Lopez and Austin Anderson, who all hail from Macy's hometown of Atlanta.
"I have an amazing band I work with," she said. "They're the teenage heartthrob boy band that backs me, and they create this cool sound around my voice live, which is electronic synth and dub step and very piano driven."
Macy describes her own voice as sounding like a female Justin Timberlake mixed with a bit of Ellie Goulding. Her band combines electronic sounds with Macy's soulful voice.
Macy has also collaborated on covers with many artists, including the incredibly talented Kurt Schneider.
"I am really grateful to have Kurt," she said. "In my whole career experience he has helped me a ton. He is an awesome person who has taken me under his wing and helped me grow as an artist and build my fan base."
Macy said she has benefited a lot from Kurt's support and belief in her. She loves being able to work with someone so talented.
"He's brilliant and comes up with arrangements for a song in 5 minutes," she said. "It's so cool."
Macy said that someday she would love to work with artist Christina Grimmie.
"She's a big inspiration," Macy said. "She even Tweeted me the other day, which was really cool. She's the reason I started my YouTube channel. She's an awesome singer with a cool personality and she brings a ton to the table."
When it comes to picking cover tracks, Macy often looks at the songs charting on Billboard or iTunes to learn which new songs people love.
"My fans are mostly teens and they like my kind of music," she said. "I have a really good stage presence and that shows in the vocals on those tracks."
Macy Kate explained that she has gotten as far as she has because she has never given up on her dreams.
"I try to inspire dreams," she said.
Every time Macy goes to an event or appears in a video, she writes 7 and 8 on her hands.
"Fall down 7, get up 8," she explained. "Never stop what you're doing if you have a dream, and don't let other people get you down."
Currently, Macy Kate and her band are traveling around the United States doing shows.
"We're hoping to get a national tour soon, opening for a major act or headlining on a tour of our own," she said.
Last month, Macy Kate performed at a Radio Disney concert alongside IM5 in Michigan. Later this month, she'll be opening a show for Ryan Beatty in New York.
"I'm also writing a ton so people should expect new music on iTunes soon!" she said.
If you're curious in Macy Kate's music, be sure to follow her on her social pages!
Do you have a musical dream of your own? Join us at Sweety High to practice your singing and make some fans!