From singing in a church to singing on stage, homegrown Central Queensland talent Mackenzie May is making her way up in the music arts world at just seventeen years old as she released her first debut single ‘Little Things’ on Friday, the 1st of March.
Mackenzie wrote the bittersweet song back in July last year at the junior academy of country music in Tamworth, where she co-wrote the song with Sarah Buckley from ‘The Buckleys.’
Mackenzie says she wrote the song about the small joys in life, acknowledging the little things as she memorises the minor, but significant moments her close friends will leave behind after they move onto university and into a new life outside of their hometown.
“A lot of my friends are moving away to uni, the song is about little things in life that get left behind and the little things that are big things to me.”
Growing up, Mackenzie would often sing with her pop. As her passion for singing developed over the years of her youth, she began singing for her local church, which expanded into her performing her first ever open mic at just thirteen-years-old. At fifteen, she then realised she would be able to make a career out of her harmonic vocal cords and acoustic guitar skills.
“Pop used to sing, I used to sit on his lap and sing with him.
“I think I was about twelve years old when I started singing in church. When I was thirteen, I did my first ever proper open mic.
“Then when I was about fifteen that’s when I realised, I could probably make a career out of this.”
Mackenzie shared her thoughts on exploring other musical genres, commenting: “Country music is definitely my genre; I don’t think I could go down any other pathway.”
She won the award for Novice Songwriter of the year in January 2024 at the Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) where she was given the opportunity to write another upcoming song in April.
“I’m going down to Hervey Bay in April to produce my second song so I’m really looking forward to that.”
“I’ll have to make an appearance up in Mackay sometime soon,” she says.
With a passion for singing mixed with her friendly charm, she will make a great artist throughout Central Queensland. Mackay looks forward to welcoming Mackenzie May in the near future.
Seventeen-year-old country singer-songwriter Mackenzie May. Photo supplied
